Ideas

Just another ERD (Entity Relationship Diagram) tool.

Should have 2 layers one on top of the other:

• Logical layer (bottom)
• Physical (top)

Basically, I should be able to define 2 entities (tables) and then a relationship between the two. At the logical level nothing else happens while at the physical level, the child table would "acquire" an additional field which "solidify" the relationship between the two tables.

Must have the ability to define sub-schemas.

Use XML file for storage
-> 2 files (one for logical and one for physical) or just one with all the information?

If a DB is reverse engineered the physical layer is created first and the logical layer must be draw from it. If a schema is created from scratch the logical layer is created first and the physical layer is just an "enhamcement."

Use MVC (Model View Controller) or reread Patterns book for a good structure of the program. Data structure stays the same but entities and relationships can be displayed in several different ways.
I like the way Visio colors tables (you can give them a color and a transparency).

Read more about ERDs. Is there any theory behind the schema representation?

Currently, AI players for Risk aren't that smart plus they seem to rely on predefined strategies. The idea here is to create a system that has the basic rules to play the game and that will develop and learn by playing against other AI systems. In other words I'm trying to mimick what a human being would do when he/she starts to play Risk.

• Find a way to implement the basic rules of Risk.
• How to generate new knowledge and how to add it to the existing rules?

The other day I found something about a META-GAME or something like that (http://satirist.org/learn-game/projects/metagame.html)

Implement Web Services that would allow users connected to the server to play a whole game of risk.

A client would be necessary for human players in order to display the map and allow a easier gameplay.

I'll need a Games and a Players List. A single game object will contain the subscribed players, the map.

How to implement the rules in a way that are flexible/interchangeable?

Look into RFC 3229 to a method to keep the other clients up-to-date when 2 players are fighting or when a player is placing troups.