DarkNet
A multiplayer lobby system for Game Maker by darkhitman.


DOWNLOAD:

> DarkNet (.gm6 in .zip, ~0.1mb)

(Note: For registered users only, due to DLLs.)


Introduction:
DarkNet, unlike DarkStorm, is not a 'game.' It can best be related to Blizzard's BattleNet system, hence the name. You can use it to significantly expand the capabilites of any GM game -- whether it uses gm_mplay, SOC, or GMsock! It is, of course, editable -- it would have to be, in order to be of any use.

Features:

• Hundreds of players
• Channels (like in BattleNet) can be created and joined by players
• Each channel can host a game, of which all members of the channel can join
• Uses GMsock for efficiency
• Returns an IP that any (multiplayer) game that uses IP-based connection can connect to
• Server console with kick, listen, and global message commands

Who can use DarkNet?
Anyone with an online game that uses IPs to connect... for example, DarkStorm can be applied to DarkNet (and I'll work on making an example of this, it will probably take all of five minutes to do).

Who can't use DarkNet?
Contrary to what some people may be hoping, DarkNet cannot be used to turn a single-player game into a multiplayer one. It can only be applied to multiplayer games, since it does not deal with the actual game.

Why use DarkNet?
Use DarkNet if...

• You have an online game that prompts the user for the IP to join.
• You constantly find your topic spammed with 'my IP is X' or 'who wants to play with me?' posts
• You want to just have a chat room for your single-player game (not recommended)

How do I use DarkNet?
[These instructions are brief; see Game Information for more details.]
1. Merge DarkNet with your game.
2. Move the lobby room before the room(s) of your game.
3. The IP for the game being joined will be stored in global.dnet_channel_host. Use this IP as the IP to connect to in your game's connection object.
4. Run the DarkNet server, then run your game, and enjoy.

How does it work?
DarkNet is a chat program. The clients connect to the main server, and when a message is sent, they send it to the server -- not the other players. The server then sends the message to all of the clients in the same channel. If the server is down, the message will not be sent -- but the server can be restored without the clients needing to restart. When a player in the channel clicks Host, the other players in that channel will have the Join button light up, allowing them to join the game -- although, actually, all that's happening is that player's IP is set as the Hosting IP for the channel.

License: Any form of copying, distribution, citation, sale, or redistribution of DarkNet without sufficient credit given to DarkNet/darkhitman (see below) is strictly forbidden and will not be tolerated. As this is an (basically) open-source project, you are free to edit this in any way, without my express permission. It is not allowed for you to claim the entirety of DarkNet as your own work; however, it is acceptable to acknowledge your changes in the credits.

(Note: This does not apply to the scripts and DLL of GMsock. For information on GMsock, please read GMsock_readme.txt (included).)

Acceptable credit includes:
>>> A full-screen intro sponsoring the words 'Uses the DarkNet lobby system' or similar message.
>>> Text, in readable and at least size 12 font, at the bottom of the loader and/or title screen of your program.
>>> A reference in the credits; however, this reference must include the DarkNet license, a link to the topic, and my (screen)name and email.

What is not acceptable (by itself, at any rate):
>>> A reference to only my name in the credits.
>>> No reference at all (duh).

Note: Please don't PM me asking if your credit is acceptable. I don't really care that much. If you're the type of person who wouldn't give credit in the first place, I probably don't want my name on your game.

Screenshots:


And, please. Don't post 'wut is this/??'. I clearly explained it. And number ratings are pretty much inapplicable.

wow!!! Good job darkhitman. This will make a great addition to Phara

Don't advertise in other people's topics please (I've removed the link).
-Ablach Blackrat

very good. only flaw is its for gm 6. i mean common who uses that... really!@!>#!@ what the freakzorz!!1 (dont answer that).

anyway i would use it except i like workin solo... (no social skills anyway, god im a loser)

reminds me of ropw.. always getting spyed on and kicked

anywayx2 you're really nice =D, spending time giving to community instead of working on your own games.. erm well same idea...

bah im really bad at explaing myself. if you can read this you're special.

erm wheres delete key... =\ shouldn't of posted

It's for GM 6.1.

The host functions such as /listen were provided so the host could interact with the users, not so much spy on them... although they're definitely for spying too. Or more correctly, monitoring.

Sometime soon I'll be merging this with darkstorm to provide an example of how to merge it with a game. Shouldn't take too long.

