Atlas

Atlas is standard protocol between server and client. It should work with simple/complicated server and simple/complicated client and with all combinations. ASCII version will use XML.

Server might be thought of as body for character and client might be thought of as mind for character and protocol is neurons connecting these.

Features

Flexible and transparently extensible
Works at the same time with old and new clients
Initially XML (for easy debugging). Later optimized binary format.
Transmits only changed information and server doesn't need to reveal any more than it wants. Usually assumption is made that clients are hacked and thus are not trustworthy.

Implementation

Library that clients and server can use to implement Atlas is being currently coded. Currently supported languages are C++ and Python. It's still in initial stages but there is server-client demo with movement. For more see libatlas link below.

Future

Work on v0.3 of Atlas is going on. It will include standard map format, media info for some media types, some slight changes/simplifications and specifies more exactly operations and their possible arguments.

The development of Atlas is covered by the Atlas Battleplan. There is currently discussion going on at protocols@worldforge.org Atlas. So these here are going to change more or less. If you want to have effect on Atlas design, subscribe to protocols list.

Atlas Proposals	Proposal articles
Tutorial	Atlas Tutorial
Battleplan	Atlas Battleplan
Discussion	Protocol and Scripting email discussions archives
Meetings & Logs	Atlas Meeting Summaries & Logs from IRC
Links	Related links
Current implementations	Current implementations of the Atlas in various programming languages.
Old implementations	Obselete/old Atlas libraries
Articles	Various articles and good commentry on Atlas
Test Suite	Test Suite for Atlas Protocol Compliancy