NetSprocket provides high-performance data transmission between players that is simple to implement, allowing you to concentrate on the information you need to communicate between players rather than on the low-level details of networking. The high-level networking functionality makes message routing transparent to the application and lets you specify best-effort or guaranteed message delivery depending on your needs. The protocol-independent model supports multiple transport protocols, such as AppleTalk, TCP/IP, and serial interfaces, based on Open Transport. The TCP/IP protocol allows game play across the Internet. NetSprocket also provides fault-tolerance—a critical component of any network game architecture. NetSprocket automatically adjusts to the disappearance of a player due to game application crashes or network failure. You can use NetSprocket’s human interface for hosting and joining games or you can develop your own, using NetSprocket as a model. Also, NetSprocket automatically keeps track as players join or leave a game, updating its routing information and informing the other players of changes to the list of game participants.
