Server-Synchronized Scene Animation Playback in Multiplayer Games
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multiplayer challenge-type games, the inconsistent playback of scene animations across different player devices due to network delays and jitter affects the gaming experience, as some players may finish scene animations while others are still viewing them, leading to a disjointed cooperative challenge experience.
Innovation Solution
A method where a server collects scene data from multiple clients, determines if a predetermined trigger condition for playing a target scene animation is met, and sends a control message to all clients to synchronize the playback, ensuring that all clients play the animation simultaneously based on the server's logical time alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the trigger and control of scene animation playback are determined by the client, then the implementation is simple and autonomous, but the playback progress becomes inconsistent across different player devices due to network delays and jitter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary to coordinate scene animation playback across multiple clients. The server receives playback status from each client, determines whether the trigger condition is met based on aggregated data, and sends unified control messages to all clients. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining client autonomy in reporting while ensuring server-coordinated synchronization for consistent playback across all devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If scene animation is played independently on each client device, then each device can control its own playback timing, but network delays and jitter cause some players to finish animations while others are still viewing them
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the trigger condition determination function from individual clients to a centralized server. While clients continue to operate independently and report their playback status, the server aggregates this data and makes the final determination on whether to trigger the animation. This combining approach ensures that all clients receive the same trigger signal and maintain consistent playback progress, resolving the instability caused by independent client-based triggering.
3Productivity
If multiple clients determine scene animation playback independently, then the system is distributed and responsive, but cooperative challenge experience is severely affected due to inconsistent playback progresses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where clients continuously report their playback status to the server, and the server responds with unified control messages. This feedback loop ensures that the server has real-time information about each client's state and can make informed decisions about triggering the animation. The responsive feedback system maintains system responsiveness while ensuring that all clients synchronize their playback progress, thereby improving cooperative challenge experience.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, an apparatus, and a system for playing a scene animation are provided. The method includes: obtaining, by a server, scene data corresponding to a plurality of first accounts. The scene data is data generated by a plurality of first clients, each first client being logged in with one of the plurality of first accounts. The method also includes: determining, by the server according to the scene data, whether a predetermined trigger condition of playing a target scene animation is met; and sending a control message to each of the plurality of first accounts when the predetermined trigger condition of playing the target scene animation is met. The control message is used to instruct each of the plurality of first clients to synchronously play the target scene animation.