How does HTTP work?

I noticed in Retorun that they MUST have used that objcet for their scoreboard thing, but how on Earth did they get the HTTP object to do that? I wanna know partly out of curiosity, to know more about how every little thing works, but also because I MIGHT consider it for my own game. Personally, I feel it MIGHT be out of place, but I also love scores. They're a classic element of gaming, and the old standard by which gamers used to compare each other with. Not weather you beat a game, or did this accomplishment, but what your "hi-score" was. One of the things I loved from Sonic Adventure 2, and other games like Trauma Center: New Blood and NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams that lets you upgrade your scores. It gives a nice competitive feeling with that most classic element of games. So I might try making it work, but in the meantime, I'm just wondering how it works.

Also: I assume HTTP can be used for things like scoreboards and whatnot, but can the Download object actually allow for downloadable content, like levels, weapons, etc. if one was so clever enough?

an the Download object actually allow for downloadable content, like levels, weapons, etc. if one was so clever enough?

Yes, possibly. The method which first came to mind when u asked this is by downloading an .ini file and a graphic file. Weapons would all have to follow some sort of modular programming, with damage and other attributes editiable through plain text (i.e. .ini). The weapon would also swap its graphic at runtime with the use of the texture loading action on sprites.

Levels are another story. Depending on how your game is set up and programmed, they can either be very easy to add or impossible to add.

I'd rather NOT use .ini files, since those could be easily edited and messed with, but I'm sure creating a unique file that the game could read wouldn't be too hard. I imagine an image file of sorts would have to come in as well.

It just submits HTTP requests, either to post data or to get data. A simple HTTP tutorial should guide you through the basics there. The Download object simply grabs a file from a URL, and is thus more suitable for downloadable content.

I'd rather NOT use .ini files, since those could be easily edited and messed with, but I'm sure creating a unique file that the game could read wouldn't be too hard. I imagine an image file of sorts would have to come in as well.

You can make some md5 stuff so it wont be so easilly edited.

As said in another thread recently, I wouldn't worry about users editing game content, it's their loss. All you want to be careful of is that submitted scores/achievements are valid.