Online gaming is rapidly growing as an entertainment choice, as it provides players with a high variety in genres, affordability, ubiquity and also real-time online interactions. However, slow networks or congestion can cause perceivable network latency and make players suffer from a degraded gameplay experience. Latency compensation techniques have been developed to combat the negative effects of network latency, but more understanding of latencies affects and latency compensations benefits are still needed. Our project studied the degradation of different game actions with latency and how player prediction - a classic latency compensation technique - affects gameplay in a 2D platformer. We designed and implemented an original 2D platformer with player prediction implemented for player movement actions, then invited players to play our game under different network and latency compensation conditions. Based on the subjective and objective data collected, we found that 2D platformers are sensitive to even modest amounts of network latency. Player prediction helped players have fewer deaths below 200ms of latency, but at 400ms and above its benefits were outweighed by its disadvantages to visual consistency.
Gameplay