Yeah I checked it out. Everything is next to perfect except for the host/join game aspect. I think most people would prefer to have a list of all the games no matter what session they are in. But I guess it wouldn't be hard to change if people wanted too.

your darkx programs are easily in the top 10 for programs in the gmc.
cm

WOW there arnt many comment for such a great thing.. good job

so, just curious, you explained yourself very well, when you said main server though, do you mean you are running a server, we have to run our own, or server as in the host?

You have to run your own master server, yes. This is because there's really no way to handle the synchronization and data transfer easily without using a master server at some point. You can run the master server without too much lag as long as you're on DSL, really. It's not too demanding iin terms of traffic.

Yeah, i run broadband, so im in good shape. thanks

ooooh! shinny!

this is a very cool game.. er engine... er gamemaker creation!..

a very cool lobby system!

i may use it in my game... it is quite easy to incorpoate into game...
i will gibe it an 7.5/10

only one real problem, how do you choose if you want to talk in main lobby, or duel lobby...

(edit, oh right, /create, /join.... i new that!)

Pizza, on what basis did you rate it? You can't really rate a engine like this...

This is not an open source license. This software is not open source. If anything, it would be using the Creative Commons 2.0 license. I'd recommend adjusting topic title appropriately.

Great job, once again!
I did notice a few nuances, though, such as the text going below the actual text box, thus resulting in text overlapping.
The player names also blinks on and off (I believe this is due to my being behind a firewall, and the refreshing of the player list is being blocked).

You know, I don't think I've found a simpler lobby system than this. 9.5/10.

A newbie at work...
1) he said number rating are obsolete
2) why a 7.5?? that's 3/4 of the total score, what was so wrong that it lowered its "rating" to that?
3) work on your grammar...

Cool, It looks very professional, and you saved me a lot of time because I was about to try to do this today

If you wish to be semantical, perhaps it isn't. However, from Wikipedia:

It's available, published, and I'm not charging. You can copy and modify it as you wish. There are limitations on what you can do, yes, but those fall within the bounds of open-source nonetheless, at least from a simplified point of view. Those who use it can make it closed-source...but that doesn't make Darknet closed source.
Sure, it's not a restriction-free project, but nonetheless the source is out there and I'm not charging for anyone to use it. I refuse to comply with niggling semantics! Refuse! Ahem. Seriously though, Workman, I don't care.


Text box where? In the chat pane?
As for the player names, I'll look into it...I'll see if there's any obvious cause.

Awesome....Just pure pwnage! 10/10

This is really cool, but I have an important question.

Would it be possible to run this as a service somehow without a GUI in the system tray? Like a real server?

very nice. i give it a 10/10. not much to comment

I tried to merge with my game... this is what I got as an error after typing in my name:

This looks really good but the link doesn't work...

Heh, look at the original post time. November 2005 .

I believe I still have it somewhere on my computer--I can send it to you if you PM me your e-mail (Be forewarned, though, there's a few bugs in it--nothing you can't fix [hopefully] if you are really serious about using it, though).

Don't expect the link to be fixed, he hasn't been on since June 06'

Yeah.

Luckily, I found a copy of it stashed away in some obscure location on my hard drive.

I will upload it so you guys can all download it again.

Here's the link:
DarkNet Mirror - Hosted by MatrixQuare

EDIT:
Direct DL link:
DarkNet Mirror #2 - Hosted by MatrixQuare

BOTH dl link contain the same thing, it just seems that some people CANNOT figure out how to download from the first link .

link's broken

Uhh... No?

I just checked my mirror link, and it works fine (you gotta give it a sec for the "download" button to appear).

Can someone guide me through the steps of downloading?
~Aqua

Dude. What?!

Click on my uploaded Mirror. Wait a few seconds. An ad will appear (don't click on it), then a "Download Now" button should appear below the ad.

If you guys can't even figure out that much, I better upload it into my direct DL compatible server...

wut is this/?? im gunnaa pm u too se if you wahnt creddit. ok bie it luuks kool

oh damn i love it!!
It's even greater than i thought before trying!

But..i still have 1 question..
If i join the game or chat why there's only gray background and that's all?
Sorry if you think i'm noob or something..That's because i am!! And i need help a bit.

TWO. YEAR. OLD. TOPIC.

I second that.

WORKING DOWNLOAD LINK

It isn't working :S
I'm sort of working of something similar myself and i wonder if anyone has the source code, i'd like to take a look