在基于浏览器的游戏中创建UDP和TCP连接？

Question

I'm working on a game and want the freedom to choose between UDP and TCP connections in the future when I decide to add multiplayer. I'm not sure how something like this would work in the browser with security.

There are two scenarios I can think of for multiplayer. The first is that a player becomes the host of the game (in the browser) and thus would need to communicate with other players directly via TCP or UDP. This would save me on bandwidth costs.

The second scenario would be to have the web server host the game and pass messages back and forth to the clients again via TCP or UDP.

Do Flash or Java applets let me do something like this? If not is there an alternative I can use for the browser or am I stuck with moving to providing a game download and installation?

Answer 1

Both Java applets / web-start applications allow you to establish network connections for gaming etc.

The first is that a player becomes the host of the game (in the browser) and thus would need to communicate with other players directly via TCP or UDP.

Java enforces a "same-origin-policy" which says that (without special permission from the user) your application may only connect back to the server it came from.

AFAIK, same applies for Flash-application.

The second scenario would be to have the web server host the game and pass messages back and forth to the clients again via TCP or UDP.

This would probably be the way to go, if you don't want to ask the user for special permissions.

Answer 2

Javascript can't do UDP. Applets can do connections back to their source no matter what, and they can do more network-y stuff if signed, and only if the user enables Java and trusts your certificate. Given the recent history of malware applets on facebook, I would't plan using an applet if you want to make a browser-based game.

Answer 3

It's possible in Flash:

• Option one with centralised server and end-to-end peering: Using peers (only with UDP) in Flash is possible, but is currently in beta and requires users to have Flash Player 10 or 10.1, depending on your implementation. See an example demo game .

• Option two with centralised server: You can use Real Time Messaging Protocol (only with TCP). Real-time multi player Flash games usually use this. You also have an option to exchange data via HTTP.