Re: Shared game-data (was: Storing data and code in a Db with LISP-like interface)

mAsterdam wrote:
> Hi Alvin,
>
> Alvin Ryder wrote:
> > Bob Badour wrote:
> >>Alvin Ryder wrote:
> >>>Bob Badour wrote:
> >>>>Alvin Ryder wrote:
> >>>>>Neo wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>The RM is powerful enough to represent business data, it rocks the
> >>>>>business world but it utlimately lacks computational power and
> >>>>>conviction to go all the way in every realm.
> >>>>
> >>>>Horseshit.
> >>>
> >>>Bob, I understand how to use the RM to solve many common business
> >>>processing type problems but are you saying it /can/ be used in /every/
> >>>realm? Can you please explain how it is applicable to the games
> >>>programming and ai realms.
> >>
> >>Do games programming or ai realms need to manage data?
> >
> > Bob, all I'm saying is I'm a fan of Oracle and the such like when it
> > comes to business systems but when it comes to games and ai they just
> > ain't on the map, a clear zero. If you can convince me otherwise I'll
> > be pleased to listen but meantime I don't know what you're trying to
> > say.
>
> 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.

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

Hope that answers the questions.
Cheers. Received on Sun Apr 30 2006 - 01:19:27 CEST