An RFC for a protocol for playing a game of TicTacToe over the network
Your job is to implement "RFC INFO314", also known as TTTP, or the "Tic Tac Toe Protocol". This protocol is defined here, and will serve as the sole description of the protocol--neither your instructor nor the TA will answer any questions about the protocol. It is up to you to implement the protocol as defined in the specification, and where any incompatibilities arise, work those out with other groups on your own.
The grade for this project is broken out across several parts: writing a console-UI client, writing the server, demonstrating that your client and server can interoperate with other groups' client and server, and presenting your solution to the rest of the class during Finals.
- create a console UI client that can:
- start a game
- display the state of the board
- make a move on the board
- plays through to game termination
- starts a second game
- communicates over either TCP or UDP
- provides console output about communication
- also known as "diagnostic logging"
Be sure to allow for the client to play over either TCP or UDP, either by accepting a command-line parameter or asking via some kind of interactive prompt.
- create a server that can:
- accept requests from multiple clients
- start a game
- validate player moves
- plays through to game termination
- manages up to 10 clients simultaneously
- accepts communication over TCP or UDP
- provides console output about communication (diagnostic logging)
Diagnostic logging levels should be able to be dynamically configured via a command-line parameter or configuration file, and any changes in configuration take place on restart.
- run your client against another group's server (5pts)
- run another group's client against your server (5pts)
- create a recording of a Zoom call doing so
- play at least two games to completion on the recording
Note that the groups interoperated with must be different--in other words, group "A" uses their client against group "B"'s server, but must find a group "C" with which to test "A"'s server. (This is to avoid any sort of odd-group-out scenarios where groups all pair off and one group is left with no one to interoperate with.)
- During our finals time, present to the class
- Describe your implementation
- Which groups did you interop with? How was that?
- What was one thing that was easier than you expected?
- What was one thing that was harder than you expected?
At least one member of the group must be present during Finals for this.
There are several opportunities to earn some extra credit points as a group on this assignment.
- Show a video of three groups interoperating:
- client A, client B, and server C
- Maximum of three "triplets" (6 pts max)
In other words, coordinate and demonstrate interoperability three ways simultaneously: one group starts up a server, the second group starts up their client, the third group starts up their client, and groups 2 and 3 play a game against one another.
- propose extensions to the protocol:
- asymmetrical board size (3x5, 5x3, etc)
- multiple players (3-, 4-players)
- must be written in the form of the RFC
- create a file called RFC-Proposed.md in your repo directory
- add the text describing your extension
- implement your extension
- extend your client and server
- make sure you version-negotiate correctly
- demonstrate that your client works with your server
- must show off the extension
- demonstrate that your implementations work with non-extended versions
This can be included in any of the previous videos, but be sure to demonstrate both the expected (v1) functionality as well as your extended functionality.
- Implement a "announcer" client
- connects to a server and "watches" games w/o making moves
- provides information about changes in game status
- Implement an "AI" client
- connects to a server, plays a game with another player
- your AI need not be good!
We will consider proposals for other useful clients as well! Just please propose the new client type before submission, so that we have a chance to redirect efforts that would be less-than-useful (or interesting) before you do all the work on it.