A game which is played by several players. The players may be working cooperatively or competitively (either against each other or the game).
166
votes
12answers
6k views
Is there an optimum set of colors for 10 players?
I need to identify 10 players with a unique color for each on the map. Is there an optimum set of 10 colors to use in this case? Every set I come up with has some colors too similar.
Update: I was ...
55
votes
6answers
7k views
How to write a network game? [closed]
Based on Why is so hard to develop a MMO?:
Networked game development is not trivial; there are large obstacles to overcome in not only latency, but cheat prevention, state management and load ...
25
votes
8answers
10k views
How can I make a peer-to-peer multiplayer game?
How can I make a p2p multiplayer game?
I would like to have a server-less multiplayer game. But then, how all the clients know each other?
Why the p2p-protocol is so famous in file transfer but not ...
21
votes
13answers
2k views
How to implement “bullet time” in a multiplayer game?
I have never seen such a feature before, but it should provide an interesting gameplay opportunity.
So yes, in a multiplayer/real-time environment (imagine FPS), how could I implement a slow ...
21
votes
9answers
1k views
Techniques to prevent non-official clients in network gaming?
In multi-player network games, what techniques exist to try to ensure that users are connecting with the official client application, and not some hacked client app?
I realise there is probably no ...
17
votes
5answers
923 views
How do I avoid “too” lucky / unlucky streaks in random number generation?
I'm currently dealing with a multiplayer combat system where the damage dealt by the players is always multiplied by a random factor between 0.8 and 1.2.
In theory, a truly random RNG may eventually ...
16
votes
5answers
2k views
Game logic on the server! Good or bad?
I'm currently planning a simple online multiplayer game. And here is the question. Does it make sense to make the whole game logic on the server and just send the input from the client to the server? ...
16
votes
12answers
854 views
Balance in online PvP games
I don't know if there's an accepted solution to this wicked problem. I'm thinking about the design of an online PvP game. A key aspect of the game, something that is just a given, and not my choice, ...
16
votes
6answers
982 views
In what kind of variable type is the player position stored on a MMORPG such as WoW?
I even heard J. Carmack quickly talk about it...
How a software can track a player's position so accurately, being on a such huge world, without loading between zones, and on a multiplayer scale ? ...
15
votes
6answers
1k views
Handling player logoff and logon in a persistent world without breaking immersion
One problem I've never seen fixed in any persistent online game is how to handle player logon and logoff without the characters just popping in and out of the world. My first thought is to simply ...
15
votes
2answers
675 views
Multiplayer Implementation, Can I implement it later if I chose to?
I plan to use XNA to build a game project. I'm not entirely sure at the moment if I want to add multiplayer functionality or not, bearing I have a lot of other problems to solve that I'm still new at. ...
15
votes
2answers
840 views
Should the game host be the authority, or another dumb client?
When designing a networked multiplayer-game where one player hosts and others connect, there are two strategies I'm aware of:
Have the host-player's game be the authority, with all other players as ...
15
votes
4answers
3k views
Best strategy (tried and tested) for using Box2D in a real-time multiplayer game?
I am currently tackling real-time multiplayer physics updates for a game engine I am writing. My question is how best to use Box2D for networked physics. If I run the simulation on the server, should ...
14
votes
9answers
5k views
Adding multiplayer to an HTML5 game
I am interested in making a game that I currently have a co-op experience, however I'm curious as to the best method of implementing this in HTML5.
I have made games before using straight C sockets, ...
14
votes
3answers
2k views
How to make a multiplayer game work reliably behind NAT?
Even games that are 100% client/server sometimes have issues when the client is behind NAT. Peee-peer games are even a bigger issues. Some games need to use multiple transports (such as UDP and TCP) ...
13
votes
6answers
1k views
What are some ways to prevent or reduce cheating in online multiplayer games?
Punkbuster exists just to prevent cheating, and yet cheating is common in punkbuster enabled games. Modern Warefare 2 is seriously locked down from the end user running their own server or making any ...
