Project Overview

The Online Scrabble Game is a web-based multiplayer word game where players compete to form words on a game board using letter tiles. The goal is to earn the highest score by creating valid words, with each letter carrying a specific point value.

This project emphasizes real-time multiplayer interaction, dictionary validation, score calculation, and turn-based gameplay mechanics. It combines backend logic for word verification and frontend design for the interactive game board, making it an excellent final-year Computer Science project.

Key Features

1. Game Board & Tiles

   • 15x15 Scrabble board with special scoring tiles (Double Letter, Triple Word, etc.).

   • A set of 100 letter tiles distributed randomly to players.

   • Drag-and-drop functionality for placing tiles on the board.

2. Multiplayer Gameplay

   • Turn-Based System: Each player gets a turn to place tiles and form words.

   • Word Validation: Words checked against a built-in dictionary database.

   • Real-Time Sync: Using WebSockets, board updates are reflected instantly for all players.

3. Scoring System

   • Each letter has a point value (e.g., A=1, Z=10).

   • Bonus tiles (DL, TL, DW, TW) multiply letter/word scores.

   • Running total score shown for each player.

4. Player Controls & Mechanics

   • Shuffle, swap, or pass tiles if no valid move is possible.

   • Automatic refill of tiles from the bag after each move.

   • Option to challenge a word (invalid words deduct points).

5. Game Lobby & Matchmaking

   • Create/join game rooms with friends or random players.

   • Private rooms for invite-only matches.

   • Lobby chat for communication before and during the game.

6. User Accounts & Stats

   • Player registration and login system.

   • Game history with wins, losses, and highest-scoring words.

   • Global leaderboard for competitive ranking.

7. Visuals & Animations

   • Smooth drag-and-drop for tile placement.

   • Highlighting newly formed words.

   • Animated scoring after each turn.

Technology Stack

• Frontend: HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, JavaScript (Canvas API/React.js for board rendering).

• Backend: Node.js with Socket.io for multiplayer OR PHP/Java for turn-based logic.

• Database: MySQL / MongoDB to store players, scores, game states, and dictionary words.

• Dictionary API: Can integrate an English dictionary API or custom word database.

How It Works

1. Login & Lobby

   • Players sign in, join/create a room, and wait for others.

2. Game Initialization

   • Board loads, tiles distributed randomly to each player.

3. Gameplay Flow

   • Players drag tiles to form words.

   • Words are validated against the dictionary.

   • Scores are calculated and displayed in real time.

   • Turns rotate among players until tiles run out or no valid moves remain.

4. End Game

   • The game ends when all tiles are used or no moves are possible.

   • Final scores are displayed, and the winner is announced.

Optional Enhancements

• AI Opponent: Play against a computer when no players are available.

• Multilingual Support: Scrabble boards in different languages.

• Chat & Emoji Reactions: For interactive gameplay.

• Mobile-Friendly Design: Responsive layout for phones/tablets.

• Replay Feature: Watch past games move-by-move.