Networked Physics Challenges - Q&A

Networked physics in multiplayer games is tough. Here’s what you need to know:

It’s about making physics work smoothly across devices and servers
Main challenges: latency, sync issues, collisions, and scaling
Most game engines aren’t built for this

Key points:

Start with networked physics from day one
Use client prediction and server checks
Balance server and client-side handling
Implement lag compensation techniques
Optimize data transfer and compression

Quick tips:

Use fixed timesteps for consistency
Stick to simple collision shapes
Let the server make final physics decisions
Test often on different devices

Remember: Networked physics is complex. Keep learning and experimenting as the field evolves.

Challenge	Solution
Latency	Client prediction, server checks
Collisions	Server authority for key actions
Sync issues	Interpolation, fixed intervals
Scaling	Optimize data, client prediction

Main Challenges in Networked Physics

Networked physics in multiplayer games is tricky. Here’s why:

Latency Issues

Latency can ruin fast-paced games. How do we fix it?

Use client prediction
Let the server check client actions

Many racing games use two physics engines:

One synced with the server
Another for client-side predictions

This helps smooth things out. As one dev said:

“The user would see an averaged position between the current and previous predicted positions. This prevents too much jitter.”

Collision Headaches

Collisions can mess up physics sync between server and clients.

Server or client handling? It’s a trade-off:

Where	Good	Bad
Server	Secure, consistent	Slower
Client	Fast	Cheating risk

Most games use both. Server authority for key stuff, client for quick reactions.

Syncing Game States

Keeping everyone on the same page is tough, especially with lag.

How to align physics across clients?

Use interpolation to smooth movement
Update at fixed intervals

Don’t use “lockstep” for fast games. It’s too slow.

Handling Lots of Players

More players = more physics problems.

To keep things smooth:

Cut down on network data
Lean on client prediction
Split players into smaller groups

Complex Topics

Let’s tackle some tricky issues in networked physics.

1. Stopping Cheaters

Cheating ruins the fun. Here’s how to keep things fair:

Server controls shared objects
Clients send commands through player objects
Use server-side checks

Unity developer Graithen says:

“Send input events and do the rest on the server. It’s secure and gives good user feedback.”

Here’s how:

1. Set up a trigger volume for interactive objects

2. When a player hits “E”, send an activation command

3. Replicate across all clients

This keeps things secure and responsive.

2. Complex Object Interactions

Managing lots of interactive objects? Try this:

Use “Object Oriented” coding
Create a master blueprint (e.g., BP_Light)
Make child classes that inherit from it

This helps manage different items without repeating code. Think: a master “Switch” blueprint controlling doors, lights, and pickups.

3. Advanced Lag Fixes

Lag can make or break a game. Here are some fixes:

Lag Compensation

This lets the server see each client’s view by:

Keeping object position history
Knowing client delay
Using past raycasting

Set it up:

Add HitboxRoot to your GameObject’s top node
Keep dynamic objects separate from Hitbox nodes

This helps hit static objects while avoiding issues with moving ones.

Time Rewinding

For ultra-precise games, use sub-tick accuracy:

Server knows exact object positions between ticks
Can determine hits even with tiny movements

Here’s a lag-compensated raycast in C#:

Runner.LagCompensation.RaycastAll(transform.position, transform.forward, rayLength, player: Object.InputAuthority, _hits, layerMask, clearHits: true);

Fixing Common Problems

Reducing Jerky Movement

Jerky movement can ruin a player’s experience. Here’s how to smooth things out:

Turn on interpolation for rigidbodies near the camera. This cuts down on visual jitter.
Match your Fixed Timestep to your rendering frame rate. For 60Hz, set it to 1/60.
Use client-side prediction for immediate feedback. But watch out – the server might disagree.
When correcting positions, don’t snap. Blend between positions instead.

A Unity forum user noted:

“Both approaches work well. If I wasn’t such a perfectionist, I probably wouldn’t notice it’s a tiny bit jerky compared to ‘position += movement * delta’ which creates the smoothest movement.”

Keeping Physics Consistent Across Devices

For fair gameplay, physics need to be consistent. Here’s how:

Use a fixed timestep for physics on all devices.
Stick to basic collision shapes like spheres and boxes.
Let the server make final physics decisions.
Use lag compensation techniques like time rewinding.

Here’s a C# example of a lag-compensated raycast:

Runner.LagCompensation.RaycastAll(transform.position, transform.forward, rayLength, player: Object.InputAuthority, _hits, layerMask, clearHits: true);

Test your game on different devices often.

Tips and Performance Improvement

Reducing Network Data Use

Want to cut down on bandwidth in physics-heavy games? Here’s how:

Only send what’s needed. In a MOBA, send the hero’s destination, not their constant position.
Use fixed timesteps to keep clients in sync.
Make your simulation deterministic. It’s easier to replicate and needs less data.
Avoid chain reactions. They’re hard to sync and fix.
Compress your data packets. Less data = less bandwidth.

Finding Performance Issues

Spot those pesky networked physics bottlenecks:

Unity’s Physics Debugger is your friend. Use it to find collider issues.
Keep an eye on physics objects. Too many active rigid bodies? That’s a red flag.
Test with lag. Use a simulator to create terrible network conditions.
Tweak your Fixed Timestep. It’s a balancing act between speed and accuracy.
Watch out for complex colliders. They’re performance hogs. Try using simpler shapes instead.

“Networking is about looking at the things that you NEED to network. This is the key to planning and building efficient networking.” – Glenn Fiedler, Network Physics Expert

Wrap-up

Networked physics in game dev? It’s tough. Here’s the rundown:

Latency is a pain. Devs use tricks like client-side prediction to smooth things out.

Collisions need careful syncing across networks. Otherwise, things get messy.

Syncing game states is crucial. Deterministic sims help, but they’re not always doable.

Lots of players = server and bandwidth strain. Gotta optimize that data transfer.

How to tackle this stuff?

Use fixed timesteps and deterministic sims when you can
Compress those data packets
Unity’s Physics Debugger is your friend
Test with fake lag early on

Glenn Fiedler, a network physics guru, says:

“Networking is about looking at the things that you NEED to network. This is the key to planning and building efficient networking.”

Keep learning and tweaking. This field’s always changing.

Want to go deeper? Look into:

Advanced lag compensation
Machine learning in physics sims
VR/AR impacts on networked physics

The networked physics world keeps evolving. Stay curious, keep experimenting.

Networked Physics Challenges – Q&A