Detecting Synchronisation Problems in Networked Lockstep Games

Sammanfattning: The complexity associated with development of networked video games creates a need for tools for verifying a consistent player experience. Some networked games achieve consistency through the lockstep protocol, which requires identical execution of sent commands for players to stay synchronised. In this project a method for testing networked multiplayer lockstep games for synchronisation problems related to nondeterministic behaviour is formulated and evaluated. An integrated fuzzing AI is constructed which tries to cause desynchronisation in the tested game and generate data for analysis using log files. Scripts are used for performing semi-automated test runs and parsing the data. The results show that the test system has potential for finding synchronisation problems if the fuzzing AI is used in conjunction with the regular AI in the tested game, but not for finding the origins of said problems.