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Get
Tiffany uses three main kinds of networking:
1: Communication
with the server-side database - Get Tiffany uses data from the
server
to handle events like player login, the forum and game tracking.
This was accomplished using the native networking capabilities
of Macromedia Director by making a call to the server, the server
executing a script, that script manipulating the database using
SQL, and then the script reporting the result back to the client.
This is a very efficient method of maintaining and updating an
online database using Director.
2: Shockwave
Multi-User Server(MUS) - Director also has the MUS available
for more complex networking that requires a 'Push' method of
updating data to a client. For example: Get Tiffany uses a great
deal of chat all throughout the design. When one player types
a line of chat, that line should go out to all the other players
at once. However, pushing that line out to all of those players
is quite a technical challenge and the MUS makes it possible
from within Director.
3: Downloading
Media Files - To reduce the file size of the game, some files
are downloaded at the time of use. This is done transparently
to the user and enhances the user's overall experience.
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