I was able to get the database portion for logins designed and ran into problems when I posed the question to my self "Why you unassuming bas#$%d, why assume that all people using this system for designing their MMO will speak English".
So after taking myself outside for a few quick slaps to the back of the head, I came back in and spent several hours trying to come up with a feasible design that would allow me to localize the backend system to any language. I know I wouldn't have problems with graphics and sounds, so I was concerning my self with how the text could be displayed. In my past I have designed only one system that was database driven to control a business system for people residing in Mexico, Canada and the US. That implementation was absolutely the worst thing I had gone through, so I knew I wouldn't be using the database for storing the actual string conversions. So most of Saturday (1/29) was spent coming up with a feasible, yet fast design.
So by Sunday morning, I had come up with a flexible low level design for making the MMO Architect backend language independent. (Reminder to myself to discuss what some of the options to making the actual game servers and client locale independent).
Now I was free to go back to the login process and try to get started again. Well another wrench for the works. I started desiging a specific server just for logins and came to the conclusion that most of the servers have quite a bit in common, so again I pulled myself out of the loop and started thinking generically again.
So once I had defined exactly what a server for MMO Architect will require for all servers, I started working on a C# template project and that's where I spent all my time on Sunday doing.
I didn't have a chance to finish the template project, but I know this will save at least 10+ hours per server so it's not wasted work.
Anyway, a server within MMO Architect will have to provide the following functionality:
1. One common private port behind the firewall and on the network to communicate securely with the configuration server.
2. Minimum 1 public unsecured port for communication outside the firewall and network.
3. Basic dynamic script loading/unloading.
4. Basic logging functionality for seperate log files as well as Windows event logging.
5. Database connection support for all supported database servers.
6. Basic cryptography for use in the server to server authentication process.
So I'll be spending part of this week in the evenings getting this template designed and tested for use.
Check back this week and I should have the template finished and the login server started.
Signed
'The tired and frustrated designer'
