Server Overview

The server in this multiplayer tank game plays a crucial role in synchronizing gameplay across networked clients while ensuring fairness, consistency, and efficiency, particularly given the constraints of resource-limited client machines. The server operates at 20Hz, meaning it updates and synchronizes game state 20 times per second. Its key responsibilities include:

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1. Managing Game State

• Maintains the authoritative version of the game world, including:
  • Tank positions, orientations, and velocities.
  • Projectile locations and movement.
  • Explosions, power-ups, and environmental changes.
• Ensures that all players see a consistent game world.

2. Handling Player Input

• Receives input from all connected clients (e.g., movement, firing, power-up usage).
• Validates inputs to prevent cheating or desynchronization.
• Applies movement and actions based on a fixed update cycle.

3. Synchronizing Clients

• Sends periodic updates (20Hz) to all players with:
  • Tank positions and velocities.
  • Projectile updates.
  • Game events (collisions, eliminations, power-up spawns).
• Uses data compression or delta updates to optimize bandwidth.

4. Collision Detection and Resolution

• Handles collisions between tanks, walls, and projectiles.
• Manages explosion effects and impact on gameplay.

5. Health, Damage, and Scoring

• Tracks player health and damage.
• Determines when a tank is destroyed and respawns it accordingly.
• Manages scoring and leaderboards.

6. Game Session Management

• Handles player connections and disconnections.
• Assigns unique identifiers to players.
• Synchronizes the start and end of matches.

7. Lag Compensation & Interpolation

• Implements strategies to mitigate lag, such as:
• Client-side interpolation (to smooth movements).
• Server reconciliation (to correct discrepancies).
• Lag compensation techniques for accurate hit detection.

8. Security and Anti-Cheat

• Prevents speed hacks, teleportation, or other exploits by validating inputs.
• Uses server-side physics and logic to ensure fair play.

9. Power-Up and Environment Management

• Spawns power-ups at predefined locations or based on in-game conditions.
• Ensures environment elements (e.g., destructible terrain) remain synchronized across clients.

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Optimization Considerations

Since client devices are limited in processing power (6502-based systems), the server must:

• Minimize packet size to reduce bandwidth usage.
• Send only necessary updates instead of full-state dumps.
• Use predictive algorithms to enhance client-side responsiveness.
• Prioritize critical updates (like immediate player actions) over less urgent ones.

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