Review of networking architectures and protocols, languages and platforms for multiplayer games.
Review of programming techniques for networked systems - sockets, messages and multi-threading.
Multiplayer game architectures and design patterns.
Techniques to manage bandwidth usage, latency, synchronisation and persistence.
Testing, scaling, metrics and optimisation.
Multiplayer game production for global markets.
Community, services and revenue models
Ethical, classification and localisation issues.
Multiplayer game design and narrative
Implementation case studies.

Massively Multiplayer Game Development 2, Thor Alexander (ed). (2005) Charles River Media, ISBN: 978-1584503903

Game Development Essentials: Online Game Development, Rick Hall and Jeannie Novak (2008), Cengage Learning, ISBN: 978-1418052676

Game development environments such as Visual Studio with DirectX and OpenGL, Netbeans
Multiplayer game engine such as Unreal Tournament

Prior study of CESCOM10113-5 Further Games and Graphics Concepts and CESCOM10104-5 Concurrent Network Applications or equivalent

Creation of a multiplayer game framework and a 2000 word reflective report based on your use of languages, techniques and architecture. (Learning Outcomes 1, 2 and 3) 50% weighting

Creation of a multiplayer game concept using the correct techniques, protocols and global considerations using your framework (Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4) 20% weighting

A 2-hour exam (Learning Outcomes 1 and 4) 30% weighting

26 hours of lectures and 26 hours of practicals.

This module covers advanced topics related to creating, optimising and distributing multiplayer games.