Network Gaming : Performance and Traffic Modeling

Abstract: There are several different types of games that are played in multiplayer mode over networks. The type of network games that, from a network’s perspective, are the most demanding is real-time based multiplayer games. Users of such games both assume and require that game play interaction happens in near real-time and these games often support a large number of simultaneous players. Most networks are specialized to either voice traffic (such as the first and second generation of mobile networks) or data traffic (such as wired data networks). It is not clear that the requirements for such real time games can always be met on either type of network. The core of this thesis investigates the performance requirements real-time multiplayer games place on packet switched data networks and the connection between network impairments and game quality degradation. Traffic generated by network games distinguishes itself from other traffic both regarding its general characteristics and the requirements it places on the network. Understanding these traffic characteristics, requirements, and what consequences failures to support such requirements entail are of great importance when designing new networks in order to guarantee suitable quality of service for such real-time games.