Aayush Asthana

Dead Reckoning Algorithms for Fairness and Smoothness of Online Games

Started Feb. 28, 2022

Abstract or project description

Online games have to accommodate network latencies that vary across connections and time in order to maintain the illusion of a responsive and fair game. High network latencies often cause graphical stuttering (periods of limited motion followed by sudden changes) and unfair gameplay (players with higher-latency connections may be at a disadvantage independent of their skill and reaction time). In order to address these problems, this project will involve the development and evaluation of several position prediction algorithms applicable to online gameplay. These algorithms will be tested in the context of a multi-player "Snakes" game and evaluated using real and artificial latencies. The impact of the algorithms on the smoothness and fairness of gameplay will be evaluated using rigorous quantitative metrics under a variety of realistic conditions.