Peer-to-Peer Architecture for Massively Multiplayer Online Games |
| | Abstract | Hosting traditional Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) servers today requires large data centers, due to the use of the client-server architecture. This is a very costly solution, barring smaller developers without monetary backing from developing large scale MMOGs. We wish to change this situation, by developing a signifi cantly less expensive and potentially better solution, based on peer-to-peer architecture. In this thesis we focus on the basic technical aspects of creating and maintaining the peer-to-peer network graph. There are a number of existing solutions on this subject, but they are generally based on technology made for file systems and do not perform well enough nor provide the features required in modern MMOGs. We have developed the concept of a dynamic graph, containing a central node, supernodes, and nodes. The central node is the network entry point and network founder. Nodes are participating players in the game, while supernodes run on capable peer machines and make up the actual network graph. Thus the supernodes handle communication between nodes. They exist at a speci fic location in the game world, which is not predefi ned, but rather dynamic depending on where they are needed in order to balance the load on the network. We find that our solution provides good performance between players in close proximity in terms of in-game location. As such, it should provide low latency between interacting player, resulting in a smooth and responsive gameplay. We conclude that our solution satisfi es the performance requirements of modern online games and may be viable for real games. | | Type | Bachelor thesis [Academic thesis] | | Year | 2011 | | Publisher | Technical University of Denmark, DTU Informatics, E-mail: reception@imm.dtu.dk | | Address | Asmussens Alle, Building 305, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark | | Series | IMM-B.Sc.-2011-07 | | Note | Supervised by Robin Sharp, ris@imm.dtu.dk, DTU Informatics | | Electronic version(s) | [pdf] | | Publication link | http://www.imm.dtu.dk/English.aspx | | BibTeX data | [bibtex] | | IMM Group(s) | Computer Science & Engineering |
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