love.cloud

[bartbes]

I was thinking about LÖVE and cloud computing and came up with: love.cloud.
The basic idea is a centralized system where games can store save games, user profiles, highscores, etc.
Eventually it should be a place where games, updates and DLC can be distributed to users.

The goal is to create an easy, common and closely integrated library that has a wide userbase, an example of what it should be like:

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love.cloud.identify(game_id) --game ids will be given on request
love.cloud.login(username, password) --a username and password of the player
love.cloud.setHighscore(score)
love.cloud.saveGame(data)
--etc

The biggest problem now is having a userbase and having a server, any hints or offers are greatly appreciated.

[Robin]

Hackability should be a concern, for example for hiscores. The next line is especially problematic:

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love.cloud.identify(game_id)

How do we assure that the game is actually game_id?

[Fizzadar]

I love this idea! I assume you'd write a server .love for storing the data etc depending on the game id and so on?

As for the project, I own a server (well, multiple) but I have one specific one I use for gameservers (http://winsaucestudios.com/) which could potentially host this...

[bartbes]

Hackability should be a concern

It sure is, and I am sure that I will find a way to validate stuff.. just.. wait.

I assume you'd write a server .love

Well, it won't be a .love, as it is pretty useless for a dedicated server to have a GUI, I'm not sure whether it'll be in written in Lua, C++, Tcl, or Fetus (though the last is very, very improbable)

I own a server (well, multiple) but I have one specific one I use for gameservers (http://winsaucestudios.com/) which could potentially host this...

Thanks for the offer! Of course I'll have to see how this idea grows, but when (or if?) I get to the point where I need a host I will certainly keep you in mind.

I'm not too sure about the format of the library itself, if I ever want to get it incorporated in LÖVE, fast and secure I'll probably need to write it in C/C++, not a problem, but certainly something I(/we) need to think about. In the case I build it as an external library I will probably create an installer for it and this allows people to install love.cloud when they want.

There are a lot of things to think about, but I'm sure this could be a wonderful project.

EDIT: Think about the added value this'll give LÖVE!

[Fizzadar]

EDIT: Think about the added value this'll give LÖVE!

This. Especially the downloadable content and stuff, possibly updates for games? Global saves would be perfect for "longer" games as well.

[Robin]

I'm not sure whether it'll be in written in Lua, C++, Tcl, or Fetus (though the last is very, very improbable)

Even worse: BrainFuck or Suzy.

EDIT: Think about the added value this'll give LÖVE!

Think about the new puns this'll give us! OK, I can't think of any... but there must be loads of them...

[TechnoCat]

love.orgy
eh? eh?

[Sardtok]

love.orgy

My thought exactly.

[Geti]

i am very much for this idea, especially as i'm looking at mmo ideas that are community driven. it would be super if the software could be installed on any server with minimal configuration. also, i think hashing the game's files (especially main.lua) and using a lookup against each game id would be a good idea.

[bartbes]

i think hashing the game's files (especially main.lua) and using a lookup against each game id would be a good idea.

I thought about that, but there is almost never 1 file you need to check, most bigger projects I've worked on consisted of multiple files, thus multiple point where you could enter your own code.