New gaming site in the works.

[drknow012]

I have a gaming site in the works that I would like to share with everyone. I'm just now getting started on it, I'm in the planning stage. It's based on skill, rather than chance. Popular games like Counter Strike, War/Star Craft, Soldier of Fortune, and many others. I would have to host the gaming servers myself, or at least pay someone else to, and I would have to install anti-cheat software on each server to ensure fairness of each game. This is what I really need help with. I used to have a server for Jedi Knight II, but that was ages ago. I need someone who knows about hosting gaming servers, or can at least find out more about them... the cost, the anti-cheat software, etc. Any other ideas would be appreciated.

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[Stephen Gornick]

I have a gaming site in the works that I would like to share with everyone. I'm just now getting started on it, I'm in the planning stage. It's based on skill, rather than chance. Popular games like Counter Strike, War/Star Craft, Soldier of Fortune, and many others. I would have to host the gaming servers myself, or at least pay someone else to, and I would have to install anti-cheat software on each server to ensure fairness of each game. This is what I really need help with. I used to have a server for Jedi Knight II, but that was ages ago. I need someone who knows about hosting gaming servers, or can at least find out more about them... the cost, the anti-cheat software, etc. Any other ideas would be appreciated.

From what little I know about it: Web-based games of skill will get visited by bots that cheat.   Games that require software to be installed don't grow very fast.

One type of eGaming (games of skill) is Starcraft.  Here's are sites for it.
 - http://backcoin.com
 - http://sc2btc.appspot.com

[drknow012]

well, the bot problem is definitely an issue. but there are methods of control, like punk buster and such. (i think that's what it's called) granted it can't stop everyone, but you could set up some kind of patch for the game client that checks the game files to make sure nothing has been added, and provide the game download itself on the site. but i need people who are familiar with these types of things. if i could use quake 3 engine based games, and develop a patch for each game, and also provide a download for the patched game client on the site, then it would probably work. i dunno though, still crank'n gears on this thing. i like the criticism though.

[markm]

If by skill you mean twitch-time, human reaction-time to pull a trigger, accuracy of aim type thing, that is actually pretty hard to do on arbitrary client-machines. Trying to maintain control of someone else's machine is not only a hard problem it is also arguably something we ought to hope you cannot accomplish being as how we probably would prefer our own machines not to be that easily controllable by others.

That is part of why I myself have been aiming not to discourage robots at all but rather to figure that since I have a computer anyway I would like my computer to play games for me as much as possible, leaving me to guide its overall approach rather than to have to hand-hold it every twitch of the way.

-MarkM-

[drknow012]

i acctually feel the same way. for example, i developed a chess site based on bitcoin wagers, and in the user agreement, i explained that "although we do no encourage such activites, we do not regulate automated chess programs to play for you. perhaps you can consider computer programming a skill on it's own"

but that's now why i posted this thread. i posted this thread to see if developing a competitive gaming site is worth my time. (mostly quake 3 engine based games) if your saying you wouldn't be interested in it because it limits your ability to program automation to gain a competitive edge, then i think that is simply your personal opinion. i think that there are competitive gamers out there that deserve the chance to compete against other players, ping advantage or not, for a chance to earn bitcoins. there is still many things to consider, skill wise.

[FreeMoney]

Betting on chess is not so popular because the best player wins a very high % of the time. I'd be interested in chess variants that involved some luck. Possibly better than luck would be a new variant every day or week. New games make everyone a lot weaker and the outcomes will be more like when two noobies play which is closer to even results.

This would also break all existing chess programs and anyone cheating would have to work really hard.

Crazy ideas:

You can't move the same type of piece your opponent just moved.
Nights move 3 and 1 instead of 2 and 1.
Pawns can't capture the queen.
Pieces can't capture their own type, pawns still can.
Win by checkmate or checking the enemy king 5 times.

[drknow012]

sounds pretty great acctually. but i'm not looking to entice noobies, i want people who actually know how to play chess and want to compete. i could set up player history statistics so they can choose if they want to accept an invitation from a player that has never lost a game. that way it would be balanced. i dunno though, but that's off the topic of this thread. this thread is for a competitive gaming site for counter strike, team fortress, etc. server tracking, php reading log files of servers, determining winners and dispersing bitcoins from an escrow account. the chess was just my first, but this is what i really want to do.

