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# Netgame
This is a toy game made to experiment with network synronization algorithms.

## Compiling and Running
Compile:
 javac Main.java

Test without the network:
 java Main

Test with the network
 java Main host >/dev/null &
 java Main client localhost

Remove all the generated files:
 rm *.class *.java

## Game States and Their Representation
Game state information:
 The board size is 10x10.
 Each piece can be empty, solid, a rocket, or a player.
 Players and rockets have a direction: NSEW.
 Players have an id =>> 0-15
 Rockets have a lifetime:
  They start with 9 points and lose one every time they move.
  When they have 0 points, they explode.

State representation:
 The game state is stored and transmited as an array of 100 bytes.
 This is a row-major matrix, one byte per tile.
 They byte corresponding to each tile contains:
  2 bits (low) for the type.
  2 bits (middle) for the direction.
  4 bits (high) for an arguments.
   Either a player id or rocket points depending on the type.

## Actions and the State Update Algorithm
There are 6 possible actions: Turn(north, south, east, west), walk, and shoot.
 Each player may act once per turn.
 Actions are stored as a direction and a location (which player).
 This is encoded in 32 bits.
  3 bits (low) for the action.
  7 bits (low) for the location.
  21 bits (high) for the timestamp (turn number)

The state is updated like this:
 TODO

## Network Message Format
All parts of the message format are a byte unless otherwise specified.
Here are the possible messages:
Sent by clients:
 HI =>> Try to connect to a the server.
 PLAY =>> Ask the server for a player to control.
 BYE =>> Disconnect from the server.
 DO timestamp(int) id action =>> Try to perform an action.
Sent by servers:
 PLACE id pos =>> Gives the client a new player to control.
 STATE timestamp(int) board(byte[100]) =>> Announce a new state to a client.
 FULLBOARD =>> Refuse a new client because there isn't enough space on the map.
 FULLPLAYERS =>> Refuse a new client because all 16 ids are taken.
 END =>> Close the server session.

## Timing and Syncronization
TODO