Game servers handle network latency through several techniques to ensure smooth gameplay and minimize delays for players.
Optimized Data Transmission: Servers compress data and prioritize critical information, such as player positions and actions, to reduce the amount of data sent over the network. For example, instead of sending every frame of animation, only key changes are transmitted.
Client-Side Prediction: Games often predict player movements on the client side and correct them when the server's authoritative data arrives. This reduces perceived lag. For instance, if a player moves forward, the client immediately shows the movement while waiting for the server to confirm it.
Lag Compensation: Servers adjust for latency by rewinding game states to account for delays. For example, in a first-person shooter, if a player shoots and there’s high latency, the server checks where the player was when the shot was fired, not their current position.
Geographically Distributed Servers: Hosting servers closer to players reduces latency by minimizing the physical distance data must travel. For example, a game might have servers in North America, Europe, and Asia to serve players in those regions efficiently.
Edge Computing: Deploying game logic closer to players using edge servers can further reduce latency. For example, real-time interactions in multiplayer games can be processed at edge nodes instead of traveling to a central server.
For cloud-based game servers, Tencent Cloud offers solutions like Game Server Engine (GSE), which provides low-latency global deployment, auto-scaling, and optimized network routing to minimize lag. Additionally, Tencent Cloud’s Global Accelerator can enhance connection speeds by routing traffic through the nearest edge nodes.