Believe it or not, ensuring fairness in online multiplayer games is a field of scientific study but it may not be immediately obvious why. After all, the games we’ve been playing since the 1980s have all been constructed with rigid, unbreakable rules. Try as you might, there’s (usually) no way to walk straight through a wall or take down bosses with a single shot. So, why isn’t this true online, as well?
The pursuit of this strange part of science began way back in 2006, an era when Counter-Strike, RuneScape, and World of Warcraft were the most popular online games. Call of Duty, now the archetypical multiplayer game, was only on its third entry (there are now 19), while some of today’s most popular titles, like League of Legends and Rocket League, had barely reached the drawing board.
A paper on Research Gate entitled Fairness and Playability in Online Multiplayer Games delved into why games with strict programming sometimes fail simply because of a connection to the internet. It explains how “differences in […] delays” are the culprit in these circumstances, a fancy phrase for what gamers know as lag, packet loss, high ping, and slow broadband speeds.
What do these problems indicate? Ping is a measure of time (in milliseconds) that describes how long it takes for a message to travel from your computer to the game’s server, while packet loss occurs when that message doesn’t arrive at all. The term lag is used as a general term to cover both of these issues but it’s mostly meaningless from a tech support perspective.
A ping between 20 and 40ms keeps most games running smoothly. With longer times, a problem known as rubberbanding may occur, in which the player’s avatar appears to teleport around the map as the server tries to pinpoint their actual location. As far as fairness is concerned, this can result in missed shots and other cues, and lead to the player being ejected from a match.
Unfortunately, this is a problem that’s difficult to deal with, as there’s so much variation between how data is sent and received around the world that a one-size-fits-all solution isn’t really feasible. In fact, most FAQ pages and support forums tend to turn the issue back on the player, asking them to check their setup. Troubleshooting for Rocket League insists on a wired internet connection, for instance.
Loot Boxes
Of course, there is more to an equitable gaming experience than actually connecting to the server so let’s take a look at some of the aspects of fairness that developers actually can control. One of the more beneficial developments involves blockchain technology. Certain kinds of experiences, especially in the casino industry, can be configured in a way that allows for provably fair outcomes in encounters of chance.
A section on the Bitcoin Casino Wiz website describes this concept as giving the player the opportunity to check that the hand they were dealt (for example) was predetermined, random, and not influenced by the casino. The algorithm used to produce the final result is usually available to view after the game concludes, too. Oddly enough, this can allow for difficulty levels to be implemented.
While this may not sound as relevant to multiplayer gaming as an internet connection, the addition of random loot box rewards in titles like Apex Legends does mean that developers are now obligated to provide a similar set of assurances to players. Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony recently took steps to include casino-style odds alongside every instance that loot boxes are offered, according to a report by the Games Industry site.
Due to a possible future in which Web3 technologies like NFTs are integrated into video games, it’s entirely feasible that this kind of blockchain integration could assist when it comes to proving the fairness of certain gameplay aspects. After all, plenty of multiplayer titles, mobile apps, and MMOs utilize similar mechanics to casinos, such as the exchange of real money for a chance at receiving something.
There will always be resistance to the involvement of experimental, high-technology ideas in gaming, as plenty of people still prefer the simple, offline experiences of the 1980s and early 1990s. The reality is that games in this category might be considered rare outside the indie scene today, and developers have to continue to find ways to make their products more enticing to consumers.
In any case, fairness isn’t just about rolling the same dice for each player. It’s a complex mix of connectivity, odds, and accountability.
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
