Practical Grid Computing for Massively Multiplayer Games

Massively multiplayer games (MMGs) are one of the fastest growing segments of the game development industry, but developing, deploying and supporting MMGs is a complex and expensive problem for game providers. In order to make the games work effectively, providers must maintain a separate server environment for each game, and any down time or disruption with a single server halts the game. With grid computing technology, however, these cost and reliability issues can be addressed successfully. By harnessing the power of multiple computers, programmers can provide users with immense power and increase the game's performance and reliability. This text takes an in-depth look at all aspects of developing a grid computing system for games, including end user platforms, TCP/IP and UDP protocols, game servers, artificial intelligence, scripting and programming language options and database management systems. It also addresses design considerations for massively multiplayer real-time strategy games, online role-playing games, action and adventure games, and other popular MMG genres. In addition, the book touches on business issues such as the emerging relationships between service providers, community portals, publishers and developers.