Ok, well i just stumbled onto this site today. read through some posts, lotsa ppl like the idea of a multiplayer uplink. i would too. i thought about it for awhile, i program in visual basic since visual c++ scares me, and basic seems like it would be the right choice for this game.
i wont promise anything like so many others have, since idk whether i will even have time to do it, plus i need some ideas. so im starting this thread for every1 to give ideas for an online uplink game.
if u wanna leave any ideas/suggestions, skip the rest of this and leave a reply.
if u want to hear me talk for a while about major problems i need ppl to help solve, read the rest of this post, then leave a reply.
i have ideas about real ppl hacking real ppl, ppl eventually (as they advance) being able to start their own corporations and hire ppl to hack their rivals, etc. but many problems also arise in dealing with online uplink, so i want every1 to pitch in and help.
mainly the problem is keeping it fair. in single player uplink, its fairly easy to play. also easy to not get caught. so on a multiplayer lvl, how would u keep it fair? how could you make the game require skill? if u tried to directly port it, it would be too easy to hack other ppl, and it would require no skill to hack eachother. plus every1 would just get hacked like 100x and then quit. so i need ideas about making the game fun, and skill to reflect ur performance in the game. had some ideas about "create ur own virus" progs, or using exploits, but i just dont see any way of making it hard to make good virii and easy to make crappy virii. any newb could just find code and use it, so there has to be some limiting factor that requires some skill to advance. the problem with sing player is that it requires no thought to hack someone, and thus aside from typing speed, there is not much you can do to be better than anyone else who plays uplink. but online u would need something that requires thought and skill, so that ppl are good, ppl are bad, and they actually have to put together some strategy and think a bit to outsmart the other hackers. i dont know what that would be.
ive talked for long enough, so im gonna go. leave ur comments.
Uplink - Online Multiplayer
Moderators: jelco, bert_the_turtle, Chris, Icepick, Rkiver, Punisher Bass
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abigbagofcrap
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Christopher
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http://www.wirelords.com
http://www.lost.no
I would recommend studying both of these along with Uplink for ideas. There was also a Multiplayer Manifesto a LONG way back. Very detailed. I would look that up.
http://www.lost.no
I would recommend studying both of these along with Uplink for ideas. There was also a Multiplayer Manifesto a LONG way back. Very detailed. I would look that up.
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abigbagofcrap
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well, unfortunately the 1st site isnt working correctly (tutorial and help links dont work,and so im totally lost) , and the 2nd is also messed up, saying that no accounts are left.
lookin up some of the really old topics, one is 12 pages long so it might take a while.
im hoping one of them will solve the problem of making the game require some degree of skill. that is pretty much the biggest hurdle is "what makes me a better hacker than everyone else" and "what keeps the game exciting and fun", meaning i need to implement something that will make new types of missions or something. perhaps i could do something like a message board where npc's post info about new server exploits, and corporations then install patches making older exploits not work. or perhaps some degree of social engineering, u can install keyloggers onto remote computers to get passwords for the local comp, and so real players just need enough money for the software and the brains to scan their comp. or something along those lines. i really need help figuring this all out which is why i decided to post this to the community.
also hopefully ur links will eventually work again since those might be able to provide me with some good ideas.
i read thru some of the other posts, lotsa ppl complaining about vb not being good enuf (which i disagree, but im currently looking at some of the more advanced languages for the game) but nobody really tackled the issue of keeping it fair or exciting. possibly using plenty of npcs or the whole software updating every so often idea mite keep it exciting enuf. i really hope more ppl will give suggestions for the game, and hopefully fix the whole problem with skill lvl.
and once again, i will say im not guaranteeing that i will accomplish anything, but if i dont, hopefully there will be ideas on how to make the gameplay online work that other modders or proggies will use.
lookin up some of the really old topics, one is 12 pages long so it might take a while.
im hoping one of them will solve the problem of making the game require some degree of skill. that is pretty much the biggest hurdle is "what makes me a better hacker than everyone else" and "what keeps the game exciting and fun", meaning i need to implement something that will make new types of missions or something. perhaps i could do something like a message board where npc's post info about new server exploits, and corporations then install patches making older exploits not work. or perhaps some degree of social engineering, u can install keyloggers onto remote computers to get passwords for the local comp, and so real players just need enough money for the software and the brains to scan their comp. or something along those lines. i really need help figuring this all out which is why i decided to post this to the community.
also hopefully ur links will eventually work again since those might be able to provide me with some good ideas.
i read thru some of the other posts, lotsa ppl complaining about vb not being good enuf (which i disagree, but im currently looking at some of the more advanced languages for the game) but nobody really tackled the issue of keeping it fair or exciting. possibly using plenty of npcs or the whole software updating every so often idea mite keep it exciting enuf. i really hope more ppl will give suggestions for the game, and hopefully fix the whole problem with skill lvl.
and once again, i will say im not guaranteeing that i will accomplish anything, but if i dont, hopefully there will be ideas on how to make the gameplay online work that other modders or proggies will use.
