- Create another API which gives the current gamestate of specific games
- Could be useful for creating new interfaces, among other things
Specifics:
- Access like: /game_api.php?gameid=12233445
- Outputs XML document which details who owns what territory, and with how many troops
- Before outputting, checks if game uses Fog of War -- if so, it checks to make sure the user is logged in and outputs the XML tailored to what that user can see
This will improve the following aspects of the site:
- Essentially this would allow for much more powerful tools than are already out, and makes them easier to create. For one thing, it would be easier to create GM scripts with this in place. But what I like is that webpages could be created which are capable of replacing /game.php. This also means that the burden is shifted almost entirely off of lackattack in terms of client side display: If I think the username of the player who owns each territory should be displayed underneath the troop count, I could create my own PHP script which renders the page, and does that for me. Look at how the maps section has flourished, thanks to community involvement. As a result, the site team could focus on more gameplay options. This would further that: With this API in place, really only server side programming would need to be worked on.
- Also, since there's no ads on CC, you guys wouldn't be losing any money, even if somebody played the site entirely from pages located on, say, http://splonkerclub.com. The limitation of 4 games for non-premium members would still apply.
What are some thoughts, from other programmers and from CC staff?
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