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BrowserQuest– a massively multiplayer HTML5 (WebSocket + Canvas) game experiment

hacks.mozilla.org

21–30 of 32 posts

Re: BrowserQuest– a massively multiplayer HTML5 (WebSocket + Canvas) game experiment

#21
post #2

This has been a long time coming. I am happy to see the implementations of HTML5 technologies that are capable of delivering this kind of experience.

The scrolling was jerky for me on my newish desktop PC. There doesn't seem to be any new "technology" here, just some slow wrappers around stuff that was around years ago. If this is being touted as "the future" then programming is really going down the toilet.

Why down vote? Web babies seem to get very upset when the abject technological failure of the browser is pointed out to them. It has failed comprehensively:

1) security 2) computational performance 3) flexibility

WebSockets for example are just a bad rehash of existing APIs. Woopty-doo.

Re: BrowserQuest– a massively multiplayer HTML5 (WebSocket + Canvas) game experiment

#22
post #3

wow, this is pretty impressive.

Not trying to bully you, but what part of this is impressive? There doesn't seem to be anything here that wasn't done better decades ago. Why does everything become impressive once it appears in the browser?

Please at least reply if you down vote. I would like to know what I'm mistaken about.

Re: BrowserQuest– a massively multiplayer HTML5 (WebSocket + Canvas) game experiment

#23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not trying to bully you, but what part of this is impressive? There doesn't seem to be anything here that wasn't done better decades ago. Why does everything become impressive once it appears in the browser?

Please at least reply if you down vote. I would like to know what I'm mistaken about.

You're being a troll. Right now you're just randomly sniping at people who comment.

Write up something explaining your views, the post it as a comment/Ask HN/blog post and submit.

Also you seem to be saying this sucks in comparison to some amazing product that doesn't actually exist... the big feature of html5 is that it's already widely deployed.

Re: BrowserQuest– a massively multiplayer HTML5 (WebSocket + Canvas) game experiment

#24

Its a 20 minute game, dont get too excited. Awesome display of technology but its not what you typically think of when you hear MMO. The potential is awesome and Im sure some hackers out there will do something amazing with the source code.

Given that it's called "BrowserQuest" at "browserquest.mozilla.org", I doubt too many people went in expecting Ultima Online.

Re: BrowserQuest– a massively multiplayer HTML5 (WebSocket + Canvas) game experiment

#25
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please at least reply if you down vote. I would like to know what I'm mistaken about.

You're being a troll. Right now you're just randomly sniping at people who comment. Write up something explaining your views, the post it as a comment/Ask HN/blog post and submit. Also you seem to be saying this sucks in comparison to some amazing product that doesn't actually exist... the big feature of html5 is that it's already widely deployed.

So.. you agree with me? HTML5 is basically a pile of poop, except that it's got a big install base. Great. Welcome to the future of programming.

Re: BrowserQuest– a massively multiplayer HTML5 (WebSocket + Canvas) game experiment

#26
post #12

I look forward to trying this out with a few friends from college who were mildly addicted to simple games like Dwarf Fortress and Zelda. Any excuse for old school multiplayer gaming is a good one.

I think you may have underestimated the complexity of Dwarf Fortress. It's the most complex single player game I've ever played

The ultra-realistic A10-C simulator with a 780 page manual is only slightly more complicated than Dwarf Fortress.

Re: BrowserQuest– a massively multiplayer HTML5 (WebSocket + Canvas) game experiment

#27
post #3

wow, this is pretty impressive.

Not trying to bully you, but what part of this is impressive? There doesn't seem to be anything here that wasn't done better decades ago. Why does everything become impressive once it appears in the browser?

I've made some comments like this in similar threads and got downvoted as well. It's just part of the HN groupthink to glorify everything HTML5, CSS3 and WebGL.

A game like this was feasible 20 years ago in a native environment or 10 years ago in Flash. I can only see disadvantages in developing games in JavaScript + HTML.

Re: BrowserQuest– a massively multiplayer HTML5 (WebSocket + Canvas) game experiment

#28
post #3

wow, this is pretty impressive.

Not trying to bully you, but what part of this is impressive? There doesn't seem to be anything here that wasn't done better decades ago. Why does everything become impressive once it appears in the browser?

Medium matters.

Re: BrowserQuest– a massively multiplayer HTML5 (WebSocket + Canvas) game experiment

#29
post #8

what's the ??? quest?

There's a few, One is "for science" find the portals and get the cake. The other is a maze to a rickroll, and then there's a fox potion that turns you into a firefox that makes you invincible for a short time.

FYI, to get to the rickroll you can go through either entrance, and then just keep going back through the door you came through.

Re: BrowserQuest– a massively multiplayer HTML5 (WebSocket + Canvas) game experiment

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Browser is a massive step forward in four key areas: 1) Zero-pain installation (no steps, no wait to download) 2) Zero-friction sharing (paste a url to any resource within the app/game) 3) Zero-friction upgrading (happens automatically. depending on architecture, no need to even reload the app) 4) Largest install base of any platform It's a classic disruptive technology. Yeah the graphics suck. Yeah it's slow. Bu…

Zero-install is not difficult. In fact, it was around decades ago. Then people destroyed that with complex operating systems requiring loads of configuration. Even with the stupidity of modern operating systems we could recover zero-install with simple virtual machines (or any number of other mechanisms). Web links are cool. Just about the only redeeming feature of the web. They have absolutely no connection to JavaS…

I guess the zero friction upgrading refers to the app, not the browser. You can be pretty sure people are running the latest version just by pushing the code to your server. No need to download/install, or update in an app store.
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