gCn - global CALCnet2

KermMartian · Post by **KermMartian** » Sat 29 Oct, 2005 12:15 am

Now, I know that just from my alias, I'm gonna get some immediate flames from you people. Add that to the title of this topic. And probably by the time you clicked on the link to this topic, you had your flame all ready in your mind. Hear me out.

I have worked on several versions of the CALCnet protocol, none of which I ever coded into a compilable ASM program. However, my musings have gotten closer and closer to a workable protocol for multipoint-to-multipoint (MP2MP) calculator communications, and I believe my latest iteration may hold the key with little or no modifications.

So what is it? As the name suggests, it's a two-layer protocol. The first, for calculator-to-calculator communication, allows up to 255 calculators on each network. At current the protocol is calc-independent, and though I'm planning it to initially be z80, there is a strong possibility for a 68k port. The second layer is hosts (computers) linked to the network via a graphlink or silverlink, that acts as a calculator on the network but is also a "resource" - it interprets requests for data outside of the network and fetches it, then injects the data into the network. The crux is the linking up of these hosts via gcn.cemetech.net - this stores all online calculators and hosts and allows any calculator in the world to connect to any other calc in the world.

Calc <---> Host <-----> gcn.cemetech.net <---> Host <-----> Calc

How much is done?
>>I have a host application author who is about 50% done with that part.
>>Today I completed the PHP/MySQL backend on my website
>>The z80 ASM coding is 0% complete

How likely is this to be completed? Fairly likely, actually, because it's something I've been working on for quite a few years in a plurality of forms, and it would be great for it to finally crystalize into something workable. The hardest part as I envision it is going to be working out the timing of the ASM program, especially since I'm hoping to be able to background it as an interrupt that reads/writes via buffers.

Now you may comment, compliment, and flame.
http://www.cemetech.net/news.php?184
http://www.cemetech.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=15788

CompWiz · Post by **CompWiz** » Sat 29 Oct, 2005 12:59 am

I do hope this does work out. You have great vision, but some people grow doubt of the practicality of your ideas when many of them were never actually finished. If you are confident that this will work out, and are putting the effort forward, then I don't see why it wouldn't work. I think that this is a great idea. And it is good motivation for some people to get working on that multiplayer 3d FPS

Also, if other games like wizards and super smash brothers support multiplayer, this would be a great way to find an opponent. It would always be good for bomberkids as well. Good luck, and don't let negativity stop you.

dysfunction · Post by **dysfunction** » Sat 29 Oct, 2005 1:33 am

It would be great if this works out. It probably will never be that practical (like the color screen or sound), but hey? Who knows? There just might be enough people to have a viable community of online TI gamers.

Jim e · Post by **Jim e** » Sat 29 Oct, 2005 1:53 am

[offtopic]
What was the colorscreen? i tried your forum but it looks like it needs to be resync, the topic link say it doesn't exist.
[/offtopic]

Spengo · Post by **Spengo** » Sat 29 Oct, 2005 2:33 am

Nice, this looks cool. 'Twould be like the new handheld systems like the DS and PSP, but on calculators!

What's wrong with your nick though?

CompWiz · Post by **CompWiz** » Sat 29 Oct, 2005 3:05 am

Now, who wants to write the first Massively Multiplayer Online calc game?

kalan_vod · Post by **kalan_vod** » Sat 29 Oct, 2005 3:09 am

I vote for coelurus!

(YOU CAN DO IT!)

CompWiz · Post by **CompWiz** » Sat 29 Oct, 2005 3:54 am

*encourages coelurus*

(and my post count)

Mike K · Post by **Mike K** » Sat 29 Oct, 2005 6:49 am

I claim copyright infringment! http://www.detachedsolutions.com/forum/ ... highlight=

And that's from two years ago. Ha!

Actually it's kind of funny, some of the posts I made, I can't beleive I actually... posted.

-Mike

CoBB · Post by **CoBB** » Sat 29 Oct, 2005 7:56 am

I vote for all the lazy bums who keep voting for others. If you want something to get coded, learn to code and do it. The lack of initiative in this so-called community never ceases to irritate me.

Kerm: What's the point?

currahee · Post by **currahee** » Sat 29 Oct, 2005 4:23 pm

I would agree, it would be neat BUT some issues I would like to point out:
1) It's neat, but with CoBB what is the point if you still need to be attached to a computer? This thing needs to be wireless if you want it to get off the ground
2) BASIC won't cut it anymore. This will be like a nightmare to you. You
're gonna have to have someone program or you program a communications program that will work with the SilverLink, BlackLink, AND the USB cables for the newer calcs that support USB directly.
3) Wait, do you mean up to 255 calculators can connect to one host? That is going to stir up some problems. I doubt you'd want 255 people in your room just so that they can connect to this network.

But i'm still puzzeled at what this is aimed for- just a network in general? You do understand that people will need a manual so they know how to set up their own servers. Also I would suggest in setting up a host you have the server/client program specify it's function (ex 1: Chatroom, 2: MMORPG Host, 3: Mini Site, etc.). It should make things a tad cleaner.

KermMartian · Post by **KermMartian** » Sat 29 Oct, 2005 10:49 pm

Interesting, most of you have anticipated stuff I've already dealt with.
@curahee:
1. It supports any connection, I only said wired because there's no current working /affordable wireless circuitry for it. However, if you have a wireless device for me that perfectly replicates the wired signal, go for it.
2. Dude, I stopped BASIC 2 years ago. Almost everything I write now is ASM. There's absolutely no way to do this in BASIC. I repeat: this is ASM.
3. Any computer can act as a host, just connect it to the internet and plug in one of the TI<-->comp cables. I only said 255 because calculators have a one-byte address within local networks, thus giving them a 255-device maximum. It's actually 2 less because 0x00 and 0xFF are reserved.
Clients: already thought this up and designed it into the protocol. It supports code addins for each function.

@compwiz, dysfunction, etc: thank you!

dysfunction · Post by **dysfunction** » Sun 30 Oct, 2005 3:59 am

I'm speaking from experience that these types of things only get used by a few people who are really dedicated to their TI. This won't be something that the average gamer will use. I have an audio adaptor, and while it's cool, I have yet to see a single practical application besides playing simple MIDI music, and so few people use it, I doubt I ever will. It's probably the same with this. You'll need to be connected to a computer, which means you can't play at school, and how many people will want to play Gemini multiplayer when they can just as easily play Halo or UT online?
However, we could ssk, Why even program on the calculators at all, since it will always be inferior to the latest handhelds? The answer: it's just plain cool.

threefingeredguy · Post by **threefingeredguy** » Sun 30 Oct, 2005 5:54 am

Kerm, if you make this, I will release my Diablo port. With multiplayer.

kalan_vod · Post by **kalan_vod** » Sun 30 Oct, 2005 6:02 am

threefingeredguy wrote:Kerm, if you make this, I will release my Diablo port. With multiplayer.

ROFL! well I wish I had that version of diablo