Topological optimisation for online first person shooter game server discovery

Most online first person shooter (FPS) games require clients to discover game servers through a two-step process. The client initially queries a well-known master server for a list of currently registered game servers. Each game server is then probed in the order they were returned by the master server. It may take quite some time to discover playable game servers (within a tolerable round trip time of the client). We investigate the need for, and benefits of, explicitly re-ordering a master server’s reply list so the client is more likely to probe closer servers before more distant servers. We use data gathered from the Wolfenstein Enemy Territory (ET) master server gathered in late 2005 and early 2006 to assess such optimisation. We conclude that such re-ordering will reduce unwanted probe traffic on game servers and improve player experience.