# ✅ Project Status Report ## Multiplayer Tic-Tac-Toe Platform **To:** CTO & Technical Interview Panel **Date:** November 29, 2025 **Version:** v1.0.0 --- ## **1. Objective** Design and implement a scalable, server-authoritative multiplayer game system using **Nakama + custom Go plugins**, featuring: * Authentication * Matchmaking * Authoritative gameplay * Leaderboards * A production-ready UI * Fully automated CI/CD and Docker deployment pipeline The system is now deployable on **any ARM or x86 infrastructure, including Google Cloud**. --- ## **2. Current Completion Summary** | Requirement | Status | | -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------ | | Install Nakama + PostgreSQL | ✅ Completed | | Custom Go server plugins (ARM compatible) | ✅ Completed | | Server-authoritative Tic-Tac-Toe | ✅ Completed | | Real-time WebSocket communication | ✅ Completed | | Device-based authentication | ✅ Completed | | JWT-based session management | ✅ Completed | | Match creation & joining | ✅ Completed | | **Matchmaking queue support** | ✅ Completed | | **Game state validation & turn enforcement** | ✅ Completed | | **Leaderboard system** | ✅ Completed | | **UI Game Client (production build)** | ✅ Completed | | Google Cloud deployment | 🟡 Pending | | **Drone CI/CD build & deploy pipeline** | ✅ Completed | Backend is **fully authoritative** and stable. UI is **production-ready** but needs polish and error recovery improvements. --- ## **3. Core Technical Architecture** * **Backend:** Nakama 3.21.0 (ARM build) * **Runtime Logic:** Go plugin (built with Go 1.21.6 for ABI compatibility) * **Frontend:** React + Vite + Nakama JS * **Database:** PostgreSQL 16 * **Networking:** WebSockets (secure / insecure configurable) * **Authentication:** Device-ID auth → JWT session * **Deployment:** Docker images with Drone CI/CD * **Production UI Deployment:** BusyBox static server --- ## **4. Authentication** ### Backend * Device authentication * Automatic account creation * JWT session handling ### UI * Generates device UUID * Uses `client.authenticateDevice()` * Session stored in context * Reconnect logic planned --- ## **5. Game Server Logic (Go)** ### ✔ State Initialization * On second player join, server broadcasts full authoritative state. ### ✔ Turn Validation Rejects: * invalid coordinates * occupied cells * wrong turn * malformed payloads ### ✔ Forfeit Detection * Disconnects → match ends * Final state broadcast to opponent ### ✔ Server Authority * No client trust * All moves validated server-side * Structured logging everywhere Result: **Deterministic, authoritative, cheat-proof gameplay.** --- ## **6. Real-Time Networking** Validated end-to-end: * Match creation/join * Matchmaker queues/matching * OpCode 1 → player move submission * OpCode 2 → authoritative board broadcast Python simulator & UI both confirm: * correct turn ordering * full sync * stable sockets --- ## **7. Matchmaking System** ### Backend * `MatchmakerMatched` hook ensures: * valid mode * same mode for both players * exactly two players * Server creates authoritative match * RPC `leave_matchmaking` implemented ### UI * Mode selection (classic / blitz) * Queue → ticket → matched → auto-join * Uses Vite-driven environment variables for dynamic host/port selection **Status:** Fully functional --- ## **8. Leaderboards** ### Backend * Leaderboard created on startup * Win → +1 score * Metadata logged ### UI * Leaderboard display works via API Remaining UI polish: * improved styling * sorting --- ## **9. UI Implementation Status (React + Vite)** ### ✔ Implemented * Authentication * WebSocket session handling * Matchmaking integration * Full gameplay loop * State updates * End-of-game status * Leaderboard viewing * Environment-configurable host, port, SSL, server key ### 🟡 Partially Implemented * Error handling (WS failures, move rejections) * Resume/reconnect logic * UI layout consistency * Mobile/responsive UI * Animation/transition polish ### 🔴 Missing / Planned * Rematch flow * Lobby navigation * Disconnect-recovery UX --- ## **10. Testing & Validation** ### Backend * Test coverage for win/loss/draw * Illegal moves scenarios * Disconnect behavior * Matchmaking scaling ### UI * Verified across full flow * Missing stress and mobile testing --- ## **11. Google Cloud Deployment Plan** | Component | GCP Service | | ------------- | ------------------------------- | | Nakama server | Compute Engine VM (Docker) | | PostgreSQL | Cloud SQL | | Game UI | Cloud Run / Firebase Hosting | | Networking | HTTPS Load Balancer + Static IP | | Secrets | Secret Manager | Estimated time: **6–8 hours** --- ## **12. Risks & Considerations** | Risk | Mitigation | | ------------------------- | ------------------------------- | | UI lacks reconnect logic | Add retry + resume capabilities | | No rematch flow | Add match lifecycle management | | Minimal mobile UI | Add responsive layout | | Cloud deployment pending | Prioritize next sprint | | Missing polish in UI flow | Add app shell + transitions | Backend has *no major technical risks*. UI polish is the only remaining area. --- ## **13. New CI/CD Enhancements (v1.0.0)** ### ✔ Fully Automated Drone Pipeline Added * Fetch & validate latest Git tags * Skip image build if tag already exists * Build production UI image with correct Vite env * Push to private registry * Stop old containers and auto-run the new one * ARM-compatible builds ### ✔ New Frontend Dockerfile * Multi-stage build using Node → BusyBox * Extremely small production image * Environment-driven configuration ### ✔ Go Plugin Build Fix * Updated to Go **1.21.6** to match Nakama * Fixes plugin ABI mismatch: `internal/goarch` ### ✔ Improved Repository Hygiene * Added `.dockerignore` * Eliminated unnecessary build context --- ## **14. Executive Summary** ### Issues Encountered Several areas required deep debugging, adding roughly **+1 day** of engineering time: * Aligning UI matchmaking with authoritative server systems * Handling Nakama JS socket lifecycle, ticket flow, and session timing * OpCode synchronization and state update mapping * Environment variable mismatches between Vite and production builds * WebSocket connection reset issues and CORS origins ### Current State The platform is now: * **Fully playable** * **Authoritative** * **Stable across backend + UI** * **CI/CD automated** * **Docker deployable** Any remaining work is **purely UI/UX polishing and cloud deployment**. --- ## **Conclusion** The system is production-ready at the backend level and feature-complete at the gameplay level. With UI refinements and deployment, the platform will be fully presentation-ready. **The project is now stable, secure, and demonstrates full multiplayer systems engineering capability end-to-end.**