Yes....so you wanna make a multiplayer game...Did you ever think of some server? You will need serverside code and clientside code - they both will communicate between itselves.
This isn't impossible, but it isn't the easiest project - for example I'm making also multiplayer conversion of Uplink - called Flashlink - you might hear about it on these forums. I'm working hard for over 6 months and it still isn't 100% complete....My last version is 0.5 and there is about 60% of things. The biggest problem is features - like in Uplink...the core can be built in few hours or days, but adding new features takes much time.
I don't know if this can be done in Basic/Visual Basic....because it sounds too basic
) .Don't ever think of remaking Uplink - you have to start from scratch. I'm doing it in Java and AS so it's also portable.
I'll release some open-version for developing players own mods, so you can see what's going on.
I think people wouldn't post there some tips what should be and what shouldn't - they are awaiting this game for some years so they don't expect that THIS one will be completed. I've created a big site (user logging system,content management system,etc) and some forums - people who like my game are posting new tips there. Yes ,there is only 30 people registered (out of 20 000 on these forums :-> )....but that might be also because of beta stage - it's not really playable now (as much as Uplink).
So my tip is: If you wanna to let people help you, you have to build some site about your project - you have to release testing versions to public,make some screenshots - they will then be able to help you in your forums.
Ok,This should be all from my side ,bye
BTW: My site is offline today :-/ so I can't give you any link. But it worked yesterday....I'll call my provider.
This isn't impossible, but it isn't the easiest project - for example I'm making also multiplayer conversion of Uplink - called Flashlink - you might hear about it on these forums. I'm working hard for over 6 months and it still isn't 100% complete....My last version is 0.5 and there is about 60% of things. The biggest problem is features - like in Uplink...the core can be built in few hours or days, but adding new features takes much time.
I don't know if this can be done in Basic/Visual Basic....because it sounds too basic
) .Don't ever think of remaking Uplink - you have to start from scratch. I'm doing it in Java and AS so it's also portable.
I'll release some open-version for developing players own mods, so you can see what's going on.
I think people wouldn't post there some tips what should be and what shouldn't - they are awaiting this game for some years so they don't expect that THIS one will be completed. I've created a big site (user logging system,content management system,etc) and some forums - people who like my game are posting new tips there. Yes ,there is only 30 people registered (out of 20 000 on these forums :-> )....but that might be also because of beta stage - it's not really playable now (as much as Uplink).
So my tip is: If you wanna to let people help you, you have to build some site about your project - you have to release testing versions to public,make some screenshots - they will then be able to help you in your forums.
Ok,This should be all from my side ,bye
BTW: My site is offline today :-/ so I can't give you any link. But it worked yesterday....I'll call my provider.
I'm out of time 
...but you can hit me on ICQ ...I'm seeking for new friends
...but you can hit me on ICQ ...I'm seeking for new friends -
abigbagofcrap
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yea, i saw ur post about the unplink online.
the problem is, i really dont want to begin coding until i kno better what features i will have. and im assuming that my code will rely quite heavily on the whole strategy aspect. im not planning on remaking uplink, basically im merging ideas from uplink and another game called blue sky, and adding in all those features i wish that they had.
if i may ask, with ur flashlink game, how are u balancing players? i think i remember u saying that they can hack eachother (which i also plan to do), but as i have repeated how do i make it require some strategy so that good players do better? im sure you would agree that anyone can beat uplink, all you need is to be somewhat proficient with a keyboard, or more so with a mouse. the rest is just bouncing the connection.
online uplink would definitely require something a lot more complex that requires ppl to use some skill and creativity, which will a) make the game competitive, allowing better players to be able to hack worse players but not be hacked by worse players and
b) keep the game exciting - such as player a tries to hack player b, who notices the attempt and quickly begins an active trace, whereas player c gets hacked by player a, and because hes a bad player, the hack is successful.
basically once i get the concept worked out about keeping the game fun and fair and complex at the same time, i will begin actual coding (at least i hope). if not, someone else might find this useful as im sure most ppl have seen this as a major problem.
