Tabled Monopoly Board

[September]

Hi, I as wondering if anyone would be interested in helping me to make a tabled Monopoly board. Y riend and I really like to play, but we can't figure out how. We don't live close enough to each other to have game and trying to play through video chat is difficult. Online games usually are pay for or you can't get a private server. I think it would solve our problem nicely if I could make a tabled board that we could just PM to each other. I don't think it'd be breaking the copyright as Monopoly would still belong to Hasbro. It'd just be a different version is all.

So can anyone help me?

[Malagrond]

This is actually much simpler than it sounds. I'm going to brainstorm here, just in case someone else wants to pick this up.

You could use ajax to check a php page for updates. The page would indicate the sale of properties, houses, hotels, bank balance, player balance, player piece position, "Get out of Jail, free" cards, etc.

Based on the content of that page, update the client-side board. Since there are a finite number of squares on the game-board, you can make them individually. I recommend a table because of its easy-to-align structure.

The images should be easy to acquire to from Google for a private operation like this ;D

You could use an honor system for cash and such, since balances will be dynamically updated.

A text-chat would be very simple to incorporate, and could possibly be used to update balances and properties more easily with a slash-command and argument system (like IRC commands).

[SubDevo]

board-games.pogo.com/games/monopoly

I don't do PHP, but maybe this could help?
code.google.com/p/mons/source/browse/
You won't be able to view with IE, so use a different browser.

[September]

@ Malagrond

No offense, but I don't have a clue what you're talking about. I was thinking about just a simple table, maybe like a three column table. The players info, transactions, and properties could be on the sides with the game board in the middle. Maybe have two sections at the top of the game board for updates and comments. Th actual board would be composed of simple colored text. Really all I need help with is figuring out the width/height varibles for each little section. My friend isn't a skilled coder at all, so it needs to be as simple as possible.

@ SubDevo

Es, Pogo might work, but my friend and I rarely have the time to sit down and play a game through. Also Pogo doesn't have private game rooms, that I'm aware of

I'm not sure what the other thing you posted is.....

[Malagrond]

Oh, you're talking about just something to screenshot xD You might be better off finding a picture of an actual board then.

[September]

No, that's not what I'm talking about.

I'm talking about an actual interactive board where we could move the pieces around and put ittle houses and hotels on. Not something to just count out the spaces.

But I don't have a clue how to use PHP or anything else you were talking about doing.

[Malagrond]

Well then you'd have to use PHP. Your only two options are:

1) Find someone who's willing to code such a thing.
2) Learn PHP/MySQL/JavaScript(w/ Ajax)/HTML and write it.

[September]

And I can't just do a table because....?

[SubDevo]

September, I did some looking around at Pogo. And it looks like you can make a private game.
Just start the game. After it loads up, click "Options" at the bottom of the window.
Down near the bottom of the page it will say 'Customize your Table'. You will make the table private and choose a password. Give the password to your friend. He/she can find you now and type in the password and the two of you can play against the robots. To pass the time, while playing the game you could both be connected with yahoo voice or chat.

I did get the options as a non registered member. But, you may have to register to be able to do the above. Either way, since you said that you and your friend find it hard to be online at the same time, your only other option would be to have your own private PHP game that you can both come back to when one or the other is on. Sounds like a slow game! The second link I posted is a depository of some PHP files for a monopoly game that must be put on your own host (that supports PHP) and would take some knowledge to get going. Like I stated, I don't have any PHP experience, but it looks like Malagrond just may.

Regards,
SubDevo

EDIT:
You can't do just a table because there is nowhere to save the game information. That is where the PHP and the "your own host" part comes in.

[September]

What do you mean there would be no where to save the game information? We'd be PMing the entire code in all its glory back and forth. If someone rolled a six, they'd write that roll in the updates section. If someone decided to buy a property, they'd subtract that money from their info and write it in the transactions and add the property.

I don't know why you're trying to make this so complicated..,..

[SubDevo]

If you are going to be online at the same time why do it that way when you can just play online?

"We'd be PMing the entire code in all its glory back and forth." What code?
What is this "update" section that the user is "writing"?
Subtract money from what info?
Where are you storing the information for transactions and how would other users know that you added a property?

[September]

The table code that I'm trying to write.
The update section that the user will say what they rolled if they bought a property and so on
Subtract money from their info as i how much money they have in the game
It would be in the players little section.

[SubDevo]

So, you would have to put that info of each roll in your headers/footers and save it, then tell the other user to refresh their page in order for them to see it. Javascript does not communicate that info directly that is where PHP and another server comes into play. You send the info to the server and PHP on that server sends the updated info to the other users. That is the only way to get it in real time.

[September]

I don't want it in real time! You're not understanding what I'm saying. I don't want a website. I just want a board like you'd play at home with the players stuff off to the side. Yes, it would require sections such as the updated parts, but that's the only difference.

[SubDevo]

You are right. I don't undersand. You don't want a website? Where are these tables supposed to go?
I am still confused on how the other player would see what you see on your screen...
Will both of you be looking at the same screen?
Let's say you are both playing. You roll a six. You then tell the other person through PM that you rolled a six. You move your piece on your screen and using the honor system the other person moves your piece the same amount of spaces on their screen.
If this is the case, you can't shut off your computer or the game will be lost. (no where to store the game info)
Maybe someone else can help you with this...