13
votes
4answers
532 views
How to protect your real time online shooter from potential bots
I'm looking to create a multiplayer top down shooter. While I've read about different topics, I can see them I've got some real challenges ahead, but I'm all up for it.
One thing I can't understand ...
12
votes
3answers
550 views
How should multiplayer games handle authentication?
I've been lurking around to understand how an authentication system would work in games, but after many searches, it seems that working with ssl/certificates could be a little complicated for just a ...
12
votes
3answers
2k views
Client side prediction + sync
So I've read Valve + Gafferon and literally hundreds of pages from Google but for whatever reason I can't get my head around client prediction.
The basic problem to my understanding is:
Client A ...
12
votes
2answers
298 views
Are there tools for testing multiplayer code?
Are there reliable tools that can simulate real life-like network conditions e.g. networks with different bandwidth, different latencies, packet loss etc...?
11
votes
2answers
9k views
Multiplayer HTML5, Node.js, Socket.IO
I trying create simple Multi-player with HTML5 Canvas, JavaScript(too using John Resig simple Inheritance library) and Node.js with Socket.IO.
My client code:
var canvas = ...
10
votes
4answers
1k views
How should I track players' real-time positions in an MMO?
How do you keep track of the positions of the players in a MMORPG? I read that you can use either a database or you can store the coordinates in files. I tried using a database but it was slow. How ...
10
votes
5answers
533 views
Do you need expensive servers and fancy hosting in order to make a multiplayer game?
I've finished working on an RPG and it would seem so much more fun to make it multiplayer. SFML has a networking feature, I figured it's possible but then again, never in my life have I even tried ...
9
votes
1answer
852 views
How do game clients know that a server is running on their LAN?
In lots of multiplayer games there is the option for LAN play. My question though is how does a client know where a server is on the LAN?
The only ways I can think of
Send out broadcasts over the ...
9
votes
5answers
2k views
Network layer libraries [closed]
I'm looking for any network layers that are available to add to my game, either free or with fair pricing for indie games.
By network layers I mean some sort of library which I can interface with, ...
9
votes
3answers
650 views
How do you design a record/replay system for a frequently changing game?
I'm working in a free MMORPG and I have a problem.
I'm (with other people) developing a video recording system for the game. The idea is basically: we record all the packages sent & received with ...
9
votes
2answers
1k views
Could I make a multiplayer fps on xbox live as an indie game?
I'm working on make a very basic first person shooter. At some point I would like to make into an indie game on xbox live but will I have access to parties (invite and chat)? Does Microsoft provide ...
9
votes
1answer
1k views
Game engine design: Multiplayer and listen servers
My game engine right now consists of a working singleplayer part. I'm now starting to think about how to do the multiplayer part.
I have found out that many games actually don't have a real ...
9
votes
2answers
2k views
Online multiplayer game basics
I'm currently working on a c# online multiplayer game in real-time. The aim is to have client/server based connection using the UDP protocol. So far I've used UDP for players' movements and TCP for ...
9
votes
1answer
216 views
Efficient solution for multiplayer space partioning?
This question is a little tricky, but I will try to make it clear.
Lets say I am building an online game (not MMO-scale), but that supports as many players as possible, in a authoritative server ...
9
votes
2answers
714 views
Android real time multiplayer over LAN [closed]
I've developed several games for the android platform and now planning to create my first multiplayer game. What I have in mind is basically just a 2-player game witch you can play with 2 phones over ...
8
votes
4answers
2k views
Which Database (RDBMS vs NoSQL vs BOTH) to use for a Realtime Multiplayer Game?
I'm working on a realtime multiplayer game that will require a database (for features such as player profiles, friends, unlocks, news, etc.) This is a standard PC game (not browser-based) and will use ...
8
votes
6answers
2k views
Which server platform to choose
I'm going to write a server for an online multiplayer with these requirements:
Pretty simple turn based game (think a card game) that is played entirely on the server (security reasons)
Must be able ...
