What is the easiest method to set up a backend server for a multiplayer game in JavaScript? (Using COMET or long polling)

Frontend and Backend Development
1

I am currently developing a multiplayer game with JavaScript and need to implement features such as a lobby and the ability to fetch the latest game state using AJAX long-polling. The backend server should handle essential tasks like saving the game state in a MySQL database, fetching that state when required, and generating the scoreboard. Although I am considering PHP for this project, I’m worried about the overhead from Apache’s process handling. Could you suggest the simplest and most effective solution? Additionally, I found StreamHub, but its community version limits the number of concurrent users to just 10.

2

hey! have you considered using node.js for your backend? it’s pretty efficient with non-blocking I/O operations and could handle real-time interactions well. with libraries like socket.io, you can easily manage bidirectional communication. also, have you thought about using websockets instead of long polling or COMET?

3

Have you tinkered with serverless options like AWS Lambda or Google Cloud Functions? Might be cool to handle backend logic with them and avoid constant server maintenance! Plus, using a database like DynamoDB could be interesting alongside JavaScript. Anyone tried this for gaming projects?

4

If you’re concerned about the overhead of Apache, consider using a lightweight server like Nginx combined with a PHP-FPM setup. This can significantly reduce resource usage while maintaining the familiar PHP environment. Regarding the game features, AJAX long-polling is a viable option, but you might face latency issues as the game scales. A more modern approach would be to leverage Node.js with frameworks like Express and utilize WebSockets for real-time communication, which could provide a more seamless experience for multiplayer interactions.

5

hey! check out firebase for your backend. it offrs real-time database updates without much config, which is gr8 for multiplayer games. it’s not in js exclusively, but worth a look for ease. just be mindful of potential costs if your userbase grows lots. hope this helps!