LagTalk
Multiplayer games have been played over the internet since the mid 1980's. Early games coped with the low speed connections and high lag by designing systems that could tolerate the issues of the time. Text interfaces and turn based combat was de rigueur. The latest Massively Multiplayer Online Games now have beautifully rendered 3D scenes, sophisticated character progression and complex economies, but developers continue to battle with lag and bandwidth issues. In this talk I will present a number of techniques that can be used to tackle the problems of internet latency, to deliver a smooth and responsive experience. Techniques we will discuss include client-side prediction, server-side predetermination, lag disguises, movement filtering and information prioritising. The end result is being able to deliver twitch style gameplay such as fast paced combat to the consumer with no visible lag.
Intended Audience: All Programmers
Prerequisites: Attendees should have understanding of networking issues.
Format: Lecture
Date/Time: Friday, 11:00 AM
Room: Parliament
