RMI, Sockets or ...?

[Wazzzaaa]

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! 

[Mr_Light]

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

[erikd]

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

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[Riven]

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

[quixote_arg]

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

Not anymore since 6u10 !!

[zammbi]

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

[JAW]

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

[quixote_arg]

The problem on applets is, that they can only connect to their server.

Untrue, read above

[gouessej]

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

[JAW]

Untrue, read above

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

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[quixote_arg]

here

signed applets allow you to connect anywhere, right