Developing a fantasy trading game.

Hi,

Im a beginner to trading but the numbers, playing at the market, taking the chance, it all interests me.
But alas I dont have enough disposable income to be able toreally get into the markets.

Im also a programmer and looking for projects to do, and looking around for fantasy/virtual trading to sort of get some action ive found few, and those few are either from brokerages or big names like Yahoo.

I am going to be continuously trying to improve my knowledge of trading and thestock market and I have a proposition for anyone who is interested. I would like to develop an easily accesible independant online fantasy trading game. I am completely capable of building the functionality of the game what I am lacking though is the knowledgeof the stock market and actual trading platforms to create an as true-to-life game as possible which is whata fantasy trading game needs to be to fulfil its purpose. Also I dont know where to source live feeds (or the 15-minute delay) which will be needed to have a realtime game.
Ill be making this in php to start off with.

If anyone is interested drop me a PM with any questions.

Thanks

 

You mean something like a trading contest/competition kind of game?

Ninna

 

1) create a FIX server that acts as a matching engine.
2) get some intraday FX tick data, I think you can get it from one of the fx ecns. Use that data to provide prices
3) write some clients so you can connect to the server and trade

Once you do this you can easily get a job in the industry

 

@nLepwa yeah that will be what may eventually become, atm my goal is just to develop a functioning platform as a personal exercise

@rosy2 thats exactly the kind of thin im looking to get help on, accuracy of the program, where to get data feeds and how to integrate it (though ill be able to learn how to incorprate it into the program myself its the reliably suitable source thats more of an issue). also first implementation of this would just be an online interface, login to your account etc see your portfolio on the website, though i will likely develop a java client if its successful.

thank you both for your replies only managed to reply now as my new account was restricted for a period.

 

data from hotspot
download quickfix http://www.quickfixj.org/ http://www.quickfixengine.org/ look at the examples

a website where you can see account info is the last thing you should look into

 

Why wouldn't you just use a paper money offering from one of the better brokers?

 

im looking to develop my own trading platform/software as a personal project not necessarily as a gateway to trading

 

Chances are, you have a better chance of making big bucks by creating the a marketable program than trading. Think Cabbage Patch Doll, Dungeon & Dragons, Hula Hoop, whatever. If it catches their fancy, you're golden.

 

CLARIFICATION POINT:
my goal with this project is not to make money either through use of the finished product for trading or sale of finished product either in trading or other sectors.
this is a personal project with the sole focus of developing my php skills in an area that I am interested in, knowledge gained about trading or the stock market and any contacts made with any trader/brokers independent or not is purely a bi-product

 

IMHO, you're seriously underestimating the amount of work involved in building a trading and tracking platform for users, even if it is a game.