#SDKs

[govindhtech]

Pinball Machine: Cloud-Connected Retro Sandbox Gameplay

Pinball Machines

Google cloud frequently take for granted how simple it is to link apps with a wide range of robust cloud services in today’s cloud-centric world. Nonetheless, integration remains difficult in a great number of legacy systems and other restricted situations.

When creating Backlogged Pinball, a unique pinball game that created as a demonstration for integrating cloud services in unusual locations, they took on this difficulty head-on. A real pinball machine called Backlogged Pinball can be connected to the cloud for a number of purposes, such as updating leaderboards and tracking information about finished and ongoing games.

In order to concentrate on game coding and cloud integration, built it on the foundation of a commercially available programmable pinball machine. The computer’s software environment was constrained, though, as it was using a sandboxed version of the.NET Framework 3.5, which was initially made available 17 years ago. In practice, this meant that were unable to install tools like gcloud to facilitate communication with the cloud and utilize any of the current Google cloud SDKs that were available for C#.

There’s a catch

It knew wanted to use the cloud for logging of game events and results, databases for high scores and game statistics, and a custom service to modify the game experience on the fly. However, creating software for such a limited setting came with a number of difficulties that you may be familiar with:

Limited library support: There are plenty of excellent libraries available to assist you in connecting to cloud services if you have complete control over your stack. However, there are instances when you are unable to choose where your software runs. Finding appropriate libraries to connect Google cloud pinball machine to the desired cloud services proved to be challenging.

For instance, they were aware that in order to power a real-time display of every event occurring in the game, needed to add entries into a Firestore database. Although Firestore has excellent SDKs, they were unable to handle anything prior to the 8.-year-old.NET Framework 4.6.2. Google could have been able to use a TCP connection to access a conventional relational database, but didn’t want to be restricted in Google cloud options for cloud services and tools. Building a real-time web application with MySQL instead of Firestore, which is built from the ground up to push data to the browser in real-time, is obviously far less viable.

Difficult deployment process: You may wish to add new features and cloud integrations, but updating your on-device software may be challenging due to various constraints. Google cloud had to use a USB stick to manually install every version of game while it was being developed because third-party developers. Testing, deploying, and shipping new versions of your code is slowed down by this type of restriction, which is never good. In a contemporary, adaptable cloud platform, adding new features is far simpler.

In essence, discovered that utilizing contemporary cloud services in an unpredictable legacy setting was difficult.

Flipper-ing the script

Initially, it seemed impossible to incorporate all of the services desired into the code that would operate on the pinball machine. However, what if there was an alternative? What if it gave the pinball machine a single simple integration and transformed it into a service? They might then arrange the outcomes in a contemporary cloud environment and have it send a message each time something occurred in the game.

Google cloud concluded that Pub/Sub would be a great approach to accomplish this. It offered a simple method of transferring data to the cloud via a single interface. It was really a simple HTTP POST with any message format desired.Image credit to Google cloud

It created a unique Pub/Sub messaging mechanism to accomplish this. To manage authentication and message delivery via the REST API, created a lightweight Pub/Sub framework just for the pinball machine. This made it incredibly simple to submit events anytime a player struck a target, fired a ball, or even pressed a flipper button. Visit GitHub to view a condensed version of that code!

Google cloud team processed these events in real time on the cloud side by using numerous Cloud Run subscribers. Additionally, stored data and powered visualizations using Firestore.

Jackpot! Benefits of the cloud

There were many benefits of pushing integration complexity into the cloud:

One interface: Authentication alone might be a blog entry in and of itself, so creating own Pub/Sub client was no easy feat. But when it was finished, it was finished! After it was operational, Google could concentrate on employing whichever contemporary client libraries and tools desired to process every event in the cloud.

Real-time updates: At Google Cloud Next, assisted users in creating custom Cloud Run services that can process pinball machine, send messages back to the machine, and receive them. You could theoretically alter the game while a friend was playing it because it took less than a minute to build and deploy these services!

Rich insights from data: In the end, they had a detailed record of every event that took place throughout a game. Playtest-based scoring adjustments and development-related troubleshooting were greatly aided by this.

Leaping ahead

The next version of Backlogged Pinball is already in the works, and it will include features hadn’t initially thought of. For instance, its’re including AI-driven Gameplay and player-style-based recommendations. Instead of struggling with dependencies on a historical system, nearly all of the work will be done in a contemporary cloud environment because of this adaptable cloud-based design.

