How do you improve game networking?

1 Choose the right network architecture

The network architecture is the design and structure of how the game logic and data are distributed and communicated between the server and the clients. There are different types of network architectures, such as peer-to-peer, client-server, and hybrid, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, peer-to-peer is more decentralized and scalable, but also more vulnerable to cheating and hacking. Client-server is more secure and authoritative, but also more costly and dependent on the server performance. Hybrid is a combination of both, where some game elements are handled by the server and some by the clients. You should choose the network architecture that best suits your game genre, features, and target audience.

2 Optimize the network protocol

The network protocol is the set of rules and conventions that define how the game data is formatted, encoded, transmitted, and received over the network. There are different types of network protocols, such as TCP, UDP, and WebSockets, each with its own characteristics and trade-offs. For example, TCP is more reliable and ordered, but also more overhead and latency. UDP is more fast and efficient, but also more unreliable and unordered. WebSockets is more compatible and flexible, but also more complex and dependent on the browser. You should optimize the network protocol that best matches your game requirements, such as reliability, speed, or compatibility.

3 Reduce the network traffic

The network traffic is the amount and frequency of game data that is sent and received over the network. It is affected by factors such as the number of players, the size of the game state, the rate of the game updates, and the quality of the network connection. High network traffic can cause problems such as congestion, packet loss, jitter, and lag. You should reduce the network traffic by applying techniques such as compression, delta encoding, interpolation, prediction, dead reckoning, and interest management. These techniques can help you minimize the game data size, eliminate redundant or irrelevant data, smooth out the game state changes, and filter out the game events based on the player's location, visibility, or relevance.

4 Implement the network security

The network security is the protection and prevention of unauthorized access, modification, or disruption of the game data and logic over the network. It is important for game development, as it can prevent cheating, hacking, spoofing, tampering, or denial-of-service attacks that can ruin the game integrity, fairness, and fun. You should implement the network security by applying measures such as encryption, authentication, authorization, validation, verification, and anti-cheat systems. These measures can help you encrypt the game data in transit, authenticate the game clients and servers, authorize the game actions and commands, validate the game inputs and outputs, verify the game state and logic, and detect and prevent the game exploits and abuses.

5 Test and debug the network code

The network code is the part of the game code that is responsible for handling the network communication and synchronization between the game clients and servers. It is often complex and error-prone, as it involves dealing with asynchronous, concurrent, and distributed processes and events. You should test and debug the network code by using tools such as network simulators, network analyzers, network monitors, and network debuggers. These tools can help you simulate the network conditions and scenarios, analyze the network performance and behavior, monitor the network traffic and statistics, and debug the network errors and issues.

6 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?