Unlike MOBA or party games, which are typically confined to limited spaces and short gameplay sessions, MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) and SLG (Simulation Strategy) games operate in expansive, persistent worlds. These fundamental differences demand a completely different approach to networking technology.
In limited-space games, frame synchronization can be used, where the server only synchronizes commands, and clients rely on identical random seeds and logic to ensure consistency. However, open-world games require a state synchronization approach. In this architecture, the server must persistently store the entire game world’s data and synchronize it with the clients.
In this setup, every player action is processed and validated by the server, while the client primarily serves as a renderer for the results. However, this synchronization mechanism faces significant challenges when connecting players from different regions. Once client-server latency exceeds 150ms, players will experience noticeable lag, severely impacting gameplay fluidity.
Eventual Consistency: Minimizing Latency, Maximizing Fluidity
To address these latency issues, the industry employs a technique known as eventual consistency. Let’s use character movement as an example:
Client-Side Prediction and Command Synchronization
When a player initiates a movement command on the client side, the client uses the same movement logic as the server to predict the character’s path. Simultaneously, every movement change (direction or behavior) is sent to the server, including movement commands and starting coordinates.
Server-Side Validation and Path Correction
Upon receiving these commands, the server calculates the character’s position based on the provided instructions and coordinates. It then moves the server-side character to follow the client-side movement nodes.
Final Position Adjustment
When the player stops moving, the client sends the final position to the server. The server then moves the character to this final position, ensuring complete synchronization between the two.
Smoothing Movement and Collision Detection
To ensure natural and seamless visual feedback, the server does not rigidly follow the client’s exact movement path. Instead, it periodically adjusts direction to follow the shortest route to the predicted position.
For collision detection, the server uses the client’s movement path coordinates rather than the server-side path-following coordinates. This approach prevents desynchronization issues where a character might get incorrectly blocked, disrupting gameplay.
Additionally, when the discrepancy between the server and client positions becomes too large (within acceptable tolerance levels), the server can slightly increase the movement speed to compensate for occasional network latency spikes, preserving smooth gameplay.
Xenon Proxy Technology: A Global Synchronization Solution
By leveraging Xenon’s Proxy Edge Technology, developers can significantly reduce cross-regional latency, enabling players worldwide to experience stable and low-latency gameplay.
We understand that building synchronization systems for open-world games is a complex and highly technical challenge. However, with robust state synchronization, eventual consistency, and Xenon’s advanced architecture, your game can seamlessly connect players across the globe, providing an immersive, uninterrupted experience where every player can freely explore and interact under the same virtual sky.