Furthermore, any limited environment can benefit from the lessonsz learnt from this project. You can overcome the constraints of your environment and realize the full potential of the cloud by utilizing Pub/Sub messaging and embracing a cloud-first mindset, regardless matter whether it’s an embedded system, an Internet of Things device, or an outdated server running older software.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[exleads]

Understanding the Difference Between Mobile and Web Document Scanning SDKs

 

Dive into the world of Document Scanning SDKs! 🚀 Uncover the secrets behind Mobile vs. Web functionalities and revolutionize your digital document management game. 📄💻 Don't miss out on this essential tech knowledge!  

#DocumentScanning #SDKs #TechInsights #DigitalTransformation #DocumentScanningSDK #MobileDocumentScanning #ExtrieveTechnologies  

[tf2heritageposts]

tf2 devs today:

fuck you YOU make the updates now

[tf2-bros4life]

Haven't seen a post about this on tumblr yet, so: Valve just released the TF2 code to the public. This is HUGE news! Can't wait for what the community will cook with this!

[diabotsis]

i thought we were all against kissing he/hims right now?

i see not only is ghetsis a horrible father but hes also transphobic smfh

[redrunner1509]

morning pee in my SDK

[cheriafreya]

I wish... I could be like all of you... and embrace the world before death comes.

[it-s-only-a-game]

[lathbora-virann]

They could have been brothers...

[theprismofchaos]

Anybody ever wonder what they truly mean in S1 with the Senkuns "strengths and weaknesses being maximized"? I do. Currently started to rewatch the entire S1 and observe all of their interactions to see their character development. Will post some theories when I have something conreate. Please pipe in with your own opinions if you want to.

Also have some doodle I made awhile back

[lostdrarryfics]

Hello! I hope you’re doing well and thanks again for the amazing work you guys do for the community!

I’m looking for a matchmaking drarry fic where harry and draco join to this service and between dates they have to fill a form of silly questions and draco doesn’t understand why are they asking those things, they ask their fav color and draco answers honestly but since that made him get potter again the next one he answers anything (pretty sure he answers purple the first time or second time but I may be just guessing) but still gets potter

I think harry enters this matchmaking due to hermione while draco due to his bad record with men

I don’t think it was a long fic, probably no more thank 20k, 30k at most. It’s definitely on AO3!

We believe you are looking for Weeds or Wildflowers by @lqtraintracks and @unmistakablyoatmeal (17k, E)

Don’t forget to bookmark, leave kudos and comments!

[diamondzart]

I wanna be honest I’m so freaking tired of people on TF2 community constantly complaining about whatever Valve does. They whine if it doesn’t do anything, they whine when it does something. Whatever Valve does, people will whine. It kinda reminds me of how people on Minecraft community also whine over every step Mojang takes, except their 16-years-old game gets regular official updates with new mobs and features. When a studio doesn’t give a shit for almost 8 years straight, it should become clear that complaints no longer work. We’re long on our own. And from now on, with the official TF2 SDK release, only our own actions will define the future of this game. Valve won’t do shit. They made this abundantly clear, I think.

Raising new waves of complaining and talking about the issues of the game over and over and over won’t really do anything to fix it, it will only increase the level of negativity in the community. In the community that is basically self-sustaining, and it has to stay positive or at least neutral to keep going. That’s why I never could sit through any of Zesty Jesus’s videos. These just reek of “everything’s bad, apocalypse tomorrow” vibe.

And now that SDK basically gave us a chance to start TF2 renaissance? I still see people COMPLAINING… saying that the ones who celebrate it are DELUSIONAL… like, what the hell? When you are drowning and someone gives you a stick to hold on, don’t push it away saying that you want a helicopter. Sometimes complaining is not the solution. And now there is a chance to actually DO something.

[reasonsforhope]

Throwing some hope back your way for the holidays.

Thank you!!

Sending some hope on to you and all my followers as well <3

[lotuslate]

MDZS Vol. 1 Book Jackets!! I really wanted to create my own book jackets and I would like to share them with yall as well! The files are completely free, you can download them here! Please make sure to read the tips in the description!

[mysteryjunoskulls]

Controversial opinion

But the reason why I think the tf2 fandom is "dying" out is because of the fact that no one truly gives appreciation/support to the people that are keeping the fandom/game alive via modding, art, writing etc etc. The main people who complain about the game dying are people who look at what the creativity minds of the community and actively spit on it either saying "IT DOESN'T FIT THE ARTSTYLE" or "GOOD LUCK TRYING TO RUN THAT BY VALVE" but yet actively beg for people to scream at valve to give us another update. We need to rely on the community to keep the ship going and that means giving our support to modders, programmers, artists, writers. It's obvious Valve doesn't really care as long as they're getting money from crates and keys. If we keep on listening to people like ZestyJesus or just anyone else who spews that bullshit and actively continue to shit towards our fellow mercenaries (Fans) then we'll crash and burn for sure. But hey what do I know I joined back in 2016.

[l3rking]

The Zone never lets go of those who see it.