Part 4 of SOK 2025
Final update
So this is my final blog regarding the Season of KDE 2025, I’m feeling happy for what I accomplished. Over the past few weeks, I’ve implemented PvP system for mancala game, this project has been a deep dive into game development, networking and user experience.
Summary of work done so far
1. Move tracking Mechanics
At the heart of this project lies the MankalaEngine, an engine designed to handle rules and gameplay of various mancala variants. I’ve added some more feature in the engine:
- Move tracking: The
lastMoveMethod()method allows to retrieve the last move played by the player and computer.
2. PvP Mode
It allows the real-time multiplayer gameplay using XMPP. Following is a brief summary:
- XMPP Integration: Players connect to each other using their jabber IDs and exchange move using the established chat room in real-time.
- Turn Management: The Player 1 always start, and turns alternate between the two players.
- Board Syncing: Players manually update their boards based on the opponent’s move, ensuring both the players have accurate view of the game state.
3. Man Page Documentation
To make the game accesible, I’ve created a man page for bohnenspieltui. This man page provides the information abou the game, including:
- Synopsis and Description: A brief overview and explanation of the game variant.
- Usage: Instructions for running the PvP mode.
- Added a minor improvement of card view in Mancala GUI.
Future Work
While the task for this term is completed, their are several areas for improvement:
- Automated board syncing by replacing the current manual one.
- Integrating the engine to the mancala GUI.
- Extending the PvP to other variants.
Final Words
Thanks to KDE community, XMPP community and Benson Muite and João Gouveia and Blue from Macaw.me for the guidance and support. And I encourage the aspiring contributors to take part in Season of KDE to learn and grow as a developer.