This document discusses network strategies for massively multiplayer online (MMO) games. It addresses common problems like disconnection and lag. To reduce disconnections, it recommends using sessions to maintain connection state and automatically reconnecting users when connections are lost. This hides reconnection complexity from developers and keeps the game flow uninterrupted for users. To reduce lag, it suggests combining data protocols and compressing data. Prioritizing important messages and using HTTP tunnels can also help by bypassing firewalls. Checking connections regularly with a "Ghost Hunter" can remove stale connections that cause issues. The strategies aim to provide a better experience for users through more stable and faster connections.

1. Network Strategy for MMO Game
Trần Như Toàn , Lead Software Engineer,
Game Studio North , VNG Corporation

2. Technical Leader

6.  Turn-based, Real-time MMO Games
Network Game Developers
 MMO Mobile Games

7. 1
2
3Common Problems
Disconnection
Lag

8. 35%
Game Client
(un-trusted , multitasking)
35%
Game Servers
(Overloaded ,Costly)
30%
Network
(latency , bandwidth)

10. Data Protocol
Combination
Compress

13. OLD
Traffic of 3200 CCU:
 In: 1,53 KB/s
 Out: 325,08 KB/s

14. 1
2
3Common Problems
Disconnection
Lag

15. Slow Connection Disconnection

16. Maintain connection until time-out
• Use session for each connection
• Hold connection state in session
• Activate connection when having
any signal

17. myPlay before

18. Why ???
• Interrupted, even temporarily
• ISP might have intermittent
issues , router fail
• Drop in the strength of the signal

19. Disconnect protection Re-connection

20. Automatically reconnect
when connection is lost
Remain user’s state
Game flow is not interrupted

21. Session
Game
Client
State
Data
New
Connection
Priority Message Queue

22.  Game flow is not interrupted
 Client games auto-reconnect
when connection lost
 Remain state of User
The complexity of the reconnection
is hidden from the developers.

23. Result

24. 1
2
3Common Problems
Disconnection
Lag

25. Ghost
User
Firewall

26. Block Game Port

27. Http Tunnel by-pass Firewall
Http Tunnel

28. Incomplete TCP disconnection occurs (e.g. disable 3g, wifi ….)
Why?How to deal with
ghosts?

29. Reduce the impact of pending connections
• Create scheduled task
(called Ghost Hunter)
• Check the integrity of each
connection
• Remove those that are stale

30. Summary
Lag

31. Happy Gaming