as far servers, i figure for now i will just use my crappy computer. its a 1.5 mbs dl speed and 300kbs or so upload (just a standard dsl connection), 800 mhz comp running xp, 192 megs ram.
hopefully someone can also tackle the problem associated with skill requirements in my game.
the problem is, i really dont want to begin coding until i kno better what features i will have. and im assuming that my code will rely quite heavily on the whole strategy aspect. im not planning on remaking uplink, basically im merging ideas from uplink and another game called blue sky, and adding in all those features i wish that they had.
if i may ask, with ur flashlink game, how are u balancing players? i think i remember u saying that they can hack eachother (which i also plan to do), but as i have repeated how do i make it require some strategy so that good players do better? im sure you would agree that anyone can beat uplink, all you need is to be somewhat proficient with a keyboard, or more so with a mouse. the rest is just bouncing the connection.
online uplink would definitely require something a lot more complex that requires ppl to use some skill and creativity, which will a) make the game competitive, allowing better players to be able to hack worse players but not be hacked by worse players and
b) keep the game exciting - such as player a tries to hack player b, who notices the attempt and quickly begins an active trace, whereas player c gets hacked by player a, and because hes a bad player, the hack is successful.
basically once i get the concept worked out about keeping the game fun and fair and complex at the same time, i will begin actual coding (at least i hope). if not, someone else might find this useful as im sure most ppl have seen this as a major problem.
as far servers, i figure for now i will just use my crappy computer. its a 1.5 mbs dl speed and 300kbs or so upload (just a standard dsl connection), 800 mhz comp running xp, 192 megs ram.
hopefully someone can also tackle the problem associated with skill requirements in my game.
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abigbagofcrap
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well then may i ask how u plan to tackle the problem i was having?
also what language do u plan to use? from the site it appears u will b using visual c++. if i can figure out vc++ perhaps we can work together on the coding. im tryin to learn it, but its scary when it takes 2 pages of a book to write a hello world program, whereas in visual basic it takes 2 mouse clicks and typing "hello world"
also what language do u plan to use? from the site it appears u will b using visual c++. if i can figure out vc++ perhaps we can work together on the coding. im tryin to learn it, but its scary when it takes 2 pages of a book to write a hello world program, whereas in visual basic it takes 2 mouse clicks and typing "hello world"
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abigbagofcrap
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well im in the process of learning vc++. but i disagree that vb cant make complicated programs. especially for things not graphics oriented like uplink it is ideal. if worse comes to worse, i wont make an online hacking sim, but perhaps someone mite benefit from this post. im really hoping someone will have an idea about the skill requirements for such a game, as this is the biggest hurdle i have come across so far.
as i have said, im not too worried about actually coding the game, but more about gameplay, especially (as ive said like 80 times in this topic) how to make it a skill oriented game. one idea i had was using console interfaces rather than point-and-click so that fast typers will have some advantage, and to stop hackers or trace them you have to do it with console commands. only prob with this idea is many ppl are bad typers, or would get bored from having to type out long commands. and then there is the problem of macros being used to store keystrokes giving ppl advantages.
exosyphen-any ideas about the skill problem? and also, you actually made blue sky? if so, i will say congratulations on a very good game. i only have the demo since i rarely buy software, but your game was pretty nice from what i played, except for how the whole cracker prog takes a constant amount of time which is usually like a min or more. not quite as enticing as uplink (gameplay-wise), but the sound was great and imo the graphics were more stunning.
im gonna shut up about the other game now and hope that someone can help solve my problem
as i have said, im not too worried about actually coding the game, but more about gameplay, especially (as ive said like 80 times in this topic) how to make it a skill oriented game. one idea i had was using console interfaces rather than point-and-click so that fast typers will have some advantage, and to stop hackers or trace them you have to do it with console commands. only prob with this idea is many ppl are bad typers, or would get bored from having to type out long commands. and then there is the problem of macros being used to store keystrokes giving ppl advantages.
exosyphen-any ideas about the skill problem? and also, you actually made blue sky? if so, i will say congratulations on a very good game. i only have the demo since i rarely buy software, but your game was pretty nice from what i played, except for how the whole cracker prog takes a constant amount of time which is usually like a min or more. not quite as enticing as uplink (gameplay-wise), but the sound was great and imo the graphics were more stunning.
im gonna shut up about the other game now and hope that someone can help solve my problem
So my server is finally on - you can try another version at www.flashlink.us
Flashlink is mainly coded in AS (Actionscript) is Macromedia Flash MX 2004 ,so it's some kind of scripting language - it's easier than C++ and you can do good projects in it.
