[Nel] Dynamic load balancing?

[Nahuel Greco]

On Mon, 19 Feb 2001 17:33:33 +0100
Vincent Archer <archer@nevrax.com> wrote:

> According to Glaze:
> > Hello,
> > 
> > I have one "small" question and I hope this is the right place to ask it. I
> > was just wonder how (or if) you will solve the question of how to balance
> > the workload on the game servers, will you use some kind of dynamic load
> > balancing or have you opted for another approach.
> 
> Hmm, I realise I've explained what is dynamic load balancing, but I
> haven't answered this question.
> 
> Let's hope we have a good discussion on this :)
> 
> If you look at some of the basics in the... ok in the future design
> documents, you see we're working with a kind of ORB approach, with
> a naming service, which lets you discuss with specific services.
> 

You will use standard CORBA?, wich orb?


> We're aiming for a functional approach, not the classic EQ/UO/AC
> geographical approach. In that classic model, each processus is a
> complete copy of the code. It contains everything, from spell effects
> to pathfinding to combat code. Each process serves a specific "area",
> which is defined by an X/Y/Z box (or, for EQ, a zone ID number, since
> each area is strictly separate).
> 
> We're not going to use this approach. Chiefly because static allocation
> fails when you put too many objects in the same area (be it because a
> guild has decided to hold a meeting of all its 350 members there, or
> because we want to have an event with an army of 100 mobs spawning).
> And, as I explained somewhere else, dynamic allocation means:
> 1) A complete lack of control on what process is doing what, and
> 2) A need for a very fast way of finding who is near you and under
>    which process control
> 
> What we're aiming for is a functional approach. That is, each service
> provides specific functions. For example, all items in the game are
> handled by a single service. Combat runs on a separate service.
> And so on.
> 

What are the "functional" parts that you will be planning? 


How do you plan to send the map to the user, i mean, if you divide the game
in areas, you can say the client to download the map for an area before
enter, but if you dont use the area-divided approach, then, you must send
the sorrounding terraing at each step that the client do?


There is no risks of overloading the internal network / get out of sync?


> I'll let you imagine how this works, and then will further explain as
> you try to shoot holes into that design. :)
> 
>


----------------------------------------------------------
Nahuel Greco                 Web Development - Open Source
http://www.codelarvs.com.ar  Game Programming - Research
Freelance coding / sysadmin  Networking. The answer is 42.
----------------------------------------------------------