baby step progress for chat server

[Ron]

First off, I have no idea what I'm doing, never done this before and learning as I go  . This may not even be the best way, but its finally starting to work.

After a few weeks and using the old BVChat example, I did get two computers to send messages back and forth. 10 days alone were stuck because I didn't know you needed to send vbCRLF back from the server with each message 

I first tried Raknet, too far over my head... Then smartfoxserver, never could get a connection / send Hex 00 termination... I skipped the php/mysql because my little experience with php hasn't been a good one. I want to save the GC networking capabilities for head to head races, but make a seperate always on server that does not depend on a player also having to be a chat host.

This is made from a vb console application running on a server with socket communications back and forth.

Next step is to bind it to a database for inventory. If anyone is heading down this same path, I would be glad to send you what I have learned that may save some time. Below are the screenshots so far:

[grubert]

Congrats for your improvements, Ron! Very brave from your side! 

[Squat]

Excellent progress and very nice menu Ron. I will certainly look to you when I start getting to this point, which I feel is a way off from what I'm ready for. I'm a bit jealous that you're up here already, but very glad to see others progressing alongside and further than myself. Especially when we're all relatively new. Nice.

[Ron]

Excellent progress and very nice menu Ron. I will certainly look to you when I start getting to this point, which I feel is a way off from what I'm ready for. I'm a bit jealous that you're up here already, but very glad to see others progressing alongside and further than myself. Especially when we're all relatively new. Nice.

Its a never ending process - its never really finished  This is my 3rd iteration thru the whole program. When I get "done", I start again from scratch to try to improve and use what I have learned.

I have done my share of "number crunching programs" in the past. Game design is the most difficult programming I have encountered, but also the most enjoyable.

[gekido]

you do know that the default multiplayer template (chess / basic multiplayer) has chat built in right?

[Ron]

you do know that the default multiplayer template (chess / basic multiplayer) has chat built in right?

I have looked at the chess game and also the old bv chat example, they both have help alot. I can figure out php enough to get the overall of what its doing, but a long ways away from writing my own code. The vb console programming seems easier to me than php.

My goal with the chat is for users to be able to challenge each other from the chat and then it automatically launches directly into head to head race with a spectate option that pops up for the other chat room visitors.