Building Games that Run on Poor Mobile Connections
Building Games that Run on Poor Mobile Connections by Bernt Habermeier [01.26.12]
The former SVP of engineering of Moblyng, developers of Social Poker Live, explains the ins
and outs of getting network traffic up and running over spotty cell connections using HTML5.
Networks With Letters
Networks With Letters by John Knottenbelt [08.12.09]
In this technical piece, Introversion's Knottenbelt discusses the 'discrete event simulation'
approach to multiplayer in the upcoming Darwinia+ for Xbox Live Arcade, in which player
movements and button presses are sent over the network, instead of actual positions of the thousands of in-game objects
A Templated C++ Attribute Library for Object Persistence and Export
A Templated C++ Attribute Library for Object Persistence and Export by Gary McNickle [06.04.08] In this in-depth technical
piece, coding veteran McNickle explains how experience on the Deer Hunter series led him to create a library for managing
and exporting important variables.
Propagation of Visual Entity Properties Under Bandwidth Constraints
Propagation of Visual Entity Properties Under Bandwidth Constraints by Olivier Cado [05.24.07] How does an MMO move its
player characters naturally, despite the problem of lag and bandwidth constraints when interacting? Cado, who worked on
MMO Saga Of Ryzom, explains some of the techniques he used to make real-time interaction seem as smooth as silk.
GDC: Creating a Global MMO: Balancing Cultures and Platforms in Final Fantasy XI
GDC: Creating a Global MMO: Balancing Cultures and Platforms in Final Fantasy XI by Christopher Woodard [03.24.06]
PlayOnline organizer and producer Sage Sundi took the microphone at GDC to examine what makes Final Fantasy XI unique
and successful as an MMOG as he went on to detail how the game is supported to ensure a uniform experience across all
platforms and all territories.
Designing Secure, Flexible, and High Performance Game Network Architectures
Designing Secure, Flexible, and High Performance Game Network Architectures by Kevin Jenkins [12.06.04]
Jenkins takes a look at possibilities for game-level network architecture for your titles, claiming the right implementation
"can abstract away many common tasks, saving time, improving flexibility, and addressing cheating issues that can't be solved easily elsewhere."
Localizing MMOGs
Localizing MMOGs by Eric Heimburg [09.12.03] One of the great aspects MMOGs is that they permit a global community to come
together and play a game together. But to attract audiences from different countries, your game needs to elegantly handle
other languages. This article explains the system Turbine Entertainment developed for Asheron's Call 2 that let their
MMORPG support different languages.
1500 Archers on a 28.8: Network Programming in Age of Empires and Beyond
1500 Archers on a 28.8: Network Programming in Age of Empires and Beyond by Paul Bettner and Mark Terrano [03.22.01]
In Age of Empires the time to complete each simulation step varies greatly: the rendering time changes if the user is
watching units, scrolling, or sitting over unexplored terrain, and large paths or strategic planning by the AI made
the game turn fluctuate fairly wildly. A few quick calculations show that passing even a small set of data about
the units, and attempting to update it in real time would severely limit the number of units and objects interacting
with the player. Just passing X and Y coordinates, status, action, facing and damage would limit us to 250 moving units
in the game at the most. We wanted to devastate a Greek city with catapults, archers, and warriors on one side while it was
being besieged from the sea with triremes. Clearly, another approach was needed.
Using Groupings for Networked Gaming
Using Groupings for Networked Gaming by Jesse Aronson [06.21.00] Networked computer games present new data distribution challenges to the
developer. With stand-alone games, all game information is available in one place, on one computer, all the time. When designing networked
games, however, the developer has to consider what information the other players on the network need, when they need it, and how to deliver
it to them.
Half-Life and Team Fortress Networking: Closing the Loop on Scalable Network Gaming Backend Services
Half-Life and Team Fortress Networking: Closing the Loop on Scalable Network Gaming Backend Services by Yahn Bernier [05.11.00] More and more,
having an on-line component to gaming is essential to the success of a title. In addition, as games become more of a consumer entertainment
experience, making things easier on gamers becomes essential. Yahn W. Bernier examines how to provision a variety of backend services to
provide a seamless user experience for gamers as they go on-line.
Dead Reckoning: Latency Hiding for Networked Games
Dead Reckoning: Latency Hiding for Networked Games by Jesse Aronson [09.19.97] Using a predetermined set of algorithms to extrapolate entity
behavior, you can hide some of the effects that latency has on fast-action games.
Designing Fast-Action for the Internet
Designing Fast-Action for the Internet by Yu-Shen Ng [09.05.97] Given careful design (or redesign), your fast-twitch game may be playable
over the Net. Discovering where the bottlenecks are and how to construct solutions is the key.
Multiplayer Math
Multiplayer Math by Larry O'Brien [08.29.97] O'Brien examines the implication of creating a turn-based vs. a real-time game,
and shows how to calculate optimal time and space granularities.
Java Network Game Programming
Java Network Game Programming by Michael Morrison [08.12.97] While Java's current performance rules it out as a possibility
for high-performance, graphically intensive games, it is certainly capable of developing other types of games.
Security in Online Games
Security in Online Games by Andrew Kirmse and Chris Kirmse [07.07.97] When Diablo first came out, Battle.net took its share of
criticism for the many security holes that it had. To build a better online multiplayer game, client/server security is of
paramount importance. In this article, the developers of Meridian 59 speak out on game security, defense strategies, and more.
