Consider a setup where game clients:

1. have quite small computing resources (mobile devices, smartphones)
2. are all connected to a common router (LAN, hotspot etc)

The users want to play a multiplayer game, without an external server.

One solution is to host an authoritative server on one phone, which in this case would be also a client. Considering point 1 this solution is not acceptable, since the phone's computing resources are not sufficient.

So, I want to design a peer-to-peer architecture that will distribute the game's simulation load among the clients. Because of point 2 the system needn't be complex with regards to optimization; the latency will be very low. Each client can be an authoritative source of data about himself and his immediate environment (for example bullets.)

What would be the best approach to designing such an architecture? Are there any known examples of such a LAN-level peer-to-peer protocol?

Notes:

Some of the problems are addressed here, but the concepts listed there are too high-level for me.

Security

I know that not having one authoritative server is a security issue, but it is not relevant in this case as I'm willing to trust the clients.

Edit:

I forgot to mention: it will be a rather fast-paced game (a shooter).

Also, I have already read about networking architectures at Gaffer on Games.

Consider a setup where game clients:

1. have quite small computing resources (mobile devices, smartphones)
2. are all connected to a common router (LAN, hotspot etc)

The users want to play a multiplayer game, without an external server.

One solution is to host an authoritative server on one phone, which in this case would be also a client. Considering point 1 this solution is not acceptable, since the phone's computing resources are not sufficient.

So, I want to design a peer-to-peer architecture that will distribute the game's simulation load among the clients. Because of point 2 the system needn't be complex with regards to optimization; the latency will be very low. Each client can be an authoritative source of data about himself and his immediate environment (for example bullets.)

What would be the best approach to designing such an architecture? Are there any known examples of such a LAN-level peer-to-peer protocol?

Notes:

Some of the problems are addressed here, but the concepts listed there are too high-level for me.

Security

I know that not having one authoritative server is a security issue, but it is not relevant in this case as I'm willing to trust the clients.

Edit:

I forgot to mention: it will be a rather fast-paced game (a shooter).

Also, I have already read about networking architectures at Gaffer on Games.

Consider a setup where game clients:

1. have quite small computing resources (mobile devices, smartphones)
2. are all connected to common router (LAN, WiFi etc)

Users want to play a multiplayer game, without external server.

One solution is to host an authoritative server on one phone, which in this case would be also a client. Considering (1) this solution is not acceptable, since computing resources are not sufficient.

So the idea is to design some Peer-to-peer architecture that will be able to distribute game simulation among clients. Since (2) the architecture and implementation can be simplified since the latencies will be acceptable low. Each client can be an authoritative source of data about himself and his environment (e.g. bullets).

What would be the best approach to design such architecture? Are there any know examples of such update protocol, that allows to sync-up the game distributed among clients?

Some of the problems are addressed here: Best solution for multiplayer realtime Android game, but concepts listed there are too high-level for me.

Security

I know, that not having one authoritative server is a security issue, but it is not relevant in this case.

Edit:

I forgot to mention, it should be rather fast-paced game (shooter) than slower one (turn-based strategy).

Also, I have already read about networking architectures at: http://gafferongames.com/networking-for-game-programmers/what-every-programmer-needs-to-know-about-game-networking/

Consider a setup where game clients:

1. have quite small computing resources (mobile devices, smartphones)
2. are all connected to a common router (LAN, hotspot etc)

The users want to play a multiplayer game, without an external server.

One solution is to host an authoritative server on one phone, which in this case would be also a client. Considering point 1 this solution is not acceptable, since the phone's computing resources are not sufficient.

So, I want to design a peer-to-peer architecture that will distribute the game's simulation load among the clients. Because of point 2 the system needn't be complex with regards to optimization; the latency will be very low. Each client can be an authoritative source of data about himself and his immediate environment (for example bullets.)

What would be the best approach to designing such an architecture? Are there any known examples of such a LAN-level peer-to-peer protocol?

Notes:

Some of the problems are addressed here, but the concepts listed there are too high-level for me.

Security

I know that not having one authoritative server is a security issue, but it is not relevant in this case as I'm willing to trust the clients.

Edit:

I forgot to mention: it will be a rather fast-paced game (a shooter).

Also, I have already read about networking architectures at Gaffer on Games.

Consider a setup where game clients:

1. have quite small computing resources (mobile devices, smartphones)
2. are all connected to common router (LAN, WiFi etc)

Users want to play a multiplayer game, without external server.

One solution is to host an authoritative server on one phone, which in this case would be also a client. Considering (1) this solution is not acceptable, since computing resources are not sufficient.

So the idea is to design some Peer-to-peer architecture that will be able to distribute game simulation among clients. Since (2) the architecture and implementation can be simplified since the latencies will be acceptable low. Each client can be an authoritative source of data about himself and his environment (e.g. bullets).

What would be the best approach to design such architecture? Are there any know examples of such update protocol, that allows to sync-up the game distributed among clients?

Some of the problems are addressed here: Best solution for multiplayer realtime Android game, but concepts listed there are too high-level for me.

Security

I know, that not having one authoritative server is a security issue, but it is not relevant in this case.

Consider a setup where game clients:

1. have quite small computing resources (mobile devices, smartphones)
2. are all connected to common router (LAN, WiFi etc)

Users want to play a multiplayer game, without external server.

One solution is to host an authoritative server on one phone, which in this case would be also a client. Considering (1) this solution is not acceptable, since computing resources are not sufficient.

So the idea is to design some Peer-to-peer architecture that will be able to distribute game simulation among clients. Since (2) the architecture and implementation can be simplified since the latencies will be acceptable low. Each client can be an authoritative source of data about himself and his environment (e.g. bullets).

What would be the best approach to design such architecture? Are there any know examples of such update protocol, that allows to sync-up the game distributed among clients?

Some of the problems are addressed here: Best solution for multiplayer realtime Android game, but concepts listed there are too high-level for me.

Security

I know, that not having one authoritative server is a security issue, but it is not relevant in this case.

Edit:

I forgot to mention, it should be rather fast-paced game (shooter) than slower one (turn-based strategy).

Also, I have already read about networking architectures at: http://gafferongames.com/networking-for-game-programmers/what-every-programmer-needs-to-know-about-game-networking/