If you have ever enjoyed a popular online game such as DarkOrbit or Travian, you may have wondered what programming languages were used to make such games work. These games are a technological marvel in that the more advanced our browser technology becomes, the better online experiences we get with our games.
Since browser games need to be standards compliant to work across all platforms, certain programming languages can be used to create the games. The most common technologies used for creating these games include CSS, Document Object Model, and JavaScript. These three technologies form what is called dynamic HTML and have been around since the early 2000′s, bringing us text based online games played within the browser.
More feature rich languages and technologies have begun to be used for creating even more elaborate in-browser game experiences. HTML5 and WebGL are promoting the use of 3D graphics inside the browser without the need for plugins, meaning the user gets a full experience right from the browser with no extra work needed.
Browser Plug-ins
When languages like dynamic HTML are not enough to render the game, sometimes additional plugins are needed. Some plugins can offer 3D accelerated graphics and sound processing using O3D and Unity, providing for a more feature rich experience for the end user. These technologies include the Flash, Java, Shockwave, and Silverlight plugins for browsers. By providing an avenue to display graphics and sound that are not web standards yet, a more feature rich gaming experience can be gained.
Server Side Programming
The backend of several online games such as DarkOrbit is handed by PHP and MySQL databases. PHP is the framework that renders the game, while MySQL is the database that stores all of the player and game information to be fetched when it is needed. MySQL is perfect for this task because it functions well with PHP and returns results to the player almost instantaneously. Perl and Python are also popular programming language choices, though it seems PHP/MySQL is the standard combination for many popular online games.
When programming languages and browser plug-ins come together, they can create a wonderful experience like DarkOrbit. DarkOrbit provides its player base with a one of a kind browser based shooter with the chance to earn cash prizes based on a players performance throughout the month. The players bonus dollars collected from crates are tracked each month and after the monthly tournament is held, the winner is eligible to receive up to $10,000.