InSync

InSync is a real-time multiplayer web game inspired by The Mind. It helps small groups play a cooperative timing-and-ordering card game in the browser, with rooms, shared lives, custom deck ranges, and synchronized state updates over Socket.IO.

Live demo: https://insync-an9d.onrender.com

Tech Stack

• Node.js
• Express
• Socket.IO
• Vanilla HTML, CSS, and browser JavaScript

Features

• Create or join multiplayer rooms with a short room code.
• Host-controlled game start and maximum deck range.
• Level-based dealing where each player receives more cards each round.
• Shared life counter for team mistakes.
• Real-time player list, card count, and center-pile updates.

Quick Start

Install dependencies:

npm install

Run locally:

npm start

Open the app at:

http://localhost:3000

Run the repository smoke test:

npm test

Environment Notes

The app stores rooms in memory. Restarting the Node process clears all active rooms and games. No .env file is required for local development.

How to Play

1. Enter a player name.
2. Create a room or join an existing room code.
3. The host starts the game.
4. Players try to play cards in ascending order without table talk.
5. A lower hidden card remaining in another player's hand costs the team one life.
6. The team advances through levels until it runs out of lives.

Project Structure

• server.js: Express server, Socket.IO room management, dealing, turn validation, and level progression.
• public/index.html: Browser client UI, room controls, and Socket.IO client handlers.
• package.json: Root scripts and runtime dependencies.
• tests/: Smoke tests that verify important server/client source markers.
• docs/: Architecture and maintenance notes.

Demo / Walkthrough

Use the Render demo for a hosted walkthrough, or run the app locally and open two browser windows to simulate two players joining the same room.