Distributed Game Engine Node Assembly for Shared Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gaming systems face limitations in compute power due to technical barriers in transistor count and power, leading to challenges in processing high graphics games, especially in single-server setups, and inefficiencies in managing input and streaming in cloud gaming environments.
Innovation Solution
A distributed game engine architecture utilizing multiple interconnected servers or game consoles, enabling compute nodes to share workload across nodes through high-speed, low-latency communication protocols like RDMA and UDP/TCP, with a master-slave architecture for efficient physics calculations and video encoding, and a streaming node managing input and video streaming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single processing node is used to execute the game, then the device complexity is low, but the rendering quality and frame rate performance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The game processing is divided into multiple independent tasks that can be executed in parallel across different processing nodes. The head-mounted display device includes multiple processing nodes (first processing node, second processing node, etc.) that independently execute different game processing tasks, allowing high-quality rendering while distributing system complexity across modular components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from single-node sequential processing to multi-node parallel processing by adding spatial dimensionality to the processing architecture. Multiple processing nodes operate simultaneously in different computational spaces, with coordinated communication through defined interfaces, enabling both high performance and manageable complexity through dimensional expansion
2Productivity
If multiple processing nodes are used to execute the game, then the frame rate performance is improved, but the coordination complexity between nodes increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each processing node is designed with universal, standardized interfaces and protocols that enable them to perform multiple functions and communicate through common channels. The nodes can execute different game processing tasks while maintaining consistent interaction patterns, reducing coordination complexity despite increased functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter-based coordination where processing nodes exchange structured data with defined parameters and protocols. By standardizing communication parameters and state information formats, the system manages multi-node coordination efficiently, enabling high frame rates without proportional increases in complexity
3Adaptability or versatility
If processing code is transferred between processing nodes, then the distributed execution is enabled, but the communication overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
Processing code and state information are pre-packaged and organized before transfer between nodes. The system prepares data structures and communication protocols in advance, reducing the actual transfer time during game execution. Nodes maintain local caches and pre-computed states to minimize real-time communication requirements
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for using a distributed game engine includes receiving a request from a user account via a computer network to play a game, identifying processing power assignment for the user account, and determining node assembly for the user account to utilize two or more processing nodes for the play of the game based on the processing power assignment. The method further includes initializing the two or more processing nodes for execution of the game for the user account. The operation of initializing is performed to set up a transfer of processing code for the game from one processing nods to another processing node. The method includes defining an internal communication channel between the two or more processing nodes for exchange of state information of the game. The exchange of state information is performed to enable shared processing of the game by the two or more nodes.