Connect-5/README.md

Connect-5 🎮

Premium Real-Time Multiplayer Gomoku Game

A beautiful, feature-rich implementation of the classic Connect-5 (Gomoku) game with real-time multiplayer support, built with modern web technologies.

Features • Visual Tour • How to Play • Deployment

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✨ Features

🌟 Visual Excellence (New!)

• Flash Last Move: The most recent move pulses with a neon glow (2x brightness) for 2 seconds, making game flow instantly readable.
• Winning Highlight: The 5 winning pieces are permanently highlighted with a victory animation.
• Customizable Visibility: New Grid & Dot Sliders allow you to adjust board contrast in real-time.
• Graphing Paper Aesthetic: Dark-themed, precision-grid design with glassmorphism UI elements.

🌐 Multiplayer Experience

• Real-Time Lobby: See online players, challenge them instantly, and track their stats (Wins/Losses).
• Live Presence: Notifications for challenges, accepts, and declines.
• Persistent Identity: Username and stats are saved automatically.
• Reconnection Support: Resume your game even if you accidentally refresh or lose internet briefly.

🎮 Gameplay Depth

• Multiple Board Sizes: Choose from tight 15×15 tactical matches to epic 50×50 wars.
• Smart Controls:
  • Surrender: Gracefully bow out of a lost position.
  • Rematch: Challenge the same opponent again instantly.
• Win Detection: Full 8-direction detection algorithm with server-side validation.

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📸 Visual Tour

Multiplayer Lobby

Challenge players worldwide in real-time

Intense Local Play

Smooth, responsive gameplay with new "Last Move Zoom"

Variable Board Sizes

From standard 15x15 to massive 50x50 grids

Victory Celebration

Clear winner announcement with move highlighting

Fair Play Features

Surrender options and robust game state management

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🎮 How to Play

Local Mode (Same Device)

1. Select "🎮 Local Play".
2. Choose board size (Standard 15x15 recommended).
3. Take turns placing X and O.
4. First to get 5 in a row (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) wins!

Multiplayer Mode (Online)

1. Click "🌐 Multiplayer".
2. Enter a username.
3. Lobby: Click "Challenge" next to any online player.
4. Accept: When challenged, a notification appears—click Accept to start.
5. Play: Moves are synced instantly (<50ms).

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🚀 Deployment

The production environment runs on Proxmox (TurnKey Node.js) with a fully automated CI/CD pipeline.

Production URL

https://connect5.beyondcloud.technology/

Automated Updates

The server checks GitHub every 5 minutes.

• Push code: git push origin main
• Wait 5 mins: Server pulls, installs dependencies, and restarts automatically.

Manual Deployment

# Force immediate update from Windows
.\deploy-remote.ps1

See PROXMOX_DEPLOY_TEMPLATE.md for full server setup details.

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🛠️ Tech Stack

• Frontend: Vanilla JS (ES6+), CSS3 Variables, Socket.io Client.
• Backend: Node.js, Express, Socket.io.
• Database: PostgreSQL (Stores games, moves, players).
• Infrastructure: Proxmox LXC, Cloudflare Tunnel, Nginx.

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Made with 💜 by Beyond Cloud Technology
YouTube • GitHub