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29th Nov 2006: New Developer Joins Team + Update

Another developer has expressed a strong interest in joining the JOGRE team. His name is Levan Dvalishvili and is originally from Georgia and now living in New York as a developer / support lead engineer at mid-size java software firm. He has expressed a passion in graphics and creating card games. Welcome aboard Levan.

This is also a good time for a news update on JOGRE. I am working hard on creating a new version of JOGRE which is going to be a BETA version - JOGRE Beta 0.3. This version is going to move into the remove deployment of stable JOGRE servers/clients onto websites. Beta 0.3 will have the following changes:

• Several new games.
• Improved server architecture and administration (the server GUI application will become a client which can remotely connect to a JOGRE server and add users etc, monitor games/chat etc).
• Full database persistent data using JDBC driver (e.g. MySQL, Oracle, DB2, ...).
• Important refactoring to make data classes POJO's and externalise persistence engine.

Our dream still exists in keeping JOGRE lightweight, powerful, flexible and most of all fun to program! Well done to everyone for their continuing hard work.

23rd Feb 2006: Jogre Alpha 0.2.3 Released!

Alpha 0.2.3 has finally been released! This release of JOGRE has been the biggest to date with countless changes in every part of JOGRE. The following are the changes between the last version (alpha 0.2.2):

• New tetris game which is a break away from the previous turn based style games such as chess, checkers etc.
• Six other new games:
  • Battleships (JavaRed, Gman)
  • Spades (Gman)
  • Dots (Gman)
  • Octagons (Richard Walter)
  • Camelot (Richard Walter)
  • Go (still in progress)
• Server persistent data using IServerData interface. The server can call this interface anywhere. Implementations of the interface include ServerDataXML (using the dom4j library), ServerDataDB (database support not implemented yet) and ServerDataJogreDotOrg (socket connection to "jogre.org" server also not implemented).
• ELO rating system which saves the rating of a user at a game using the new server persistent data engine.
• New rules engine which is supported in all games but currently only implemented in "camelot". A rules button will be enabled on the main client window if the rules are available for that game.
• There is also applet support and each game is supported. Changes have been made to how games load up images so that applet support is available. A HTML file is available called "applet_test" for testing the various games as applets. Thanks starsinthesky for this work!
• The connection dialog has now changed from being a dialog to a panel. This is a lot more powerful from what it used to be e.g. if a connection wasn't available the dialog would crash.
• More advanced server controllers which can hold the state of a game on the server. This game state can be transported to clients in a <join_table> message when that user joins a game in progress. Server controllers are loaded using a proper plug-in architecture so there is no need to define a hugh CLASSPATH to link to all the games a server hosts.
• Graphics vastly improved. This includes coloured backgrounds, fonts, table layouts and small coloured squares to show the rating of a user.
• Server and clients fully multi-language compatible. Resource bundles still need to be done for a variety of languages.
• Invite button moved from the main window the each game window. This is a more natural place to put it.
• The connect 4 tutorial has been updated for 0.2.3 and shows off some of the new power which is available (e.g. server state, server game overs / ratings, applet support).

I would like to give a big thanks to Garrett Lehman, Richard Walter, Starsinthesky, Ugnich Anton, Java Red and Alex Torkhov for their hard work and patience. JOGRE has now finally hit an important milestore and now can be viewed as a professional gaming engine with ELO scoring, persistent data engine (capable to plugging into XML, database or a master server connection), multi-language support and applet support only to name a few. The next release will be a beta release (beta 0.3) so 2006 will be an exciting time indeed for JOGRE!!

10th Jan 2006: Another programmer from USA joins JOGRE!

Another programmer from across the "pond" has joined the JOGRE team! His name is Richard Walter and has good experience ranging from designing hardware architecture, working with embedded systems, and programming in C, C++, assembly and Forth. JOGRE has now given him the opportunity to learn Java.

He has programmed the game "octagons" which is now in CVS and will be packaged with the next version of JOGRE Alpha 0.2.3 which should be out soon. Lets all give Richard a warm welcome!