Optimizing consistency by maximizing bandwidth usage in distributed interactive applications

ACM Trans. Multimedia Comput. Commun. Appl.

2012

Self Cite

Various Information Management techniques have been developed to help maintain a consistent shared virtual world in a Networked Virtual Environment. However, such techniques have to be carefully adapted to the application state dynamics and the underlying network. This work presents a novel framework that minimizes inconsistency by optimizing bandwidth usage to deliver useful information. This framework measures the state evolution using an information model and dynamically switches extrapolation models and the packet rate to make the most information-efficient usage of the available bandwidth. The results shown demonstrate that this approach can help optimize consistency under constrained and time-varying network conditions.

Section: Experiments Set-upmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

An information-based dynamic extrapolation model for networked virtual environments

Zhang

Ward

ACM Trans. Multimedia Comput. Commun. Appl.

2012

Self Cite

“…However, these methods are static in nature and do not adapt to changing network conditions, such as increases in latency or reduction in available bandwidth. There has been recent investigation into using adaptive techniques based on the inconsistency at remote users [6]. However, this work has focused on peer-to-peer DIAs to date.…”

Section: B) Peer-to-peer and Client-servermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, these methods do not allow for changing network conditions and therefore cannot guarantee or maintain an acceptable level of consistency. Some work has been carried on an adaptive entity state update technique, but this has primarily focused on peer-to-peer DIAs [6]. This paper proposes a novel global consistency-aware entity state update algorithm for a client-server MCG.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Consistency Regulation Algorithm for Client-Server-based Multiplayer Computer Games

IET Irish Signals and Systems Conference (ISSC 2012)

Wynne

McCoy

et al. 2012

Abstract-Consistency is one of the most important aspects to be considered when designing a Distributed Interactive Application, and particularly in networked Multiplayer Computer Games (MCGs). Several techniques exist which aim to reduce network traffic in an attempt to maintain an acceptable level of consistency. However, these techniques are static in nature, as they do not adapt to the varying network conditions. This paper presents an algorithm which aims to maintain an acceptable level of consistency by adapting to changes in the network. The algorithm is a rate-based approach which monitors the remote inconsistency of all players participating in a client-server-based MCG. It operates on the premise that as the network conditions across the links between the server and the clients vary, so too will the remote inconsistency. In response, the rate at which the updates are transmitted from the server to all the remote clients is adapted, ensuring that an acceptable level of consistency is maintained. Simulation results for the proposed algorithm are also presented.

An Enhanced Dead Reckoning Model for Physics-Aware Multiplayer Computer Games

2012 IEEE/ACM 16th International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications

Walsh

Ward

2012

Consistency is a key requirement of networked multiplayer computer games. Several methods exist that strive to reduce network traffic in an attempt to maintain an acceptable level of consistency. Currently, these methods update an entity's states based on measures of its spatial and temporal inconsistencies. However, these measures do not, in general, consider inconsistencies associated with the entity's interactions with other environmental objects, which can potentially lead to significance differences in what users see and experience. This is particularly evident in physics-aware, peer-to-peer distributed interactive applications such as networked multiplayer computer games. Thus, this paper proposes a novel entity state update technique for such applications. In doing so, the concept of a physics-consistencycost is introduced. The proposed technique consists of a dynamic authority scheme for shared objects and an enhanced physics-aware dead reckoning model with an adaptive error threshold. The former places a bound on the overall inconsistency present in shared objects, while the latter minimises the instantaneous inconsistency during users' interactions with shared objects. The performance of the proposed entity state update mechanism is validated through simulation, the results of which are presented and discussed within.