In C++ you need libraries for graphics,3d graphics,sound,music,network etc... And in Flash there is all of this already implemented But Flash isn't the best language or software - there are many things you can't do.
BTW: If you wanna testdrive Flashlink, register on the web and then log in the game.
Flashlink is mainly coded in AS (Actionscript) is Macromedia Flash MX 2004 ,so it's some kind of scripting language - it's easier than C++ and you can do good projects in it.
In C++ you need libraries for graphics,3d graphics,sound,music,network etc... And in Flash there is all of this already implemented But Flash isn't the best language or software - there are many things you can't do.
BTW: If you wanna testdrive Flashlink, register on the web and then log in the game.
I'm out of time ...but you can hit me on ICQ ...I'm seeking for new friends
...but you can hit me on ICQ ...I'm seeking for new friends Hey,
I have an idea. Make a ranking system so that when a person reaches a certain hacking ranking he/she can go into a higher up place where he/she can get better missions, get better hardware/software and etc. This will allow the newbies to have a fair go the experts not to be stuck wih the newbies.
From,
Chris
I have an idea. Make a ranking system so that when a person reaches a certain hacking ranking he/she can go into a higher up place where he/she can get better missions, get better hardware/software and etc. This will allow the newbies to have a fair go the experts not to be stuck wih the newbies.
From,
Chris
Chris_a
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abigbagofcrap
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well i look forward to seeing your ideas on the skill aspect.
as for flashlink, pretty interesting, looks nice. not much else to say since you can't do much. my comp is also a piece of crap so it was kinda choppy, later on you may want to add in some lower quality graphics or something for ppl with crappy comps like mine (800 mhz, 192 megs ram, win xp)
also about the ranking system, i had alrdy planned to use something like that. but the question is, what would anyone have on their computer that you want to steal? obviously software is about the only thing, but then why would anyone ever buy anything when they could just steal it? i guess that plays into the whole skill requirement for the game, how a better player would stop someone from hacking them, thus you cant make it like uplink where its all just point, click, wait, and system is hacked.
one idea i also had was that rather than just assuming everything can be used as a proxy (aka the bounces), only certain servers would have a proxy server. or possibly you need to install a trojan onto peoples systems that would allow you to use their comp to forward requests and return data, making them essentially the same as bounces, only since you must hack them first and install the software it is slightly more complicated.
perhaps i could make software sold from a variety of sites, even make some shell companies sell software that is actually a virus or trojan, or something else. so while you may get the software you wanted cheaper, it might actually do other things, and so part of the game would be a constant battle: buying new av (anti virus)software or at (anti trojan) scanners and avoiding dling virii. but that would require many new viruses fairly often to keep the game interesting, not to mention you would likely need to make better security systems just as often so that people must constantly get newer software to hack those, increasing their chance of getting a new virus. that might create some excitement to the game, but its too repetitive to be the main point.
well, leave your thoughts...
as for flashlink, pretty interesting, looks nice. not much else to say since you can't do much. my comp is also a piece of crap so it was kinda choppy, later on you may want to add in some lower quality graphics or something for ppl with crappy comps like mine (800 mhz, 192 megs ram, win xp)
also about the ranking system, i had alrdy planned to use something like that. but the question is, what would anyone have on their computer that you want to steal? obviously software is about the only thing, but then why would anyone ever buy anything when they could just steal it? i guess that plays into the whole skill requirement for the game, how a better player would stop someone from hacking them, thus you cant make it like uplink where its all just point, click, wait, and system is hacked.
one idea i also had was that rather than just assuming everything can be used as a proxy (aka the bounces), only certain servers would have a proxy server. or possibly you need to install a trojan onto peoples systems that would allow you to use their comp to forward requests and return data, making them essentially the same as bounces, only since you must hack them first and install the software it is slightly more complicated.
perhaps i could make software sold from a variety of sites, even make some shell companies sell software that is actually a virus or trojan, or something else. so while you may get the software you wanted cheaper, it might actually do other things, and so part of the game would be a constant battle: buying new av (anti virus)software or at (anti trojan) scanners and avoiding dling virii. but that would require many new viruses fairly often to keep the game interesting, not to mention you would likely need to make better security systems just as often so that people must constantly get newer software to hack those, increasing their chance of getting a new virus. that might create some excitement to the game, but its too repetitive to be the main point.
well, leave your thoughts...
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