The Design and Development of Backend System for a Game Application

The primary objective of this technical analysis is to design and develop a robust backend architecture for a mobile cooking game, specifically tailored to support content management and player-facing online services. The thesis posits that a centralized backend, utilizing a Content Management System (CMS) and a RESTful API, is essential for maintaining game scalability, managing complex item relationships, and implementing fair monetization strategies like lootboxes.

The proposed solution centers on a web-based CMS that allows non-technical managers to modify game content—such as ingredients, recipes, and shop items—without direct database manipulation. This system is paired with a REST API that facilitates communication between the game client and the server, handling tasks such as progress saving, item purchases, and data retrieval. The architecture leverages PHP 7 for server-side processing, a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) for structured data storage, and JSON for efficient data transmission. Additionally, the design incorporates a cron job system to automate scheduled tasks and a lootbox mechanism that uses weighted probability to manage virtual item distribution.

The scope of this work focuses on the mobile gaming sector, with specific application to the Indonesian market. The methodology involved a comparative analysis of existing cooking game mechanics and monetization models, followed by the design and testing of the backend components. Testing was conducted using web browsers for the CMS interface and the third-party tool Postman to validate API request-response cycles. The results confirm that the implemented system successfully manages game content and provides a reliable, scalable framework for future expansion, including potential data mining applications to analyze player behavior.