Getting more from broadband 6: Gaming

Gaming has always been one of the most popular areas of PC use, and broadband connections open up a whole new world for the game player.

The gaming community is one that can benefit most from the increased transfer speeds offered by broadband. Hardware manufacturers are also behind broadband; Microsoft's Xbox will use nothing else, for example. So what should the hardcore gamer know before going online?

If you're planning to get into serious online gaming, then a fast broadband connection is an absolute must. In most games, your reaction time is dependent on your connection speed. For first-person shooters, network latency or lag has been a major problem. It's a major contributor to the freezes and pauses that can cause anything from a missed target to losing the game.

A ping is the number of milliseconds (ms) taken for a packet to travel from your PC to the game server and back again. Ping troubles would actually be a lot greater if a lot of data were passed between the gamer's PC and the server, but having the graphics and sound stored on a CD, DVD or hard drive means that only small move instructions must be passed over the network.

That means that the asymmetric upload/download rates that broadband offers - the slower upload rate from your PC to the server - isn't a problem.

Ping values
A better ping value will decrease the delay between a key depression or mouse movement and the corresponding action in the game. However, the quality of coding in a game also makes a big difference. For example, it's possible to play Quake 2 or Tribes with a ping of 350, but playing Unreal Tournament with the same value is almost impossible.

Better-written games have more efficient network code and use some client-side prediction to smooth over interruptions in data transfer.

A sensible choice of game server can help to improve your ping. Internet service providers (ISPs) such as demon, ukonline and Nildram run their own game servers, some of which are open to the public.

Because it takes over 20 router hops for packets to cross the Atlantic, it's sensible to choose a UK or EU server rather than a US one. If each hop takes 20ms, the addition of 400ms of latency will make most games unplayable.

While a broadband connection improves your transfer rate to your ISP, it'll have no effect on the connection to other servers involved in the game. Although ping is the best indicator available of performance, it's by no means perfect. The ping program uses a different kind of packet to those of games and might take a different route.

What really affects the playability of the game is significant packet loss. The interrupted data stream can exceed the prediction capabilities of your PC and cause frame loss. The necessity to resend packets will clog your connection further.

If you're using a cable modem, your transfer rates will depend on the number of others sharing the bandwidth in your local loop. As a provider wins subscribers, you're likely to notice a deterioration in your transfer speeds. Network performance is also quite likely to change over the course of the day.

If you're still choosing a provider, then forewarned is forearmed. Check broadband news sites, such as Broadbandweek.com or Speedguide.net, for existing subscribers' opinions.

For ADSL users, ADSLguide is an excellent source of information.

Other enhancements
First person shooters games don't appeal to everyone, though. Fortunately, a broadband connection enhances other kinds of gaming as well. It's also feasible to switch between your game, web use and other connected activity.

If you have a home network set-up, other PCs can use the connection for less network-intensive activity as you play. A home network also opens the door to using a broadband-enabled console.

The Xbox has an Ethernet port to support the forthcoming Xbox Live service, while Sony and Nintendo plan to sell a network adaptor for broadband and modem connections. However, the online console market won't hit its stride until 2004 or 2005.

Most current games have been designed on the assumption that 56Kbps modems are the predominant means of connection. The superlative graphics and design of many PC games has traditionally been aimed at the single player. However, always-on, fast connections offer new avenues for games developers.

Enhancements such as voice can be included in the game effectively, so that players can communicate using a headset. You can download patches and updates quickly and effortlessly. Sophisticated server-side code means you can play the game without needing a particularly powerful PC.

Although true online games are still something of niche product, developers are pushing swiftly into the mainstream. Forthcoming games like Gladius Online, for example, will attempt to attract yet more players using a new revenue model.

Some initially dismissed online games as a fad, but the fact that companies are now producing spin-off games attests to their acceptance. Shareware manufacturers are also producing utilities that will take advantage of broadband connections, allowing you to talk with team members as you play.

Whether you prefer chess or Counter Strike, broadband gaming is a more enjoyable and more effective experience than the old and slow dial-up experience.

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