Can I make users send push notifications to other users?

Solar2D General Questions/Discussion
#1

Hello

I am working on a server based app, where I need to implement push notifications.

I researched a bit and found some good third side parties to go along with corona like:

pushwoosh, OneSignal, GameThrive and pushbots. (my app is for android at this point).

They all ahev some good options to send notifications to users, but what I really need is

the ability for users to push notifications to other users, for sake of friend request (not facebook based, 

at this point I might add I am running a database and register users into it), or challenging one another.

I did not see this done or explained anywhere. think of it like whatsup where you get new message from other users and you get beeped with a notification.

Can anyone please explain the process this is done or at least direct me to where I can find some answers?

Thanks ahead for reading.

#2

On one of my application I created my own server in C# and used PushSharp ( https://github.com/Redth/PushSharp ).

The application was a turn-based card and the opponent got informed when he needed to act and this was how I implemented it:

User 1 (Corona App): Does his stuff and sends it to the server.

Server (C#): Verifies that the stuff is okay, moves the turn to the next acting player and informs the player with a notification (if he’s not online)

User 2 (Corona App): Receives the notification

And I think that is basically how WhatsApp works as well but in a bigger scale. When you use WhatsApp you have the different checkboxes where 1 means that the message have arrived to the server, 2 the message have arrive to the recipient and 2 blue ones means that the user have read the message.

Some interesting info:

https://www.quora.com/How-does-messaging-work-in-WhatsApp

http://www.erlang-factory.com/conference/SFBay2012/speakers/RickReed <–This guy works at WhatsApp

Best regards,

Tomas

#3

Thanks for the reply Tomas.

In one of my next apps I"ll have to start dealing with servers too. I heard of Choronium that does something similar.

What I was looking in my current project was to escape from using such a service of a live server to manage the game logic.

I wanted the app to do that, and only to pass the data to the mysql database so each other player can read any changes from the database for now.

What I ended up doing, and still making some experimenting with, is using OneSignal, for Push notifications. After digging inside,

I found exactly what I was asking for, a way for the users to sent each other notifications like: “I challenge you…” or "friend request"m

and it is pretty easy too. I mean there are other good similar services like pushbots that I looked into, but for now OneSignal will have to do.

Thanks again, I will update here ,for other users’ sake, after making some more testings.

Saiphan Brunner

#4

Sounds good!

If there is a way to avoid your own server that is great because with your own server there is more work and an additional cost. I tried using PubNub at the beginning but because I needed to implement my own server either way I decided to go with server-side push notifications. That way I could also easily create my own notifications such as “Server upgrade” to all, “New version out” to the Android or the IOS users etc.

Best regards,

Tomas

#5

I would recommend OneSignal as well.  

Not only is it very reliable, but the OneSignal team are very quick to respond if you post on the OneSignal subforum with any problems or suggestions: https://forums.coronalabs.com/forum/640-onesignal-was-gamethrive/

#6

From what little experience I have with them, that is true. They even message me to see if everything was alright :).

On the other hand I can say the same thing about pushbots. I guess they are trying to promote their business so it’s

kind of understandable and very helpful for us.

#7

I would recommend OneSignal, too.

I’ve tried with Parse and another providers but nothing works better with Corona than OneSignal…in my humble opinion, at least for now.

Best regards,

Erich. 

#8

Yes, their documentation is also clear and simply explained. I managed to make some tests in no time.

Thanks Erich.

#9

On one of my application I created my own server in C# and used PushSharp ( https://github.com/Redth/PushSharp ).

The application was a turn-based card and the opponent got informed when he needed to act and this was how I implemented it:

User 1 (Corona App): Does his stuff and sends it to the server.

Server (C#): Verifies that the stuff is okay, moves the turn to the next acting player and informs the player with a notification (if he’s not online)

User 2 (Corona App): Receives the notification

And I think that is basically how WhatsApp works as well but in a bigger scale. When you use WhatsApp you have the different checkboxes where 1 means that the message have arrived to the server, 2 the message have arrive to the recipient and 2 blue ones means that the user have read the message.

Some interesting info:

https://www.quora.com/How-does-messaging-work-in-WhatsApp

http://www.erlang-factory.com/conference/SFBay2012/speakers/RickReed <–This guy works at WhatsApp

Best regards,

Tomas

#10

Thanks for the reply Tomas.

In one of my next apps I"ll have to start dealing with servers too. I heard of Choronium that does something similar.

What I was looking in my current project was to escape from using such a service of a live server to manage the game logic.

I wanted the app to do that, and only to pass the data to the mysql database so each other player can read any changes from the database for now.

What I ended up doing, and still making some experimenting with, is using OneSignal, for Push notifications. After digging inside,

I found exactly what I was asking for, a way for the users to sent each other notifications like: “I challenge you…” or "friend request"m

and it is pretty easy too. I mean there are other good similar services like pushbots that I looked into, but for now OneSignal will have to do.

Thanks again, I will update here ,for other users’ sake, after making some more testings.

Saiphan Brunner

#11

Sounds good!

If there is a way to avoid your own server that is great because with your own server there is more work and an additional cost. I tried using PubNub at the beginning but because I needed to implement my own server either way I decided to go with server-side push notifications. That way I could also easily create my own notifications such as “Server upgrade” to all, “New version out” to the Android or the IOS users etc.

Best regards,

Tomas

#12

I would recommend OneSignal as well.  

Not only is it very reliable, but the OneSignal team are very quick to respond if you post on the OneSignal subforum with any problems or suggestions: https://forums.coronalabs.com/forum/640-onesignal-was-gamethrive/

#13

From what little experience I have with them, that is true. They even message me to see if everything was alright :).

On the other hand I can say the same thing about pushbots. I guess they are trying to promote their business so it’s

kind of understandable and very helpful for us.

#14

I would recommend OneSignal, too.

I’ve tried with Parse and another providers but nothing works better with Corona than OneSignal…in my humble opinion, at least for now.

Best regards,

Erich. 

#15

Yes, their documentation is also clear and simply explained. I managed to make some tests in no time.

Thanks Erich.