UDP vs. TCP distribution [was: Re: [e2e] Can feedback be generated...]

[Eric A. Hall]

> However, there's probably some literature here and there about
> human reflexes and how fast one needs a result back from a "twitch"
> in order to feel reasonably interactive.   Probably very little
> of that will focus on network impact.

I'm sure that has something to do with it but I don't think it's the
principle issue. I mean, it might be the primary factor when everybody is
on the same LAN, but when you're talking about cross-country RTTs it's not
the primary issue.

Command queueing is the problem. Longer RTTs mean larger gaps between
commands. This works both ways, in that movement and actions sent from the
client take longer to reach the server, but data coming from the server is
also rapidly becoming outdated by the time it reaches the client. This
puts high RTTs at a distinct disadvantage to low RTTs, regardless of the
player's twitch reflex capabalities.

-- 
Eric A. Hall                                        http://www.ehsco.com/
Internet Core Protocols          http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/coreprot/