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

[Joe Touch]

"Eric A. Hall" wrote:
> 
> > > >arrive so the "closer" player gets a distinct advantage in terms of
> > > >shorter inter-command gap).
> 
> > As Sean indicated, these are application dependent.
> 
> > The most basic human feedback loops (single flashing light,
> > hit a switch) are in the 100 ms range. That means the
> > network portion must be in the 20ms range to be 'noise'
> > on the overall system delay. However, it gets longer
> 
> Not all functions fall in that category. Strafing is holding down a key
> while turning, for example, not click-click-click. Running/motion is
> holding down a key. Etc. Whenever a task involves interactive exchange of
> packets which are not driven by user interaction, then the player with the
> lower latency gets a distinct advantage.

Strafing needs high packet rate, but is latency independent.
A better implementation would just send "start strafe" and
"end strafe" signals anyway.

> There are also tasks which are user-automated. For example, a user may
> have practiced a particular sequence of events, and may have developed a
> timing patter such that they can execute events without waiting for
> feedback from the system. Rather than "hit switch when light flashes" it
> becomes "hit switch every 5ms because that's how often the light flashes"
> which is fundamentally different, and this model also rewards players who
> have low RTTs vs high RTTs.

Any such timing pattern should be uploadable. If you're
forcing the user to input the sequence manually, it's just
like the forced delays of the old Space Invaders days.

> The best Player-vs-Player fighters are trained monkeys with well-honed
> reactionary pathways which allow them to react to macros that fail.

Right - all you really need to adjust is the non-predicatable
part.

Joe