8
votes
3answers
5k views
Best solution for multiplayer realtime Android game
I plan to make multiplayer realtime game for Android (2-8 players), and I consider, which solution for multiplayer organization is the best:
Make server on PC, and client on mobile, all communition ...
8
votes
2answers
2k views
Interpolating positions in a multiplayer game
In order to save bandwidth in my multiplayer game, I do not update every object every server tick, instead each object has an updateRate which tells the game that this object is expected to be updated ...
8
votes
5answers
1k views
Networking in Flash games. Socket or Stratus?
Working on a prototype for a Flash game that will use networking communication. It would be better to use Peer 2 Peer connection, since it will be a multiplayer game.
Has anyone used Stratus or tried ...
8
votes
3answers
300 views
How to prevent a hacked-server from spoofing a master server?
I wish to setup a room-based multilayer game model where players may host matches and serve as host (IE the server with authoritative power). I wish to host a master server which tracks player's ...
8
votes
2answers
2k views
Is it possible to develop multiplayer games with HTML5?
I know HTML5 is great for web games, but I don't really know if it's possible to develop online games with multiple users, keeping everybody synchronized and handling logins, et cetera.
Is it possible ...
8
votes
2answers
2k views
What are the best ways to serialize and unserialize network messages for C/C++ multiplayer game?
We are using JSON right now and want to move to a binary format for some types of messages between client and server.
Should I just read structs into the socket? Use proticol buffers/thrift?
How ...
8
votes
4answers
509 views
Implementing match-making & community system for multiplayer games
These days, games often have multiplayer portals with chat channels & match making system for the multiplayer aspects of the game.
An example would be battle.net, magic the gathering online's ...
8
votes
3answers
314 views
Is it feasible for a Server to send nothing more than a tile-based area to a Client?
To start, I have a good amount of background in networking (hardware, routers, ex.) but very little knowledge past the basics of network programming. This may seem like a stupid question, but I want ...
8
votes
3answers
934 views
What is involved in creating a real-time multiplayer platformer game?
I'm creating a platformer game that has a "co-operative" feature which I'd like to work over networks / the internet.
Now I've read up on network game programming including articles like What every ...
8
votes
1answer
213 views
What data should be cached in a multiplayer server, relative to AI and players?
In a virtual place, fully network driven, with an arbitrary number of players and an arbitrary number of enemies, what data should be cached in the server memory, in order to optimize smooth AI ...
8
votes
2answers
750 views
Network Multiplayer in Flash
Flash has come a long way in the last decade, and it's a well-kept secret getting a Flash game to connect to a multi-client server for chat and/or basic avatar movement in real time.
Why has the ...
8
votes
2answers
443 views
What are the restrictions of 3g online games
I am looking into make a 3g online multiplayer game for the iphone. Multiplayer is my main focus but I have noticed all game apps require wi-fi. Dose anyone know if this is simply an issue with the ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
Creating A Board Game AI
I want to code a board game that name is Okey and mostly popular in Turkey. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okey
But i have got some problems about AI.
Firslty let me explain the game..
The game is ...
7
votes
4answers
799 views
Is a multiplayer game in JavaScript a good idea?
I wanted to make a multiplayer game that runs in the browser, and a friend of mine suggested that I should choose JavaScript as the main language. I already made a lot (registering, logging in, half ...
7
votes
4answers
305 views
How would I balance a multiplayer competitive game
I'm looking at my first foray into developing a game, and would love to know whether you guys have any thoughts on game balancing on limited multiplayer games.
The game I have in mind involves a ...
7
votes
3answers
3k views
Tips for communication between JS browser game and node.js server?
I am tinkering around with some simple Canvas based cave flyer game and I would like to make it multiplayer eventually. The plan is to use Node.js on the server side.
The data sent over would ...
7
votes
2answers
665 views
Authentication for a multiplayer game via sockets
I'm implementing a custom binary protocol for a new multiplayer game I'm working on. Its a turn-based strategy game so timing doesn't really matter. I've currently got the basic data sync portion of ...
