RMI, Sockets or ...?

Networking & Multiplayer
#1

Hi all,

I’m new to this forum and could not find a decent answer to my question. Please let me know when this question is already answered in another topic.

I have a couple of years Java experience and have made some simple mini games. Now I want to make a multi player game (in an Applet). But for networking I still doubt using RMI or just Sockets (or maybe something else?). I red for example about JMS, but I think that is to abstract to use in game development.

My main question is; what is the best to use for networking in the Applet?
Regarding to networking, what do you use?

Thanks! :slight_smile:

#2

sockets, and mind you that you can only connect to the server that the applet is downloaded from as it is sandboxed.

#3

sockets indeed.
RMI depends on serialization, and lots of serialization can stress the garbage collector.

#4

Not to mention the distributed full GC’s in RMI, which might be less or more annoying.

#5

Not anymore since 6u10 !!

#6

I use sockets for my game, seems its the best way to go.

#7

The problem on applets is, that they can only connect to their server. This requires a program to run on the server which forwards any messages to other players. A standalone Java application would be able to send messages direct to other players, not requiring a distributor on the server side.

Games usually go with UDP. But depending on the number of players and messages, TCP can be just as fine or even better.

-JAW

#8

Untrue, read above

#9

There are plenty of solutions for your problem, I’m facing the same one right now. JMS is designed to work with J2EE as far as I know. RMI works bad on long distance with an important latency, that’s why I decided not to use it. Sockets are very low level but very efficient, it depends on how you use them. AltRMI and JRemoting are alternatives to RMI, I don’t know if they are used currently. Apache MINA seems interesting too. JNAG project seems unactive. I don’t know if project darkstar may interest you. Have a look to Java Game Networking : http://javagn.org/wiki

#10

Hi

  1. Where exactly, i cant find it?

  2. I think signed applets should allow free connections too, as an alternative?

  3. Even if they change it in a current version, I am still developing and targeting Java 1.5. Sadly, many people dont run the newest version. Automatic Updating helps a lot, but there are still plenty of clients which are not up to date.

-JAW

#11

here

signed applets allow you to connect anywhere, right