I already have a game in the apps store and its doing moderatly welll, but Im wanting to add online multiplayer but I dont really know where to start as I've never done networking at all before. My questions are:

1) What sort of server will I need? I already have a linux virtual server running my websites, but Im not sure it has a C compiler, will I need to rent another one too? Are there any you can recommend?

2) Is there any libraries out there I can use to help me develop my networking code?

3) Are there any decent tutorials on how to start writing networking code on the iPhone?

4) What can I expect in regards to lag/ping times etc? As this is a fps space shooter game, it could probably do with fast responses.

Many thanks for any help you can give?

wonza Wrote:I've never done networking at all before. [...] As this is a fps space shooter game, it could probably do with fast responses.

Just to warn you, this is likely to be like learning to fly by jumping off a cliff.

The ubiquitous introduction to BSD socket programming: http://beej.us/guide/bgnet/output/html/s...bgnet.html

This thread has some useful real-time networking links: http://www.idevgames.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13402

Thanks for the links,

I did mean to say I'd never done networking in C before. Im still no expert though, but I have done it in Java, but at first glance, it looks alot prettier in Java

wonza Wrote:I already have a game in the apps store and its doing moderatly welll, but Im wanting to add online multiplayer but I dont really know where to start as I've never done networking at all before. My questions are:

1) What sort of server will I need? I already have a linux virtual server running my websites, but Im not sure it has a C compiler, will I need to rent another one too? Are there any you can recommend?

2) Is there any libraries out there I can use to help me develop my networking code?

3) Are there any decent tutorials on how to start writing networking code on the iPhone?

4) What can I expect in regards to lag/ping times etc? As this is a fps space shooter game, it could probably do with fast responses.

Many thanks for any help you can give?

wonza, I would like to see your game, what is its name?

by the way, if have no idea maybe multithreading and sockets is a bit hard, you can try some library. Oolong engine uses Enet for network, take a look.

http://spacerage.co.uk is my game

Yeah, I'd probably have to use some library, I heard of another dev using this library, so I might give that a look.