Two of the primary factors in the development of
networked multiplayer computer games are network
latency and network bandwidth. Reducing the effects of
network latency helps maintain game-state fidelity,
while reducing network bandwidth usage increases the
scalability of the game to support more players. The
current technique to address these issues is to have each
player locally simulate remote objects (e.g. other
players). This is known as dead reckoning. Provided the
local simulations are accurate to within a given
tolerance, dead reckoning reduces the amount of
information required to be transmitted between players.
This paper presents an extension to the recently
proposed Hybrid Strategy Model (HSM) technique,
known as the Dynamic Hybrid Strategy Model
(DHSM). By dynamically switching between models of
user behaviour, the DHSM attempts to improve the
prediction capability of the local simulations, allowing
them to stay within a given tolerance for a longer
amount of time. This can lead to further reductions in
the amount of information required to be transmitted.
Presented results for the case of a simple first-person
shooter (FPS) game demonstrate the validity of the
DHSM approach over dead reckoning, leading to a
reduction in the number of state update packets sent and
indicating significant potential for network traffic
reduction in various multiplayer games/simulations
