Distributed Gaming Server Pooling for Player Liquidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing online multiplayer zero-sum game systems face challenges in maximizing player liquidity and reducing waiting times, as players may encounter full game instances and insufficient player pools, leading to frustration and attrition.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising multiple gaming servers that pool instances of games and players across servers, allowing players to join available game instances on other servers, and a settlement method that manages player wagers and rake distribution across multiple gaming entities through clearing accounts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a centralized topology is used with a single operator, then settlement of player wagers is straightforward, but player liquidity is limited and waiting times increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the centralized poker room into multiple distributed gaming servers, each capable of independently hosting game instances and managing player wagers. This segmentation allows players to access games across multiple servers, reducing waiting times while maintaining straightforward settlement through individual server autonomy.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple gaming servers are merged into a distributed network that functions as a unified player pool. Players from different servers can join the same game instances, increasing liquidity and reducing waiting times while each server maintains independent wager settlement capabilities.
2Loss of time
If a distributed topology is used with multiple operators, then player liquidity increases, but settlement of player wagers becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Each gaming server in the distributed network maintains local autonomy for wager settlement, handling transactions independently without requiring complex inter-server coordination. This local quality approach preserves straightforward settlement while enabling distributed topology benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
Gaming servers perform self-service wager settlement independently, managing their own player transactions without relying on a central clearing house. This eliminates the need for complex inter-operator fund transfers while maintaining increased player liquidity across the distributed network.
3Productivity
If more game instances are spawned to reduce waiting times, then player liquidity must increase, but this requires a larger player pool
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a single-dimension player pool to a multi-dimensional distributed network of gaming servers. By adding the server dimension, the system can spawn more game instances across multiple servers simultaneously, effectively increasing game availability without requiring a proportionally larger player pool.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer system for playing multiplayer games comprises a first gaming server which runs multiple instances of a first game and to which is connected a first plurality of players, there being a minimum number of players and a maximum number of players for any instance of the first game; and a second gaming server which runs multiple instances of a second game and to which is connected a second plurality of players, there being a minimum number of players and a maximum number of players for any instance of the second game. The first gaming server is in communication with the second gaming server and through the second gaming server makes available instances of the first game for players from said second plurality of players to join. Thus, separate gaming servers can pool instances of games and players.