With Game Center/iOS Game Kit support supposedly being planned, I'd like to ask whether it would be possible to provide a way to write multiplayer turn-based games using a Corona-created client game and a backend system.

There appear to be many such systems, many of which appear to be designed to work with ActionScript: Red Dwarf, Player IO, Union Platform, Smart Fox Server, Stream Hub, Electro Server, and so on. Some of these could be made to work with Corona if and when Corona interfaces with Obj-C.

But it would be better to native support for one or more of these backend systems.

OpenFeint supposedly already has something like this: Turn-Based Multiplayer Implementation Guide.

Ansca, how about digging around in the OpenFeint SDK and seeing if turn-based multiplayer can be added since we already have basic OpenFeint support?

To help things along, here's an implementation guide for OpenFeint multiplayer.

Exit Games' Photon also looks promising for multiplayer functions.

Do any multiplayer server systems work through http requests? That strikes me as the most obvious way to set up such a server (note: I've never programmed a multiplayer server, but I have programmed simple web services.)

If so, Corona can already do that:
http://developer.anscamobile.com/content/network

HTTP is not the way to go, the TCP handshake will definitely kill the performance, if anything it should be socket connection UDP based, perhaps TCP can be added for packet delivery assurance.

I should have mentioned, I was thinking about turn-based multiplayer since that is the use case mentioned in that OpenFeint link. Waiting for the TCP handshake isn't a problem in a turn-based game, but yeah that wouldn't work for anything real-time or massively multiplayer.

Probably something more for the openfeint roadmap, but what about realtime multiplayer? That seems like it open up a universe of new game possibilities.

Has anyone implemented a multiplayer, turn based example using HTTP or a socket connection? This was also one way I envisioned it being accomplished too. If anyone has any code snippet ideas it would be a great place to start.

Fixdit, I'm in the midst of testing such a scenario. If it goes well; I'll provide code snippets to the community. I'm envisioning providing an open multiplayer codebase, as well as a full featured package which would include the backend side of the equation.

It seems to be going well and if this works; I'll look in to creating a more real-time multiplayer server to interface with Corona.

Should have something in a few days.

This sounds fantastic udesignme,
Really looking forward to seeing what you'll be able to come back with.

I've currently got the following scenarios working.

1. Support for games like Epic Pet Wars.

2. Support for turn based games, to some extent; I'm working on a a multiplayer turn-based tactical RPG and I'm just trying to optimize it at the moment.

I'll have a release for these at the end of the month, if everything goes well.

My next step after this is to work on the following two scenarios.

1. Real-time multiplayer, i.e: for a beat 'em up.

2. Real-time MMO multiplayer, i.e: for a full featured MMO.

We'll be releasing them all for free on the code side of things and charging a small fee for hosting the multiplayer side of things on our servers (though it'll be something nominal like $10 per month).

Interested parties can email me on ryan@udesign.me

@udesignme Ryan it is great news. I will write to You later today.