[unimpressive]

A quick removal of your network cable proves it a hoax.

I almost want to learn JS and Node to build a real one. Just to spite the OP.

[farnsworth]

I worked on a Node-based multiplayer Snake game for a while last summer, and was really excited to see this post. I was hoping the code would be public so I could see how he handled the sync issues. Took me a few minutes to figure it out... disappointment of the week.

If anyone is curious or wants to hack on something like this, you could check out my (unpolished) code: https://github.com/roblourens/nodesnake . My first crack at both Node and a multiplayer real-time game.

Edit - and the game is still live at http://aws.roblourens.com/ but looks like it may be a little buggy yet - I wish I'd known something like this was going to be on the front page of HN, I would have taken another look at this project and tried to have a polished demo!

[stcredzero]

I do want to build a real one. However, I was going to build in command lag as part of the game. Weapons would be player "aimed," but they would be beam weapons that would activate if there were a weapons "lock" and if the ship were pointed in the right direction. There would also be missiles and area effect weapons. The point is to design a game based on dodging and positional tactics.

[unimpressive]

>The point is to design a game based on dodging and positional tactics.

Sounds familiar...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacewar!

PS: If you could do the awesome phosphor glow of the oscilloscope that the PDP used for a display; It'd make your game even more awesome.

[stcredzero]

Sounds familiar...(Spacewar)

I'm old enough to have played the Arcade Cabinet version of this game as a kid. Not exactly what I'm talking about, but perhaps an inspiration.

PS: If you could do the awesome phosphor glow of the oscilloscope that the PDP used for a display; It'd make your game even more awesome.

I'll keep that in mind.

[unimpressive]

>I'm old enough to have played the Arcade Cabinet version of this game as a kid. Not exactly what I'm talking about, but perhaps an inspiration.

I knew it wasn't exactly what you were talking about, but the general concept is similar. I like to think of it as an improved iteration.

>I'll keep that in mind.

If you're not sure what it looks like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bzWnaH-0sg

Though for the sake of modern players eyes, pretend that the flickering never happened. (;

(More footage showing a full round: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvGzAvNLcew)

EDIT: Considering what you've said in other comments. Maybe the best way to implement this would be a skin that players can buy as an upgrade?

[ragmondo]

Nooooo. Use http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xpilot instead ! Far more fun.

[astrofinch]

You should make ships distinguishable so informal alliances can form.

[calebmpeterson]

Yes. Please do.

[tomg]

> I almost want to learn JS and Node to build a real one. Just to spite the OP.

I've been doing just that for the last couple weekends. You can see the work in progress at: http://okayarcade.com/everybody-shoot-everybody/

Note: The link will eventually die (since it's a really early iteration I quickly published when I saw this HN thread; you can't even shoot anyone else) when I take it back down. Uses ImpactJS, NodeJS, and Socket.IO.

edit: Controls: arrow keys = move;

edit 2: I'll probably be open sourcing the game (at least the non ImpactJS parts) once it's more production ready.

[bitwize]

There's a real one, it's called xpilot.

Not browser based, but still MMO.

[unimpressive]

Yeah. But the whole point is that it's an cool HTML5 demo.