Locating and Connecting to Server
1) Locate server (through Directory Services (ie X.500)/Trader)
2) Connect to server.
3) Retrieve object space(including behaviour methods) from server
region.
4) Send the avatar information to server.
5) Retreive information about current avatars in region.
Navigation through server space.
1) Each object will have simple triggers for behaviour (i.e. proximity,
contact) or possibly continuous behaviour.
2) As the when the trigger is activated (by one client or another) a
message is sent to the server to signal activation of behaviour. The
server will then relay the information to all clients in the region to
tell them to execute the behaviour code. Alternatively, the server
informs clients of the other avatars in region and when they lsave and
the following could be used. However, from a network engineering point
of view with a number of avatars it will likely be better to send one
message to the server and let it broadcast the message.
3) Avatar-Avatar interaction. When an avatar enters a region its
description and behaviour is downloaded to the server which broadcasts
the data to all current clients and stores it for future clients. If
this is done as above the trigger information is sent to the other
client avatar object.
4) Lsaving region. The avatar informs the server in the region that it
is lsaving, and if it is entering a new region performs the steps to
connect to a new server. The client would empty its current
representation of avatars in the region space it is lsaving and likely
the region space itself(since behaviours would modify the region while
the avatar was outside the region). This would also free room for new
regions to load.
Opinions ?
--- Tim Lahey[email protected]