How can you synchronize game networking effectively?

2 Interpolation and prediction

Interpolation and prediction are techniques to smooth out the effects of latency and packet loss on the game networking. Latency is the delay between sending and receiving data over the network, and packet loss is the failure to deliver data over the network. Interpolation is the technique of estimating the current state of the game based on the previous and next states received from the network. For example, if a player moves from point A to point B, interpolation can calculate the intermediate positions between A and B based on the timestamps and velocities of the states. Prediction is the technique of guessing the future state of the game based on the current state and the input from the player. For example, if a player presses a button to shoot, prediction can show the bullet trajectory and impact before receiving the confirmation from the network.

3 State synchronization and event synchronization

State synchronization and event synchronization are techniques to keep the game data consistent across the network. State synchronization is the technique of sending the entire or partial state of the game, such as the position, orientation, health, and inventory of each entity, over the network at regular intervals. State synchronization can ensure that all instances of the game have the same view of the game world, but it can also consume a lot of bandwidth and be vulnerable to packet loss. Event synchronization is the technique of sending only the changes or events that occur in the game, such as the creation, destruction, movement, or interaction of each entity, over the network as they happen. Event synchronization can reduce the bandwidth usage and be more reliable, but it can also introduce inconsistency and conflicts if the events are not ordered or processed correctly.

4 Network errors and cheating

Network errors and cheating are challenges that can affect the quality and fairness of the game networking. Network errors are unexpected or undesirable situations that occur in the network, such as disconnection, timeout, corruption, or duplication of data. Network errors can cause problems such as lag, jitter, desynchronization, or crashes in the game. To handle network errors, you need to implement mechanisms such as error detection, error correction, error recovery, and error compensation in your game networking code. Cheating is the intentional or unintentional manipulation of the game data or logic to gain an advantage or harm others in the game. Cheating can occur in various ways, such as modifying the game files, intercepting or altering the network packets, exploiting the bugs or glitches in the game, or using external tools or bots. To prevent or detect cheating, you need to implement measures such as encryption, validation, verification, and moderation in your game networking code.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?