FLEXIBLE NETCODE ARCHITECTURE

Smart overview of the Invention

The patent application describes a flexible netcode architecture designed to manage object states in distributed multiuser environments, such as multiplayer games. It addresses the challenges of network latency and synchronization by allowing client devices to receive authoritative updates from a designated authority node. These updates specify the state of objects for specific frames, enabling clients to perform rollback checks and reconcile discrepancies between predicted and authoritative states.

Rollback Mechanism

A key aspect of the architecture is the rollback mechanism. When a client device detects a discrepancy between its locally predicted state and the authoritative update, it rolls back its state to the time of the authoritative update. This ensures consistency in object states across different client devices. After rollback, the authoritative update is applied to obtain an updated object state, and a subsequent state is predicted to maintain the game state at the client.

Reconciliation and Rendering

The architecture includes a process for reconciling visual discrepancies between the last shown position of an object and its updated game state. This reconciliation is crucial for smooth rendering in the next frame. The system provides various compensation techniques such as interpolation, extrapolation, and latency concealment to address these discrepancies, ensuring a seamless user experience.

Developer Tools

To facilitate customization, an application programming interface (API) is provided. This API allows developers to define policies specifying when and how to reconcile discrepancies. Developers can select from various compensation techniques or implement custom logic for rollback checks based on object types or the magnitude of state differences. This flexibility accommodates diverse virtual environments and object behaviors.

Implementation and Flexibility

The patent emphasizes the adaptability of the netcode architecture. It can be implemented on client devices with processors executing instructions to perform the described operations. The architecture is not limited to specific configurations, allowing for combinations and modifications to suit various needs. This flexibility ensures that the system can be tailored to different gaming or virtual experience scenarios, enhancing performance and user satisfaction.