From kde-games-devel  Mon Sep 24 08:44:22 2001
From: Martin <martin () heni-online ! de>
Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2001 08:44:22 +0000
To: kde-games-devel
Subject: [Kde-games-devel] Announce: libkdegames/KGame-alpha 1
X-MARC-Message: https://marc.info/?l=kde-games-devel&m=100132107307589

Announcement: libkdegames/KGame-alpha 1

As Andi is a bit busy with an exam he asked me to 
announce the first realse version of the kgame library:

-----------
KGame is part of the kdegames library and provides
support for the design of network aware KDE games.
It includes most features which you need for the
game logic and the game flow of desktop games, including
transperent network games, computer players, load
and save support.

You can check it out of the KDE CVS from
kdegames/libkdegames. The this version is tagged
as KGAME_ALPHA_1 and you can find a kdoc'ed
documentation on
http://www.heni-online.de/libkdegames/


Feature list:
- Easy to use network options. All games will be network
  aware without programming much network and certainly
  without needing to know about sockets, TCP etc.
- chat widgets dialogs, predefined network and game
  configuration dialogs available
- load/save of your game with about one line of code.
  You can use the load/game mechanism even if you don't intend
  to write a network game.
- Game flow logic, nextPlayer, gameOver, ... available
  Suitabel for tunr based and not turn based games
- Game variables bases on property system. It even allows
  runtime inspection of the game properties in a separate window
- Flexible and easy exchangable input modules, e.g. keyboard
  or mouse (others like joysticks, ... can be added later)
- Object orientated game design: Game - Player - I/O
- Very easy to program computer player either direct or even
  in a separate process without you needing to know about
  processes or interprocess communication
- Computer players can be replaced by network players or vice versa
  even in a running game

Example: Check out kdegames/kwin4 for a example program. It is neither
         super nicely coded nor fully working at the moment. But I suppose
         you will get the idea. 
         Main thing you should focus upon is the creation of new players
         and the KGameProperty usage. Especially in connection with the
         automatic widget update which is performed upon property change.
         The game uses the property mode "Dirty" which is the easiest to use
         one and should work in most cases.
         The ease of use of the network option you'll see by nearly NO
         network code at all!


Remark: If you want to use the library please contact Andi <b_mann@gmx.de>
        or me <martin@heni-online.de> so that we can update
        you on important changes and you can give us feedback, too.

        If you want to contribute or help us conding and designing
        also feel free to contact us as we are both a bit short of
        time at the moment.

Martin & Andi

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