space_game_server/dev_notes.md

Chatting with GPT:

I think that I will modify some of how I am doing things. We will have the game do things differently. We will have a main loop that will process events and then we will use delta time and a game speed variable to control things.

Here is my newly defined API:

API

Transport: WebSocket Encoding: JSON Direction: Bidirectional

Every message has:

{
  "type": "...",
  "domain": "...",
  "request_id": integer
  "payload": {}
}

Message types:

hello

• Direction: Client --> Server
• Purpose: initiates the connection and has authentication
• Behavior:
  • Must be responded to immediately
  • Response must be an update type with a full update (domain all)

query

• Direction: Client --> Server
• Purpose: request read-only data
• Behavior:
  • Must be responded to immediately
  • Does not mutate server state
  • Response must be an update type with the requested domain

command

• Direction: Client --> Server
• Purpose: Request a state change
• Behavior:
  • Server validates the command immediately
  • If the command is valid the server applies the command and acknowledges with an event with the resulted action.
  • If invalid the server responds with an error and includes the command and an error message.

update

• Direction: Server --> Client
• Purpose: Deliver the game state to the client
• Behavior:
  • For a full state update (ie player login) the all domain is used. Otherwise it is a subdomain.
  • Used as a response to hello, query.
  • Full updates are sent periodically for client synchnorization.

event

• Direction: Server --> Client
• Purpose: Notify the client of events
• Behavior:
  • Represents something that happened
  • Not a full state snapshot
  • Can not be requested by the client

error

• Direction: Server --> Client
• Purpose: Report a failure to process a query or command
• Behavior:
  • Does not mutate state
  • Describe why the request failed.

Notes

The server is authoritative for all game state. Clients may not infer or simulate authoritative outcomes beyond visual interpolation.