netcode
Multiplayer connection programming
Netcode is the programming that handles communication between players in online multiplayer games—synchronizing actions, compensating for latency, and keeping everyone's game state aligned.
Good netcode makes online play feel smooth and responsive; bad netcode causes lag, rubber-banding, and frustrating delays between input and action: The game's netcode is terrible—I keep getting shot around corners.
Period of falling behind
- latencyDelay in system response
- pingBrief metallic tone
- synchronizationAligning timing across systems
- desyncLoss of timing alignment
jitter · bandwidth · client-server · peer-to-peer · TCP/IP · UDP · interpolation · prediction
Maximizing efficiency or performance
- throughputProcessing rate over time
- framerateImages displayed per second
- scalabilityCapacity for growth
- efficiencyProductive without waste
lag
Period of falling behind
- latencyDelay in system response
- pingBrief metallic tone
- synchronizationAligning timing across systems
desync · jitter · bandwidth · client-server · peer-to-peer · TCP/IP · UDP · interpolation · prediction · rollback
optimization
Maximizing efficiency or performance
- throughputProcessing rate over time
- framerateImages displayed per second
- scalabilityCapacity for growth
efficiency · compression · caching · multithreading · benchmarking
- game developmentgame engine, game design, game engines, game designer, rendering
- gaming techgame engine, graphics card, console, controller, GPU
- gaming modesmultiplayer, co-op, versus, team deathmatch, free-for-all
netcodegraphics engine
Software generating visual output
physics engine · graphics · physics · collision detection · sound system
net, code, nets, netted, netting, codes, coded, coding, coder