Best tech stack for multiplayer social web game (server framework + client technology)

Backend
1

I’m planning to build a multiplayer social web game and need advice on the technology stack. The game will need real-time updates and shared world state, so performance is important.

Options I’m considering:

  1. C++ game server + web framework (PHP/Python/Ruby) + Flash client
  2. Full Python stack with Twisted/Stackless + Flash frontend
  3. ASP.NET backend + Flash client
  4. Complete .NET solution with Silverlight frontend

My concerns:

Option 1 might be too complex with three different technologies to manage.

Option 4 looks appealing since everything would be in one ecosystem, but I’m worried about:

  • Limited Silverlight gaming examples to learn from
  • Difficulty finding Silverlight developers and designers
  • Flash’s timeline-based approach might be better for game assets (designers can create SWF files with multiple frames for different item views)
  • Silverlight missing some game features like built-in collision detection

The game will be part of a larger web portal, so integration with existing web technologies is also important.

What are your thoughts on these approaches? Any experience with similar projects?

2

I’ve shipped two browser-based multiplayer games over the past decade - don’t use Flash or Silverlight. They’re dead tech with massive compatibility issues on modern browsers. Go with Node.js + Socket.IO for the backend and HTML5 Canvas or WebGL for the frontend instead. You’ll get great multiplayer performance and won’t have to worry about browser support. The JavaScript ecosystem has solid game libraries like Phaser and Three.js, plus it’ll integrate seamlessly with your existing web portal - no plugins needed. The learning curve isn’t bad, and you’ll actually be able to find developers who know this stuff, unlike Flash or Silverlight devs who are basically extinct now.

3

silverlight’s dead - microsoft abandoned it years ago. skip option 4.

for realtime multiplayer, i’ve had success with python + websockets. twisted works well, but also look into asyncio. c++ is overkill unless you’re planning for huge player counts. web portal integration is much simpler when everything uses the same protocol.

4

wait, you’re still thinking about flash in 2024? that’s… bold lol. how many players are you planning for? and what social features do you want - chat, guilds, trading? those details will help figure out the best approach for your realtime setup.