Choosing a backend development framework

[sporkfin]

Hi Everyone,

I used to use Parse (R.I.P) and then I switched to Coronium, which still works but I’m thinking it might save me some future headaches if commit to a third-party backend development framework.

The main features I need at the moment are the ability for users to share the unique items they’ve built with other users (not in realtime) and a voting system (also not in realtime).

In Coronium, the shared items were passed as JSON files.  I never build the voting system but it is meant to serve as a sort of leaderboard based on votes instead of points.

If anyone has experience with PlayFab, Photo Cloud, GameSparks or any other third-party framework, please let me know what you recommend and what made you choose your particular framework.

Thanks!

Jonathan 

[anon63346430]

GameSparks is great (and free) if you have under 100,000 MAU and will do everything you want.  Once past that point it gets real expensive at 2 cents per user.

[roaminggamer]

I am also looking for a solution in this space so I am keenly listening for answers to this question.

I think my needs are similar to @sharp100, I would describe them as:

• End-User data upload and sharing - This is the hardest for me to find.  I want a system where I can write apps that let my users upload arbitray data and share it between themselves, both publically and privately if they choose.
  • Text Data: JSON text files mostly, but NO SQL DB access is cool too.
  • Binary Data (images; sound recordings, etc.)
  • I used Coronium  :wub: for this, but I also want to get on a platform I know will be stable and available long timer.
• Developer data upload - I also want to be able to upload and expose content to users of the app.
  • House ad images and files.
  • Levels
  • etc.
  • Note: This can be done with can be done with a basic AWS setup.
• Community features
  • Voting
  • Message Board
  • Friend System (to find and hook up with friends)
  • Content Sharing and Rating Boards - i.e. The ability to create games where users create levels and share them, plus vote on them.

[patso]

Maybe just use parse-server with some medium such as back4app?

[GameSparksClare]

Hey there!

I’d like to address some of the needs expressed by roaminggamer as they showcase some of the features easily achievable by using GameSparks.

Data-upload/Download: GameSparks has wide support for Uploadable and Downloadable content, with some of our clients even utilizing us to deliver DLC in the form of packages, but we’re most used for user-driven and developer-driven content. What you expose to developers and end-users is a matter of your own choice, for example, users could upload JSON/Binary data or even avatars under a certain tag, that would only be exposed to other players. Developers could upload level content and layouts as another form of structured/unstructured data under another tag that would not be exposed to regular users. It’s all up to you. I recommend looking through our tutorial on Uploading content to GameSparks. https://docs2.gamesparks.com/tutorials/database-access-and-cloud-storage/uploading-binary-content-from-game.html

Friend Systems come out of the box with GameSparks, while features such as Message Boards and Voting can be configured yourself in a number of ways. You could persists messages to one of our database collections to be read through Cloud Code, or set up our out of the box “Teams”, which includes it’s on Chat system, similar to guild-chats in MMO’s for example.

Feel free to download the Corona SDK and play around - https://docs2.gamesparks.com/sdk-center/

If you have any questions you can get in touch with our support team via https://support.gamesparks.net/support/home - We’d be happy to help in any way we can

Clare

[anon63346430]

GameSparks is great (and free) if you have under 100,000 MAU and will do everything you want.  Once past that point it gets real expensive at 2 cents per user.

[roaminggamer]

I am also looking for a solution in this space so I am keenly listening for answers to this question.

I think my needs are similar to @sharp100, I would describe them as:

• End-User data upload and sharing - This is the hardest for me to find.  I want a system where I can write apps that let my users upload arbitray data and share it between themselves, both publically and privately if they choose.
  • Text Data: JSON text files mostly, but NO SQL DB access is cool too.
  • Binary Data (images; sound recordings, etc.)
  • I used Coronium  :wub: for this, but I also want to get on a platform I know will be stable and available long timer.
• Developer data upload - I also want to be able to upload and expose content to users of the app.
  • House ad images and files.
  • Levels
  • etc.
  • Note: This can be done with can be done with a basic AWS setup.
• Community features
  • Voting
  • Message Board
  • Friend System (to find and hook up with friends)
  • Content Sharing and Rating Boards - i.e. The ability to create games where users create levels and share them, plus vote on them.

[patso]

Maybe just use parse-server with some medium such as back4app?

[GameSparksClare]

Hey there!

I’d like to address some of the needs expressed by roaminggamer as they showcase some of the features easily achievable by using GameSparks.

Data-upload/Download: GameSparks has wide support for Uploadable and Downloadable content, with some of our clients even utilizing us to deliver DLC in the form of packages, but we’re most used for user-driven and developer-driven content. What you expose to developers and end-users is a matter of your own choice, for example, users could upload JSON/Binary data or even avatars under a certain tag, that would only be exposed to other players. Developers could upload level content and layouts as another form of structured/unstructured data under another tag that would not be exposed to regular users. It’s all up to you. I recommend looking through our tutorial on Uploading content to GameSparks. https://docs2.gamesparks.com/tutorials/database-access-and-cloud-storage/uploading-binary-content-from-game.html

Friend Systems come out of the box with GameSparks, while features such as Message Boards and Voting can be configured yourself in a number of ways. You could persists messages to one of our database collections to be read through Cloud Code, or set up our out of the box “Teams”, which includes it’s on Chat system, similar to guild-chats in MMO’s for example.

Feel free to download the Corona SDK and play around - https://docs2.gamesparks.com/sdk-center/

If you have any questions you can get in touch with our support team via https://support.gamesparks.net/support/home - We’d be happy to help in any way we can

Clare

[elifares]

Hey,

 

What back end service did you end up using? I am also looking for a backend framework (for real-time multiplayer) and I was looking at the following:

AppWarp: http://appwarp.shephertz.com/game-development-center/corona-game-developers-home/

PlayFab: https://api.playfab.com/docs/getting-started/corona-getting-started-guide

And the GameSpark Corona tutorial that was shared in this thread too.

 

I would love to hear your advice/experiences if you used any of these.

 

Thanks.

[sporkfin]

@elifares - I’m going to try Coronium Core.

I used Coronium and really liked it and Coronium Core has even more features with others still in development.  I played around with GameSpark and PlayFab and they look like good solutions.  I was leaning toward PlayFab until Coronium Core was announced.

I’m not sure if Coronium Core handles real-time multiplayer (not what I need at the moment) but it should handle turn-based multiplayer if that is what you need.

[elifares]

Hey,

 

What back end service did you end up using? I am also looking for a backend framework (for real-time multiplayer) and I was looking at the following:

AppWarp: http://appwarp.shephertz.com/game-development-center/corona-game-developers-home/

PlayFab: https://api.playfab.com/docs/getting-started/corona-getting-started-guide

And the GameSpark Corona tutorial that was shared in this thread too.

 

I would love to hear your advice/experiences if you used any of these.

 

Thanks.

[sporkfin]

@elifares - I’m going to try Coronium Core.

I used Coronium and really liked it and Coronium Core has even more features with others still in development.  I played around with GameSpark and PlayFab and they look like good solutions.  I was leaning toward PlayFab until Coronium Core was announced.

I’m not sure if Coronium Core handles real-time multiplayer (not what I need at the moment) but it should handle turn-based multiplayer if that is what you need.