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Networks. Network Protocols Peer-to-peer Client-Server Configurations Trust. Networks. Required for multiplayer games 3 Standard technologies Modems Ethernet Internet. Internet. The greatest thing since sliced bread The savior of humanity Will increase freedom and democracy
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Networks Network Protocols Peer-to-peer Client-Server Configurations Trust IAT 410
Networks • Required for multiplayer games • 3 Standard technologies • Modems • Ethernet • Internet IAT 410
Internet • The greatest thing since sliced bread • The savior of humanity • Will increase freedom and democracy • Around the world • In your neighborhood IAT 410
TCP Connection Reliable Bytes arrive in order they were sent Collects small packets and transmits them together Stream of bytes UDP Connectionless Unreliable Arbitrary arrival order Internet User Protocols IAT 410
TCP • Reliable stream of bytes • Implies the need for a “connection” • Connection sets up data structures • Hold incoming packets • Hold outgoing packets • Handle retransmits IAT 410
Send Sender Receiver Receive Acknowledge TCP Reliability • Each packet does Send-Receive-Acknowledge • Sender holds sent packet until ACK is received • Sender retransmits if ACK takes too long IAT 410
Sender Send Receiver 0 Ack Sender 0 1 1 0 2 2 1 3 3 2 3 TCP • One Send-Receive-Ack takes time • Overlay Sends and Acks • Maintain a queue in sender and receiver IAT 410
TCP Circular Queue -- Sender • Sends data and Puts it in send queue • Sets timer on this queue item • If timer expires, and no ACK, re-send data • Set another, longer timer • Exponentially increasing time • When ACK received • If this queue slot is the oldest, • Free the slot for new data • If no queue space avail, sender app waits! IAT 410
TCP Receive Queue • Receiver maintains a queue the same size as the sender’s • When a packet arrives, send ACK • If the packet is next in sequence • Give it to application • Else Keep it in queue • Another, earlier packet is on its way IAT 410
TCP • If no ACKS arrive for a long enough time • Temporarily gives up • Sends test packets • When test packets get through • Starts slow, builds up IAT 410
TCP Wrap-up • Connection sets up sequencing and queues • Reliable arrival: Retransmit • Reliable order: Sequence numbers • TCP bunches up data on 200ms intervals • Minimizes overhead for small chunks of data • This option can be turned off • TCP Has an “emergency” channel • OOB Out Of Band IAT 410
UDP • Connectionless! • No underlying data to maintain • Unreliable transmission • If you lose a packet, it’s gone • Network software must handle this • Out-of-order arrival • Network software must handle that, too! • Fast • When the port gets the data, the app gets it IAT 410
UDP • Packets will drop! • 1 in 5 over non-local connection • Have to do your own re-send • Some packets are time sensitive • Care little about the past ship location • No header compression • May end up with greater overhead than TCP with PPP IAT 410
Game Architectures • Peer-to-peer • Client/Server • One server per game • Floating server • One client is also a server • Distributed server • Multiple servers for large world IAT 410
Peer-to-Peer • Simple version: Lockstep • eg. Doom • Each client transmits to other • Wait for everyone to get data • Proceed to next step IAT 410
Advantages Simple Nobody has to provide a server Including the Game’s authors! Good for turn-based games with low bandwidth TCP Disadvantages Frame rate is that of Slowest machine Worst connection Hackable Not good for real-time games Peer-to-Peer IAT 410
Client/Server • Server per game • MUDs, Fireteam, NetTrek • Someone must provide server ($$$) • Possibly the game’s authors • Less hackable • Single point of failure • Server must be big & well-connected IAT 410
Floating Server • Peer-to-peer • Server resolves the action • One peer is the server • Unreal • One player elects to be the server • X-Wing vs Tie-Fighter: • First player to enter session • Starcraft • Player with the CD IAT 410
Multiple Server • Many machines coordinate service • Ultima Online, Everquest, AOL • Used for large virtual worlds • Everquest • One server per game-geographic region • Freeze on handoff affects game play IAT 410
What Data to Send? • Sending entire world state is usually too much • Can send just user actions • Simulation engine does the same thing at each client • Pseudo-random numbers from same seed IAT 410
