How can I implement multiplayer in my iphone game?

Question

I want to create a playstation home style multiplayer game for iphone. How can I implement multiplayer in my project? Also, how can I give players a chance to chat? How can I let them create their own avatars to interact? I am a one man developer, with no access to servers. Maybe I can use iPhone game centre???

Answer 1

You can look at Gamooga (http://www.gamooga.com/).

Its a realtime communication platform for multiplayer games so you dont need to worry about building and deploying your own multiplayer servers. You can upload your own server side scripts onto Gamooga's cluster which receive and process your clients' messages. You can use Gamooga's iOS API with in your app to send messages from the client side to your server side scripts. You can download the SDK and look at the demos to start off.

There is a free plan of Gamooga platform too that you can make use of to start with.

Disclosure: I am founder of Gamooga, replying only since its relevant to the question.

Answer 2

Or you could just use Nextpeer - http://www.nextpeer.com

It makes adding online tournaments to your game real simple.

Answer 3

If you're looking for some kind of platform to build on, there is a product called SmartFoxServer:

http://www.smartfoxserver.com/

I have not used it, but it claims to provide a client API for native Obj-C or Unity3D. It allows for chat features.

If you want to roll your own, I recommend getting started with NodeJS:

http://nodejs.org/

GameCenter does not provide any kind of backend for multiplayer networking, at least not in the way you are implying. If you intend to build a networked multiplayer game over the internet, you most likely need some kind of backend.

Slicehost is a good way of getting a server like NodeJS running quickly and cheaply:

http://www.slicehost.com/

Don't forget that GameKit in iOS allows multiple devices to find each other locally (via Bluetooth or local Wifi) and create sessions. This might be a good starting point for your game. Here's some info on GameKit:

http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/NetworkingInternet/Conceptual/GameKit_Guide/Introduction/Introduction.html

Answer 4

I think this would usually be done with webservice interaction against a server. You may be able to develop a webservice and pay a small fee to have it hosted by a web provider, or to use your own machine as (an unreliable) server while proving the concept.