Creating a CCG Board Game... will Vassal work?

General Discussion
1

I’m building an online, multiplayer, 2d, turn-based, CCG + board game. The game itself is already designed, including much of the artwork, over 500 cards, game board, etc, and now I just have to build it and am trying to decide if Flash or Vassal would be better, easier, more efficient, etc. I’m 42 years old and have some experience with programming (Java, MATLAB, C++), but no experience with networking.

The game is similar to MTG and many online CCG’s, but the board (map) where the game is played is a randomly generated hexagonal map with roughly 100 spaces (hexagons). Initially it will be a 2-player PvP game but I also plan to implement player vs AI and team games (2 players vs 2 players, 2 players vs AI, etc.).

Players will initially log into the game into a lobby (chat room) where they can then edit their decks or find a game.

I’m wondering if Vassal will be able to do everything I’m planning to implement and had a couple initial questions…

How much do I need to know about networking?

Can Vassal handle multiple (hundreds) of simultaneous instances of the game running at once?

2

Thus spake Psyclone625:

Players will initially log into the game into a lobby (chat room) where
they can then edit their decks or find a game.

You’re going to find that if you want to do this literally the way you
described, VASSAL 3 won’t support that. I know there are some deck-
building games for which people have made modules, but I’m not familiar
with how people handled deck creation for those. Maybe someone who has
done that will comment.

I’m wondering if Vassal will be able to do everything I’m planning to
implement and had a couple initial questions…

How much do I need to know about networking?

Nothing, if you create a VASSAL module.

Can Vassal handle multiple (hundreds) of simultaneous instances of the
game running at once?

Our game server frequently has hundreds of games running at once.

–
J.