Sending User Actions--Problems • Any error in engine • Divergence in worlds • Small error can lead to big divergence • X-Wing vs Tie Fighter • Created a resynchronize protocol • Causes jumps • Wrote smoothing algorithm for resynchs • Sim City 2000 Network Edition • Send checksums for world state each turn IAT 410
Prediction • Eg. Unreal • Waiting for user inputs is too slow • Client does prediction • Motion prediction • Server corrects things if client is wrong IAT 410
Prediction: Dead Reckoning • Eg. SIMNET (US Army Tank Simulator) • Each vehicle simulates own tank • Sends data every 5 seconds, updating • Position, Speed, Acceleration • Expected path • Prediction violation criteria • Receiver simulates own tank • AND simulates local copy of other tanks IAT 410
Dead Recokoning • Receiver gets latest 5-second update • Updates own copy of other tanks • Predicts other tanks • Using prediction data • Until new data arrives • Each simulator also sends update • When own prediction violates own criteria • Assumes latencies < 500ms IAT 410
Dead Reckoning Sim A Sim B Sim B Sim A A’s Predicted Path A’s Predicted Path B’s Predicted Path B’s Predicted Path Predict B Predict A Predict A Predict B Transmit new prediction every 5 seconds B Exceeds prediction: predict again and transmit IAT 410
Dead Reckoning: Requirements • Data structures for other entities • Model of entity behavior • Vehicle speed, acceleration range, turn radius • Responsiveness to commands • Situation parameters • Following a road • Precomputed path (NPCs) IAT 410
Multiple Copies • Maintain 2 Data sets • Now • Accurate self • Predicted others • “Zero” latency for self • Ground Truth • Accurate everybody • Large latency for almost everybody • 200-500ms ago IAT 410
Latency Issues • When latencies get high • Prediction gets worse and worse • Correcting prediction errors may cause visual jumps • Easy to notice! • If jumps are large enough • Temporarily interpolate between wrong prediction and the new correction IAT 410
Prediction Interpolation Interpolated Response Real Predicted IAT 410
Token Ownership • Some games may allow distributed ownership • Ballistic simulation • Shooter fires bullet • Intended target receives the simulation • Sports - eg. Tennis • Player A hits ball • Player B gets simulation token • B simulates ball path from A’s racket IAT 410
Trust • “Never trust the client” • Data on the user’s hard drive is insecure • Diablo utility to modify character data • Wrote patch to prevent hacking • Throws out your stuff if there’s a time inconsistency • Daylight savings nuked my stuff! IAT 410
Trust • Network communications are insecure • NetTrek communications are encrypted • NetTrek also requires “blessed” client • Servers have different policies on requiring a blessed client • Prevents robot players or assistants IAT 410
Trust -- Checksums • First line of defense: • Checksum of all packets • Include header in checksum! • Stops casual tampering • Hash function • Hard to compute source value from result • MD5 IAT 410
Checksums • Not immune to: • Code disassembly • Packet replay • Packet replay attack: • Capture a legal packet, and re-send it more frequently than allowed • Client can restrict send frequency • Server cannot reject high-frequency packets • Internet bunch-ups are source of OK bunch-ups IAT 410
Combating Replay • Each new packet client sends is different • Add a pseudo-random number to each packet • Not just sequence number! • Client & Server match pseudo-random numbers • Random numbers • Seeds must match! • Dropped packets: include sequence number! IAT 410
Combating Replay • XOR each packet with a pseudo-random bit pattern • Make sure the bit patterns are in sync! • Based on previous synchronized pseudo-random numbers • Add junk – Confuse length analysis IAT 410
Reverse Engineering • Remove symbols • Put encryption code in with rest of network stuff • Compute magic numbers: • At runtime • In server • Encrypt from the start! IAT 410
Lists Of Servers • Denial of service: • Send a packet to server-server saying “I’m a server” • Fake the IP return address with a random IP# • Server-server adds “new server” to list • Server may run out of memory storing hundreds of thousands of fake servers IAT 410
List of Servers • Require a dialog • Server-list server responds with • Password • Keepalive interval • Password must be given by attacker at the correct time • Works OK if client is not better connected! IAT 410