[FreeMoney]

sounds pretty great acctually. but i'm not looking to entice noobies, i want people who actually know how to play chess and want to compete. i could set up player history statistics so they can choose if they want to accept an invitation from a player that has never lost a game. that way it would be balanced. i dunno though, but that's off the topic of this thread. this thread is for a competitive gaming site for counter strike, team fortress, etc. server tracking, php reading log files of servers, determining winners and dispersing bitcoins from an escrow account. the chess was just my first, but this is what i really want to do.

Sure, sorry to derail your thread. Going to do it one more time.

You should look into the state of chess betting. People don't really do it. Yeah, in the park in NYC a tourist will pay $5 to say they got hustled or whatever. It's completely different that something like poker. The weakest player will know right away they are weakest and drop out and that will continue.

I also don't think chess noobies would be very interested in my idea, but stronger players who feel they can adapt better than other strong players. And you don't have to worry about bots unless the money gets very large because there are no bots programed to move the night 3-1. Making a new variant every so often keeps the uncertainty around longer and people can convince themselves that they have insights into it. Also everyone will be learning faster so again they can tell themselves that yeah, they just lost, but now they understand a lot better.

Ok, I'll let that go now. Let me know when it's up and running and I'll donate a little to some stronger player.

[Matthew N. Wright]

@OP: Since your game is one of skill and not chance, there is no legal issue with you running the site. Would you mind providing your information to the community for transparency? We always like to know who we are supporting.

[drknow012]

what kind of information do you need? if you want the address to the site, it isn't available yet. i still have to test the api functionality (waiting for mtgox to credit my account) once i have fully tested it, i'll post the site. but i'd rather not give my personal information, if that's what you mean. i will if asked by the moderators though, i do appreciate the support bitcointalk.org provides.

[drknow012]

sounds pretty great acctually. but i'm not looking to entice noobies, i want people who actually know how to play chess and want to compete. i could set up player history statistics so they can choose if they want to accept an invitation from a player that has never lost a game. that way it would be balanced. i dunno though, but that's off the topic of this thread. this thread is for a competitive gaming site for counter strike, team fortress, etc. server tracking, php reading log files of servers, determining winners and dispersing bitcoins from an escrow account. the chess was just my first, but this is what i really want to do.

Sure, sorry to derail your thread. Going to do it one more time.

You should look into the state of chess betting. People don't really do it. Yeah, in the park in NYC a tourist will pay $5 to say they got hustled or whatever. It's completely different that something like poker. The weakest player will know right away they are weakest and drop out and that will continue.

I also don't think chess noobies would be very interested in my idea, but stronger players who feel they can adapt better than other strong players. And you don't have to worry about bots unless the money gets very large because there are no bots programed to move the night 3-1. Making a new variant every so often keeps the uncertainty around longer and people can convince themselves that they have insights into it. Also everyone will be learning faster so again they can tell themselves that yeah, they just lost, but now they understand a lot better.

Ok, I'll let that go now. Let me know when it's up and running and I'll donate a little to some stronger player.

np man, will do. like i just said to the "hero member" i still have to test the api functionality. just to make sure the escrow accounts transfer properly when a game has been resolved. i'll send you a pm so you can take a look at it and share your insights. just don't fund your account yet. there is also an affiliate program so you can refer players and earn a commission.

[FreeMoney]

sounds pretty great acctually. but i'm not looking to entice noobies, i want people who actually know how to play chess and want to compete. i could set up player history statistics so they can choose if they want to accept an invitation from a player that has never lost a game. that way it would be balanced. i dunno though, but that's off the topic of this thread. this thread is for a competitive gaming site for counter strike, team fortress, etc. server tracking, php reading log files of servers, determining winners and dispersing bitcoins from an escrow account. the chess was just my first, but this is what i really want to do.

Sure, sorry to derail your thread. Going to do it one more time.

