JavaScript game development

Why would anyone do that? Because on two recent cool devices, JavaScript is the ONLY option for open, unrestricted application development. Because making games in JS is a hack and a challenge. Because few people have pushed the technology to its performance limits yet. And because we can.

Platforms

• Wii!
• iPhone!
• Regular old boring computers

Technologies

• DHTML/DOM animation
• Canvas (Opera: 2dgame context)
• Wii Remote API & Events Library
• Moz Tech: XUL, XBL etc... no real justification for those though.
• Upcoming Safari CSS extensions: transformations & animation
• Upcoming canvas 3d context

What to do

• Start a wiki?
• Build a library? Input handling, sprite animation, collision detection, SFX, etc etc. Needs more research.
• Organize a competition like PyWeek
• Organize a introductory course/workshop

Projects & Ideas

• JShmup (c3o)

Full window shoot em up as browser stress test

Prototype exists (flying+shooting)

• JS Spryjinx (c3o)

Remake of simple DOS 2 player platform game

Prototype exists (basic game elements, 2 player controls, game over)

• AjaxGo (c3o, lfittl)

Multiplayer online Go

Idea only

• TomK32 has a few javascript games:

typedown (2011-10) uses Canvas and keyboard input

Trollbridge Armours (2011-05) uses SVG.

Interested parties

• c3o
• lfittl
• snaut
• Menroth
• Ido
• TomK32

References

• iPhone Dev Camp Germany (date unannounced)
• JavaScriptGamer.com Arkanoid tutorial (uses Prototype)
• JavaScript gamelib

Notable games

Multiplayer

• Primera
• GPokr
• Weboggle

Single player

• Super Mario
• Super Mario Kart
• Minesweeper (uses the JS gamelib)
• Lemmings
• Vox Imperium
• Arkanoid
• Def-Logic games
• Realworld Racer (on Google Maps)

iPhone

• Stack the Log

Experimental

• Canvex FPS
• Moon lander

Lists/indexes

• Coverage on Ajaxian