Components

Main Idea

The idea to achieve the described functionalities is simple. We split the game into two parts (components): the server-side and the client-side. Then we put our platform in between them and provide both components with simple yet powerful and comprehensible interfaces, and let the platform in between about all authentication, persistence and synchronization, etc.

Our design

Our design splits the game into these two components:

1. Server Component (aka. Game Logic): This component is accessed by the cavoke main server. Its purpose is to validate game moves, check states against game rules, and to preserve game invariants.
2. Client Component (aka. QML Component): A QML application that is connected to the cavoke client and is responsible for displaying the game interface, record user's moves, and to update the interface by incoming state updates.

In this design two pieces of infrastructure that Cavoke provides are Cavoke Server and Cavoke Client. You can read more about them in the Deep Dive section.

How it works together

Cavoke Design Diagram

In this diagram we can see how cavoke works.

First, clients automatically download client components onto their machines. They are unpacked, started and attached to the main cavoke client.

Second, when the game is started, a player can make a move (interact in some way with the qml interface), for which the client component can send a move to the server logic through its interface with the cavoke main client application. The main application adds necessary information to the request (game session id, authentication, etc.) and sends it to the main server. On the main server this information is checked, the corresponding game logic is accessed and a new game state is saved.

Finally, another client can check whether the game state has been updated. It receives this new game state, and signals the qml to update its interface using the information from the new state.