In areas such as Massively-Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs), the conventional centralized server model does not scale with the sheer number of simultaneous clients that need to be supported. P2P architectures are increasingly being considered as replacements for traditional client-server architectures in MMOGs. A distributed P2P architecture that uses "Coordinator" nodes for handling smaller groups of players has been shown to be especially effective in supporting MMOGs. However, the drawback of moving from centralized to distributed architectures is the loss of control, and more specifically the increase in the vulnerability of the system as a whole to compromises. There has been no prior work on handling the specific case when the Coordinator itself is compromised and cheats, a scenario akin to cheating conducted by the network. We address this problem by proposing an architecture that is resilient to Coordinator compromises and demonstrate the effectiveness of this architecture. We believe that this is an essential step towards enabling a widespread deployment of P2P-based MMOGs. Read more...

A presente investigação de mestrado apresenta uma proposta de análise das estruturas interativas em jogos realizados em ambientes digitais, e sua possível reutilização em novos processos comunicacionais em cooperação com as ciências da computação e a hipermídia. Analisa os processos de autoria de games do ponto de vista histórico, conceitual e as perspectivas interdisciplinares presentes atualmente, dentro das pesquisas realizadas na academia, no que diz respeito às matrizes da linguagem e pensamento. O modelo referencial multi-jogador (Counter-Strike) estudado envolve estratégias de reutilização e interatividade complexas. A pesquisa identificou como elementos fundamentais do processo o trabalho em equipes qualificadas, seja no planejamento, desenvolvimento e mesmo na condução das práticas de utilização ao nível de usuário. O conceito de equipe utilizado é o de interdisciplinaridade, o que torna a pesquisa interessante para os contextos do entretenimento e educação. O conceito de reutilização se torna operativo quando é incrementado pelas investigações atuais sobre a interatividade, a qual é apresentada a partir das pesquisas em semiótica e hipermídia, deixando a possibilidade aberta de sua extensão para a área da educação.The present inquiry presents a proposal of analyzes of the interactive structures in games carried through in digital environments and its possible reuse in new communication processes in cooperation with the computer sciences and the hypermedia. It currently analyzes the processes of authoring of games of the historical, conceptual point of view and the perspectives of interdisciplinary concept gifts inside of the research carried through in the academy in that it says respect the matrices of the language and thought. The referencial model multi-player (Counter-Strike) studied involves strategies of complex reuses and interactive. The research identified as basic elements of the process the work in qualified teams, either in the planning, same development and in the conduction of the practical ones of use to the user level. The used concept of team is of interdisciplinary concept, what it becomes the interesting research for the contexts of the entertainment and education. The reuses concept if becomes operative when it is developed by the current inquiries on the interactive, which is presented from the research in semiotics and hypermedia, leaving the open possibility of its extension for the area of the education. Read more...

Local perception filters exploit the limitations of human perception to reduce the effects of network latency in multiplayer computer games. Because they allow temporal distortions in the rendered view, they can be modified to realize the bullet time effect, where a player can get more reaction time by slowing down the surrounding game world. In this paper, we examine the concepts behind local perception filters and extend them to cover artificially increased delays. The presented methods are implemented in a testbench program, which is used to study the usability and limitations of the approach. Read more...

This document details an initial study into cognitive abilities that may be enhanced from playing computer games. Using a neuro-psychological assessment software package titled SynWin, participants were tested for their ability to function in a synthetic work environment. Scores were recorded and after playing computer games for specified lengths of time, the participants were tested again. The computer game employed was Counter Strike. This game is categorised as a first-person shooter (FPS), and is a multiplayer networked game. Differences between this game and other first-person shooters such as Quake III include the realism that Counter Strike achieves and the immersive qualities that surround that player. Different experiments were completed; group one, the control group, where the participants were tested three times without playing computer games between tests and group two where they were only tested twice, but played Counter Strike for two hours before the second test. This group showed a statistically significant improvement in their multitasking abilities. In summary, this study indicates that certain types of computer games can improve cognitive functions, and suggests further research to ascertain if these abilities are retained and what other skills can be enhanced by games similar to Counter Strike. Read more...