using Pyro for network games

[Michael Rybak]

Hi, everyone.
In topic "2-player game, client and server at localhost", I've asked
about subj, and Peter Hansen suggested to switch to Twisted, Pyro or
the like.

I've tried using Pyro.

I've written a very very simple test-game, in which you have 2 balls
controlled by 2 players. Each player moves his mouse somewhere at
his window, and his ball starts moving towards the pointer. No
objectives, just to test how it works. The code is very small, so I
can put it all here, skipping obvious stuff.

I've tried playing this test-game via local-host - all is ok.
Then I've tested via Internet connection with my friend. I have a
33.6 Kbps modem, he has a 2 MBps dedicated line (if this is the term),
and we ran a server at his pc and both connected to it. His ball ran as
a child, smoothly and quickly, while I had about 5 fps :(, and for him
it looked like my ball is simply very slow. I realise that client at
my pc *has* to work slower than the client at server's pc, but hey,
I've played Quake2 and WarCraft 2 via 33.6 modem, and those should have
much more stuff to transfer per second :(

Please help me in any way you can think of. I'd welcome links to
Python games written with Pyro, tips on what I am doing wrong, on not
Pythonically enough - anything.

############################server.py#################
#
[..imports..]
class game__(game_, Pyro.core.ObjBase):
    def __init__(self):
        #storage for balls' coordinates
        game_.__init__(self)
        Pyro.core.ObjBase.__init__(self)

[..server initialization..]

daemon.requestLoop()
END#########################server.py#################

############################client.py#################
[..imports..]

[..preparations to create proxy..]
proxy=Pyro.core.getAttrProxyForURI(URI)

[..imports..]

def process_user_input(game, id):#id is client's id - 0 or 1
    nx, ny = pygame.mouse.get_pos()
    x, y = game.ball[id].get_pos()
    dx, dy = nx - x, ny - y
    leng = sqrt(dx*dx + dy*dy)
    k = 20 / leng
    dx *= k
    dy *= k
    game.move(id, dx, dy) #remote call: move ball
    

id = proxy.get_n_clients() #which ball to control
if id < 2:
    proxy.new_client()

    pygame.init()
    scr = pygame.display.set_mode((640, 480))

    g = game(proxy.get_status(), scr)
    #get_status provides 2 pairs of balls's current coordinates
    #g, "game" instance, is a local storage, able to render itself

    while 1:
        g.set_status(proxy.get_status())
        g.render()
        process_user_input(proxy, id)

        time.sleep(0.03)

        [..quit = (ESCAPE is pressed)..]
        if quit: break

END#########################client.py#################

-- 
Best Regards,
 Michael Rybak                       mailto:accepted at ukr.net