You should look into the state of chess betting. People don't really do it. Yeah, in the park in NYC a tourist will pay $5 to say they got hustled or whatever. It's completely different that something like poker. The weakest player will know right away they are weakest and drop out and that will continue.

I also don't think chess noobies would be very interested in my idea, but stronger players who feel they can adapt better than other strong players. And you don't have to worry about bots unless the money gets very large because there are no bots programed to move the night 3-1. Making a new variant every so often keeps the uncertainty around longer and people can convince themselves that they have insights into it. Also everyone will be learning faster so again they can tell themselves that yeah, they just lost, but now they understand a lot better.

Ok, I'll let that go now. Let me know when it's up and running and I'll donate a little to some stronger player.

np man, will do. like i just said to the "hero member" i still have to test the api functionality. just to make sure the escrow accounts transfer properly when a game has been resolved. i'll send you a pm so you can take a look at it and share your insights. just don't fund your account yet. there is also an affiliate program so you can refer players and earn a commission.

Cool. A few more thoughts.

I hope you plan to take a cut, people who offer free services tend to flake out as the project gets old to them. If you will be taking a cut you might offer prizes that soften the blow of being a perpetual loser. Like a weekly reward for most games played or most games lost or most money lost.

I do think you should let people play for free to try it out. Maybe even in the beginning give a faucet type amount to any winner even for a free game to get people's attention.

[drknow012]

well that's what the affiliate program would be used for. for instance, when a new member joins using my affiliate code, or any one elses for matter, the affiliate holding that reference number would be credited by the affiliate who issued it, as a promotional campaign. you seem full of ideas on this btw. would you be interested in becoming a partner? how well are you at html and php coding?

[FreeMoney]

well that's what the affiliate program would be used for. for instance, when a new member joins using my affiliate code, or any one elses for matter, the affiliate holding that reference number would be credited by the affiliate who issued it, as a promotional campaign. you seem full of ideas on this btw. would you be interested in becoming a partner? how well are you at html and php coding?

Ha, thanks. I am full of ideas, but I don't code.

I could support my chess variant idea with some money.

[drknow012]

Ha, thanks. I am full of ideas, but I don't code.

I could support my chess variant idea with some money.

well, donations are always welcome, i'll add my wallet id to my sig in a second, but as far as adding these varients, i just want to focus on getting the api functionality working before i start tweeking. i had an idea about anti botting also, and it would be fairly easy to implement. i'd rather not post my method though... if you really want to donate though, just create an account on the site and launch an affiliate campaign of your own, i would still get a cut from the games played and you would too, if you register strong players that is. 

[Matthew N. Wright]

Is CoinExchanger finally back?

[drknow012]

Is CoinExchanger finally back?

a report has been claimed to the moderators and once my identity is verified, all will be well. no worries folks

[drknow012]

Is CoinExchanger finally back?

a report has been claimed to the moderators and once my identity is verified, all will be well. no worries folks

in the mean time, i'd like to get this thread back on topic. (trying not to come across overly pissed atm, even though i am) the reason this thread was created was not to discuss my chess website, i'll do that when it's done. but to discuss a potential project in the works based on game engines for various multiplayer games. games varieties like ctf, tdm, and ffa where everybody enters in and winner(s) take all (minus a small commission to keep the website running) like i said earlier, coding the website isn't a problem, what i want to know is if this community thinks it would be a success. do people want to compete in games like this, is there room for an affiliate program, are there ways to prevent cheating, such as punk buster running on the servers, are there affordable servers out there for multiple gaming platforms? all of these would be great issues to discuss. also, don't let this guy ruin my rep, it is short-lived at the moment. i AM new to this website, and bitcoins in general, but that doesn't mean i dont understand it and know how to use it. i'm trying to prove that i am a capable and honorable developer. remember, judge not lest ye be judged

[FreeMoney]

Lol, I'm really sorry, I totally thought this was the chess thread. And I thought I was derailing THAT by talking about chess variants.

[drknow012]

Lol, I'm really sorry, I totally thought this was the chess thread. And I thought I was derailing THAT by talking about chess variants.

heh, no worries, it's still a gaming thread. any more thoughts just go ahead and post them, i'm sure that the viewers are also interested in the chess project anyways.