Multiplayer with vehicles

[S_W]

Hi,

Has anybody already tried steering a vehicle over a network? After reading this article: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki ... Networking I'm posing myself the question whether it would be possible to run a multiplayer game using the new joint vehicle?

I don't know whether the position of the body and/or the tire bodies would be enough to simulate a game over the network or whether the usage of joints is a problem here (brings in result which are hard to control on two different machines)

Any ideas or experience on this topic?

Thanks!
S_W

[Rob]

Hi,

Has anybody already tried steering a vehicle over a network? After reading this article: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki ... Networking I'm posing myself the question whether it would be possible to run a multiplayer game using the new joint vehicle?

I'd say it definitely would be possible, how much better/worse it'd be than a ray-cast solution very much depends on the game/vehicle design. Networking systems and physics systems are natural enemies, physics engines don't want you to break the laws of physics and networking systems just can't help themselves. This is why most networking games still feature extremely limited physics interaction. I'd suggest starting with a raycast vehicle until you get your networking going, but if you were doing a common racing game with static environments, small wheels, and tight suspensions, the impact of the wheel type would be diminished.

I think overall most players are going to be happiest with the solution that gives them the most predictable control, and that's going to be a simpler solution. The more realistic your simulation, the greater the likelihood that when the inevitable server correction happens the player's vehicle reacts in an undesirable/unpredictable way (especially since they'd likely be moving at high speeds).

[Julio Jerez]

I agree for net working physics the mutibody vehicle will be problematic, since it is is to complex and will require a high bandwith, even to interpolate the positions of each body part.
the ray cast will be much desirable soution since it is made of one single body.