Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Abandon the game entirely.
This is the fairest solution in the case of accidental
disconnections, but it is unfair to whomever is leading if the player who is behind
pulls the plug.
Use referees.
The World Cyber Games, a large gaming tournament, keeps a log
file during play, and in the event of disconnection, a referee can examine the file to
adjudicate victory. If the players agree, they can also restart the match. This requires
a human referee to be available, however, which adds to the operating costs.
There's no one right answer to this problem; it depends too much on the nature of
the individual game. It's up to you as the designer to think about the problem and
try to decide what's fair.
Real-Time Versus Turn-Based Games
Many online games take place in real time with each player acting simultaneously.
This offers players maximum freedom; they always have something to do and can
order their activities any way they like. It's also more immersive than turn-based
gaming. Waiting your turn while other players act harms suspension of disbelief.
Unfortunately, real-time gaming tends to make a strategy game into an action
game. Whichever player moves his pieces fastest has the advantage. In games such
as
Command & Conquer
, victory becomes a matter of establishing an efficient weap-
ons-production system as quickly as possible.
Tu r n-based ga mes seem rat her old-fashioned nowadays, but t here is st ill a dema nd
for them. Many simpler online games are automated versions of noncomputerized
card games and the like, and they still require players to take turns. For this to work
smoothly, you must include certain features:
Limit the number of players in one game.
Four or five is a good maximum.
With more than this, players will have to wait too long between turns and will
grow impatient.
Set a time limit on the length of a player's turn.
A slow player or one who has
left to answer the phone mustn't be allowed to hold up the game. Both the player
whose turn it is
and
all the other players should be able to see a countdown timer.
The length of time will naturally vary depending on the sort of game; for a card
game such as hearts, 10 seconds should be plenty.
Determine a reasonable default action if the player runs out of time.
In
games in which it's possible to pass, the best default might simply be to pass with-
out acting, but in a game such as checkers, in which a move is required, the game
will have to choose a move. It doesn't have to be a very smart move, however. It's
up to the player to supply the intelligence; if he doesn't, it's his own fault.
Let players do other things while waiting for their turn.
They should defi-
nitely be allowed to chat with one another, study the battlefield, organize their
units, or do anything else that doesn't actually influence the gameplay.
