3,410 research outputs found

    Enabling scalability by partitioning virtual environments using frontier sets

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    We present a class of partitioning scheme that we have called frontier sets. Frontier sets build on the notion of a potentially visible set (PVS). In a PVS, a world is subdivided into cells and for each cell all the other cells that can be seen are computed. In contrast, a frontier set considers pairs of cells, A and B. For each pair, it lists two sets of cells (two frontiers), FAB and FBA. By definition, from no cell in FAB is any cell in FBA visible and vice versa. Our initial use of frontier sets has been to enable scalability in distributed networking. This is possible because, for example, if at time t0 Player1 is in cell A and Player2 is in cell B, as long as they stay in their respective frontiers, they do not need to send update information to each other. In this paper we describe two strategies for building frontier sets. Both strategies are dynamic and compute frontiers only as necessary at runtime. The first is distance-based frontiers. This strategy requires precomputation of an enhanced potentially visible set. The second is greedy frontiers. This strategy is more expensive to compute at runtime, however it leads to larger and thus more efficient frontiers. Network simulations using code based on the Quake II engine show that frontiers have significant promise and may allow a new class of scalable peer-to-peer game infrastructures to emerge

    Analysis domain model for shared virtual environments

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    The field of shared virtual environments, which also encompasses online games and social 3D environments, has a system landscape consisting of multiple solutions that share great functional overlap. However, there is little system interoperability between the different solutions. A shared virtual environment has an associated problem domain that is highly complex raising difficult challenges to the development process, starting with the architectural design of the underlying system. This paper has two main contributions. The first contribution is a broad domain analysis of shared virtual environments, which enables developers to have a better understanding of the whole rather than the part(s). The second contribution is a reference domain model for discussing and describing solutions - the Analysis Domain Model

    Distributed game

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    Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia InformĂĄticaThe demand for online games has risen over the years, expanding multiplayer support for new and different game genres. Among them are Massively Multiplayer Online games, one of the most popular and successful game types in the industry. Nowadays, this industry is thriving, evolving alongside technological advancements and producing billions in revenue, making it an economic importance. However, as the complexity of these games grows, so do the challenges they face when constructing them. This dissertation aims to implement a distributed game, through a proof of concept or an existing game, using a distributed architecture to acquire knowledge in the construction of such complex systems and the effort involved in dealing with consistency, maintaining communication infrastructure, and managing data in a distributed way. It is also intended that this project implements multiple mechanisms capable of autonomously helping manage and maintain the correct state of the system. To evaluate the proposed solution, a detailed analysis is carried out with performance benchmark analysis, stress testing, followed by an examination of its security, scalability, and distribution’s resilience. Overall, the present research work allowed for a greater understanding of the technologies and approaches used in constructing a gaming system, establishing a new set of development opportunities to be further investi gated upon the constructed solution.A procura por jogos online aumentou ao longo dos anos, expandindo o suporte multiplayer para novos e diferentes gĂ©neros. Entre estes estĂŁo os jogos Massively Multiplayer Online, um dos tipos de jogos mais populares e bem-sucedidos na indĂșstria. Atualmente, esta indĂșstria estĂĄ a prosperar, evoluindo com os avanços tecnolĂłgicos e gerando milhares de milhĂ”es em receita, tornando-se uma importĂąncia econĂłmica. PorĂ©m, Ă  medida que a complexidade destes jogos aumenta, tambĂ©m aumenta os problemas encontrados durante a sua construção. Esta dissertação tem como objetivo implementar um jogo distribuĂ­do, atravĂ©s de uma prova de conceito ou um jogo existente, usando uma arquitetura distribuĂ­da a fim de adquirir conhecimento na construção destes sistemas complexos e o esforço envolvido em lidar com consistĂȘncia, manter a infraestrutura de comunicação e gerir dados de maneira distribuĂ­da. Para isto, Ă© pretendido que este projeto tambĂ©m implemente vĂĄrios mecanismos capazes de, forma autĂŽnoma, ajudar a gerir e manter o correto estado do sistema. Para avaliar o solução proposta, uma anĂĄlise detalhada Ă© realizada sobre o desempenho, segurança, escalabilidade e resiliĂȘncia da distribuição do sistema. De forma geral, o presente trabalho de pesquisa permitiu uma maior compreensĂŁo das tecnologias e abordagens utilizadas na construção de um sistema de jogos, estabelecendo um novo conjunto de oportunidades de desenvolvimento a serem investigadas sobre a solução construĂ­da

    On Consistency and Network Latency in Distributed Interactive Applications: A Survey—Part I

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    This paper is the first part of a two-part paper that documents a detailed survey of the research carried out on consistency and latency in distributed interactive applications (DIAs) in recent decades. Part I reviews the terminology associated with DIAs and offers definitions for consistency and latency. Related issues such as jitter and fidelity are also discussed. Furthermore, the various consistency maintenance mechanisms that researchers have used to improve consistency and reduce latency effects are considered. These mechanisms are grouped into one of three categories, namely time management, Information management and system architectural management. This paper presents the techniques associated with the time management category. Examples of such mechanisms include time warp, lock step synchronisation and predictive time management. The remaining two categories are presented in part two of the survey

    Consensus Based Networking of Distributed Virtual Environments

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    Distributed Virtual Environments (DVEs) are challenging to create as the goals of consistency and responsiveness become contradictory under increasing latency. DVEs have been considered as both distributed transactional databases and force-reflection systems. Both are good approaches, but they do have drawbacks. Transactional systems do not support Level 3 (L3) collaboration: manipulating the same degree-of-freedom at the same time. Force-reflection requires a client-server architecture and stabilisation techniques. With Consensus Based Networking (CBN), we suggest DVEs be considered as a distributed data-fusion problem. Many simulations run in parallel and exchange their states, with remote states integrated with continous authority. Over time the exchanges average out local differences, performing a distribued-average of a consistent, shared state. CBN aims to build simulations that are highly responsive, but consistent enough for use cases such as the piano-movers problem. CBN's support for heterogeneous nodes can transparently couple different input methods, avoid the requirement of determinism, and provide more options for personal control over the shared experience. Our work is early, however we demonstrate many successes, including L3 collaboration in room-scale VR, 1000's of interacting objects, complex configurations such as stacking, and transparent coupling of haptic devices. These have been shown before, but each with a different technique; CBN supports them all within a single, unified system
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