tic-tac-toe — Authoritative Multiplayer Game Server (Nakama + Go)

A production-grade, server-authoritative multiplayer backend built using Nakama 3, Go plugins, and PostgreSQL, deployed via Drone CI/CD and exposed securely through Traefik.

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🚀 Overview

This repository contains a fully authoritative Tic-Tac-Toe backend built on Nakama 3.21.0 ARM, using a custom Go plugin to implement game logic, matchmaking, validation, leaderboards, and session management.

The server ensures:

• Zero client trust
• Deterministic gameplay
• Secure matchmaking
• Validated moves
• Authoritative outcomes

Designed for scalability, extensibility, and cloud deployment (GCP, AWS, or ARM homelab environments).

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⭐ Key Features

• Authoritative Go match handler (tictactoe)
• Device-ID authentication + JWT session
• Matchmaking queue support
• Deterministic game validation
• Match lifecycle handling
• Disconnect handling & forfeit detection
• Leaderboards creation + scoring
• Production-grade CI/CD with Drone
• Automated ARM Docker builds
• Full Traefik routing (HTTP + WebSocket)
• Compatible with x86/ARM/GCP

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🧩 Architecture

High-Level System Diagram

flowchart LR
    UI[(React + Vite)] --> Traefik
    Traefik --> Nakama[Nakama Server]
    Nakama --> Plugin[Go Plugin]
    Nakama --> Postgres[(PostgreSQL)]
    Drone[Drone CI/CD] --> Registry[Private Docker Registry]
    Registry --> Nakama

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🛠 Tech Stack

Backend

• Nakama 3.21.0 ARM
• Go 1.21.6 (plugin ABI compatible)
• PostgreSQL 16
• Docker / multi-stage builds
• Drone CI/CD
• Traefik reverse proxy

Cloud/Infra

• GCP-ready
• ARM homelab deployments
• Private registry support

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📦 Repository Structure

tic-tac-toe/
│── plugins/
│    ├── main.go
│    ├── match.go
│    └── matchmaking.go
│
│── Dockerfile
│── go.mod
│── go.sum
│── README.md

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🔌 Registered Server Components

📌 Match Handler

Name: tictactoe

Handles:

• Turn validation
• State updates
• Win/loss/draw
• Disconnect forfeit
• Broadcasting authoritative state

📌 RPCs

RPC Name	Purpose
leave_matchmaking	Allows clients to exit matchmaking queue

📌 Matchmaker Hook

Hook	Purpose
MatchmakerMatched	Validates matchmaker tickets and instantiates a new match

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🎮 Gameplay Protocol

OpCodes

OpCode	Direction	Meaning
1	Client → Server	Submit move {x, y}
2	Server → Client	Full authoritative game state

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🧠 Authoritative Flow Diagram

sequenceDiagram
    participant C1 as Client 1
    participant C2 as Client 2
    participant S as Nakama + Go Plugin

    C1->>S: Matchmaker Join
    C2->>S: Matchmaker Join
    S->>S: MatchmakerMatched()
    S-->>C1: Matched
    S-->>C2: Matched

    C1->>S: OpCode 1 (Move)
    S->>S: Validate Move
    S-->>C1: OpCode 2 (Updated State)
    S-->>C2: OpCode 2 (Updated State)

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⚙️ Build & Development

Build Go Plugin

CGO_ENABLED=1 go build \
    --trimpath \
    --buildmode=plugin \
    -o build/main.so \
    ./plugins

Run Nakama Locally

nakama migrate up --database.address "$DB_ADDR"
nakama \
  --database.address "$DB_ADDR" \
  --socket.server_key="$SERVER_KEY"

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🐳 Docker Build (Multi-Stage)

FROM --platform=linux/arm64 golang:1.21.6 AS plugin_builder

RUN go mod download
COPY . .
RUN CGO_ENABLED=1 go build --buildmode=plugin -o build/main.so ./plugins

FROM heroiclabs/nakama:3.21.0-arm
COPY --from=plugin_builder /workspace/build/main.so /nakama/data/modules/main.so
ENTRYPOINT ...

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🤖 CI/CD — Drone Pipeline

Drone performs:

1. Fetch latest Git tag
2. Check if Docker image already exists
3. Build Nakama + plugin
4. Push to private registry
5. Stop old container
6. Deploy new Nakama server automatically

Full pipeline included in repository (.drone.yml).

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🌐 Traefik Routing

HTTPS

nakama.aetoskia.com
  /      → HTTP API
  /ws    → WebSocket (real-time)

Includes:

• CORS rules
• WebSocket upgrade headers
• Certificate resolver
• Secure default middlewares

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🔧 Environment Variables

Variable	Description
DB_ADDR	PostgreSQL connection string
SERVER_KEY	Nakama server key
REGISTRY_HOST	Private registry

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📊 Leaderboards

• Created during server start
• Score: +1 on win
• Metadata logged (mode, player IDs)

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🧪 Testing

• Win/loss/draw simulation
• Invalid move rejection
• Disconnect → forfeit
• Load testing matchmaking

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📈 Production Deployment

Supported on:

• ARM homelabs (Raspberry Pi)
• Google Cloud (Compute Engine + Cloud SQL)
• AWS EC2
• Kubernetes (optional)

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🤝 Contributing

1. Fork repo
2. Create feature branch
3. Write tests
4. Submit PR

Coding style: Go fmt + idiomatic Go; follow Nakama plugin constraints.

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