Builder:Web APIs we use

We'll be wrapping the following interfaces in the various client-side Common Lisp modules. Package names in ALL-CAPS are the CL packages wrapping the underlying libraries (if any).

The division between Parrot modules and Gossip Mouse modules is a bit artificial, but in general, device-local actions are Parrot, network tasks are Gossip Mouse. That also indicates which type of avatar is used for configuration and errors.

Parrot Modules

Computation

COMMON-LISP: JSCL is our Common Lisp compiler. It uses packages COMMON-LISP (alias: CL, JSCL) and will soon also export symbols into JSCL/FFI (which will affect, eg, JSCL::OGET scoping)
CLOSE: a simple OO-like package that isn't CLOS but provides some simple OO-like integration macros.

Debugging & Quality Assurance

WEBREPL: The REPL is partially packaged via JSCL, but we want to run it in its own frame in a shared context.
WEBDEBUG, WEBINSPECT: There may also be a debugger hook for the parrot interface (farther future).
Analytics via PARROT: We use Google Analytics to track events of various kinds. Some of these come from the “raw” Javascript code; others are invoked by PARROT events. We may change this to instead or also use Facebook analytics for Facebook users, etc.

3D Graphics, Physics, & Display

BABYLON: WebGL and friends, mostly c/o BabylonJS … Loading models, applying textures — integration with mesh networking
DEVICE.AMBIENT-LIGHT: Ambient Light Sensitivity
UX.OVERLAY: for displaying heads-up display and on-screen controls
UX.PARROT: …
UX.GOSSIPMOUSE: …

Notifications

PARROT: PARROT package has PEEP and SQUAWK events for minor or major notifications. Desktop notifications work via Notifications API, at least on Linux and Android.

First Run, Accounts

PARROT.NEW-PLAYER: …
PARROT.BUDDY-LIST: …
PARROT.CHILD-ACCOUNT: …

Sound & Music

UX.BABYLON: also handles some audio, we may reach “under the hood” to touch Web Audio API — but we'll try to use Babylon's interface mostly, right?
UX.EVENTS: Binding to the general events model for Gossipnet, et al.
UX.MAKE-NOISE: Discuss Toot Voices package MAKE-NOISE
UX.SPEAK
Not any time soon. Might just wrap browser built-ins? still very flaky. May need a polyfill.

Camera, Microphone

CHATTER: TODO: Discuss streaming audio, video chats, via virtual mobile in-game
PLAYER-INPUT.LIPREAD: Facial recognition, character facial puppetting; example here and tools and library
PLAYER-INPUT.LISTEN: Voice recognition via PocketSphinx.JS but we'll have to work on training it for a reasonable conversational vocabulary, or else try browser built-ins, maybe allow choice between both/either (polyfill style)

Gamepad, Touch, Keyboard

PLAYER-INPUT.EVENTS: Generalized interface for controlling your character
PLAYER-INPUT.KEYBOARD: TODO: Discuss keyboard events
PLAYER-INPUT.TOUCH: TODO: Discuss touch events
PLAYER-INPUT.GAMEPAD: TODO: Discuss gamepad events
PLAYER-INPUT.TABLETPAD: Using a tablet or phone as a controller for another device, eg, PC
PLAYER-INPUT.BLUETOOTH: Might need some magic to access Bluetooth gamepads like Wiimotes

Physical Device Properties

DEVICE.VIBRATION: Vibration API
DEVICE.ORIENTATION: Screen Orientation, also Screen Orientation

Distinctly of that, Device Orientation and some explanation of orientation and motion data and a gyronorm polyfill
Proximity is not super useful but might tell us when the player has forgotten and walked away.
As a courtesy, we can watch Battery status and give a warning when the player's battery is getting low

Gossip Mouse Modules

HTTP

XHR: Provides simple access to XMLHttpRequest objects

Gossipnet

GOSSIPNET.NET: Core connectivity
GOSSIPNET.EVENTS: Interaction with player input, Babylon, etc.
GOSSIPNET.INTEGRITY: TODO: discuss netsplit detection, blockchains, signatures
GOSSIPNET.GENESIS: TODO: discuss directory service, STUN/TURN servers

Asset Distribution

ASSETS.SERVICE: The asset distribution system should be using Service Workers (much like Background Sync to handle asset access transparently; see Using Service Workers
ASSETS.TORRENT: WebTorrents
ASSETS.ARCHIVES: Archived assets, sprite sheets, globbed sounds, etc.: TODO, discuss

Simulation world

WORLD.EVENT: Core event bridge

Network Sensitivity

DEVICE.NETWORK: This game can burn through a lot of data (as with any on-line MMO, I suppose). We can use Network Information API on Firefox Mobile to warn users who are likely to be on metered mobile connections.

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