Network Game System Client Load Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Network game systems face significant processing loads on servers due to the need for centralized processing of multiple player interactions, leading to increased costs or limitations in the number of players, and pose challenges in managing unauthorized access and ensuring smooth gameplay.

Innovation Solution

A network game system where client apparatuses within a group communicate directly with each other, designating one as an execution client for processing and another as a management client for server communication, reducing server load and enabling dynamic client reassignment to prevent corruption and ensure continuous gameplay.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the server apparatus collectively performs processing for the progress of the game, then the game progress can be managed centrally, but the processing load on the server apparatus increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecentralized game progress managementVSAvoidserver processing load

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the game processing functions by designating specific client apparatuses as execution clients that perform predetermined processing locally. This divides the centralized server processing into distributed client processing, reducing the server's computational burden while maintaining game progress management through periodic reporting by management clients.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces management clients as intermediary components between other clients and the server. These management clients collect game progress information from execution clients and relay it to the server, reducing direct server processing requirements while maintaining centralized oversight of game state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If the processing capability of the server apparatus is increased, then more player characters and non-player characters can be managed, but the cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of player characters and non-player charactersVSAvoidserver processing capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables client apparatuses to serve themselves by designating execution clients that perform predetermined processing locally without requiring constant server intervention. This self-service approach allows more characters to be managed within the same server capacity by distributing computational tasks to clients.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial action by having only specific execution clients perform predetermined processing rather than requiring all clients or the server to handle all processing tasks. This partial execution of processing functions reduces overall server burden while maintaining adequate game management capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Power

If the number of player characters or non-player characters is limited, then the server processing load is reduced, but the interest in the network game is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveserver processing loadVSAvoidgame interest and player engagement

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic client reassignment where execution clients and management clients are periodically redesignated among different client apparatuses. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to changing client availability and performance conditions, maintaining game interest with larger participant numbers while keeping server load manageable through flexible task distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If unauthorized persons access the server apparatus, then corruption can occur, but quickly excluding such persons increases management cost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against corruptionVSAvoidmanagement cost for exclusion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action through periodic redesignation of execution clients and management clients. By proactively rotating these roles before corruption can occur or spread, the system prevents unauthorized persons from maintaining persistent access or influence, reducing the need for costly reactive exclusion measures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8949336B2Network game system and program

Publication Date: 2015.02.03 SQUARE ENIX HLDG CO LTD

AI summary

Disclosed is a network game system that allows a plurality of players to enter a network game without imposing a lot of load on a server apparatus for managing the entire progress of the network game. A game is played in different battle zones, and video game apparatuses which play the game in the same battle zone form each of video game apparatus groups. A server apparatus designates one of the video game apparatuses belonging to each of the video game apparatus groups as a front end server. The video game apparatus designated as the front end server controls decision of motions of non-player characters, calculation of change values of parameters of player characters, and transmission/reception of information regarding the progress of the game between the video game apparatuses belonging to each of the video game apparatus groups in a unified manner. Transmission of information regarding the progress state of the game in each battle zone to the server apparatus is performed in a unified manner. Designation of the front end server is changed for every predetermined time.