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Gaming Outside the Box A quick view of simple games enhanced by network gameplay
Games, an entertainment medium that comes in a variety of degrees and obsessions, are certainly a significant software category in the Macintosh world. However, quick reflexes and twitching eyeballs are not prerequisites for enjoying certain games. In fact, there are many based on popular boardgames and, like the originals, are designed for multiple players. In this case, the term “multiple players” doesn’t always mean two to four people crowded around a single machine but instead two to four people at different physical locations all playing the same game on their systems. Besides the mere thrill of defying geographical borders, this enables potential players to draw from a virtually unlimited pool of player partners or opponents, especially if the game in question is cross-platform. Following is a brief look at three simple boardgame offshoots enhanced with network gameplay.
These three games illustrate how simple entertainment programs can be enhanced with network gameplay, adding a much larger audience of players. Hopefully more developer’s will create more boardgame renditions and the like with this feature built in, especially since Apple provides NetSprocket to make the task less painful. For me, I’ll pine away until I can find a Risk knockoff that runs on Mac OS 9 and provides network gaming. Feb. 15, 2000 |
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This game by Mike Bailey allows two players to play a chess match
over a network or the Internet via TCP/IP. Two players can start
a game by hosting it on one of the systems and connecting to the
host machine with the other system. Besides this peer-to-peer
approach, players can access trackers listing opponents who are
available to start a game. A list of tracker servers is included,
but users can run their own tracker servers by downloading the
ChessWorks Server. Connection methods are not the only means of
variety. ChessWorks comes with a collection of various boards
and pieces, and instructions are provided in the readme for creating
new ones. To round out the features, a chat window is included
for intimidating an opponent. Overall, ChessWorks is a simple
but fun game that brings the classic game of chess onto the Internet.
This game by Matthew Hershberger is an excellent computer version
of the battle strategy game Stratego. Players connect over a network
or the Internet via TCP/IP or through GameRanger, a Macintosh
multiplayer online gaming service. Opponents strategically place
their pieces on their own sides of the board before starting.
Throughout the entire game, only the backs of an opponent’s pieces
are seen and a specific piece’s identity is revealed only when
it attacks or is attacked. The object of the game is to capture
the opponent’s flag. A chat function is provided to thoroughly
badger an opponent, and a statistics window is available for keeping
track of casualties. Games can be saved and resumed at a later
time and game files are encrypted by the hosting player so that
the opponent can’t peek at the setup. For variety, Stratega comes
with a few alternate boards. This is an excellent game for network
gaming and is one of my personal favorites!