Globally synchronized dead-reckoning with local lag for continuous distributed multiplayer games

ABSTRACT

Dead-Reckoning (DR) is an effective method to maintain consistency for Continuous Distributed Multiplayer Games (CDMG). Since DR can filter most unnecessary state updates and improve the scalability of a system, it is widely used in commercial CDMG. However, DR cannot maintain high consistency, and this constrains its application in highly interactive games. With the help of global synchronization, DR can achieve higher consistency, but it still cannot eliminate before inconsistency. In this paper, a method named Globally Synchronized DR with Local Lag (GS-DR-LL), which combines local lag and Globally Synchronized DR (GS-DR), is presented. Performance evaluation shows that GS-DR-LL can effectively decrease before inconsistency, and the effects increase with the lag.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
      C.2.4 Distributed Systems
          Subjects: Distributed applications

General Terms:
Algorithms, Experimentation, Performance

Keywords:
consistency, continuous replicated application, dead-reckoning, distributed multi-player games, local lag