Re: Shared game-data

From: mAsterdam <mAsterdam_at_vrijdag.org>
Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2006 01:41:33 +0200
Message-ID: <4453f977$0$31637$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl>

Alvin Ryder wrote:
> mAsterdam wrote:

[snip]

>>
>>ISTM a multi-player game is a good metaphor for business sytems.

>
> I see what you mean the metaphor has some appeal but ...
>
> In business systems it is desirable to normalize the data, lets just
> discuss first normal form, all attributes are atomic.
>
> OTOH game objects contain some atomic types but they also contain
> pointers, other objects, trees, collections ... which is all very
> non-atomic and very non-normalized.
>
> The internals of a game are more like the internals of a wordprocessor
> or spreadsheet.
>

>>Could you please tell how good gaming software organizes the
>>sharing of data between players?

>
> Multiplayer games are typically implemented using a client/server or
> peer to peer architecture. Only a relatively small amount of game state
> needs to be broadcast and shared because each player runs their own
> instance of the game, all the static game assets are duplicated.

Would you agree that this scheme wouldn't work for massively multiplayer games?

> Duplication of data in business systems is generally avoided or
> requires advanced replication management.

Heh. I'ld wish you were right about the avoidance.

> Hope that answers the questions.

Yes, to some extend at least. Thank you. Received on Sat Apr 29 2006 - 18:41:33 CDT