GGPO - What is it, why is it better, and why don't fighting games use it?

[XxJosxX]

Hi,

I’ve seen a lot of talk about GGPO net code for fighting games over the years. Can anyone tell me what makes it so good, what it does that other net codes don’t?

(It’s net code right?)

And if it truly is the best for online fighting, why don’t all online fighting games use it? Does it have a ridiculously expensive license or something?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[MrMoon]

It is used in fighting games, Capcom has the license to ggpo netcode.
Games they used it for was final fight and they used a hacked up shitty version for HDR.

[Geese_Pants]

From GGPO.net

What is it?
GGPO is a networking library that game developers can use to add networked gameplay support to arcade style games. GGPO’s latency hiding techniques give each player a gameplay experience that is nearly indistinguishable from playing with their friends locally, even against players around the world.
How does it work?
GGPO uses a peer-to-peer topology to run a complete copy of your game for each player, transmitting controller inputs over the network to keep these copies in sync. Each player’s inputs are sent to their copy of the game without having to wait for their opponent’s to arrive over the network.

If the simulations diverge, GGPO rolls back to the most recent accurate state, corrects the mistake, and jumps back to the current frame, all before the player can notice. This provides the illusion of lag-free gameplay.

How does it perform?
Thousands of gamers are already using GGPO to play classic, old school fighting games against opponents around the world. GGPO’s latency hiding techniques maintain the illusion of lag-free gameplay even during intercontinental play.

As far as is it truly best for fighting games…it’s pretty damn good.

[XxJosxX]

It is used in fighting games, Capcom has the license to ggpo netcode.
Games they used it for was final fight and they used a hacked up shitty version for HDR.

So if capcom has the license…is there must be some reason they didnt use it in Sss4.

There must be some drawback if they didn’t use it (i’m guessing) ?

[Grog]

So if capcom has the license…is there must be some reason they didnt use it in Sss4.

There must be some drawback if they didn’t use it (i’m guessing) ?

They haven’t had it very long, I think they’re still testing with it perhaps and Final Fight is their pilot for it. I do remember Capcom saying that for SF4 the GGPO netcode would’ve taken too much of the game’s resources to be used practically, I imagine SSF4 is the same reasoning.

[Sleazoid]

Ono said that it isn’t possible to get GGPO code into the game because there’s not enough resources on the consoles

I’d imagine the same applies to SSFIV.

[XxJosxX]

Oh ok that makes sense.

Thanks for the info!

[MrMoon]

It would be great to seem them pilot an oldie like kof98 and super turbo 2

[prorook]

Third strike HD w/ggpo in 2011
calling it

[Kelter_Skelter]

If the point of GGPO is that it’s so simple because it only sends the inputs the gand oal of it is to reduce latency… then why would it be too much for the consoles to handle?

I hear a lot about how street fighter 4 can’t support good netcode because the game has too good of graphics but,Ii never see any hard facts explaing how 3d models make sending inputs harder to do.

[4r5]

I’d guess the proposal for ggpo came too late in to sf4’s development. It’d be like if I asked for a single floor house and they got half-way in to making it. And then I came back and was like “i change my mind, can we get a basement in there too?” and they’d be like “lol, no”

[d3v]

As mentioned, Capcom is just starting to use it now. So far, it seems that they’ll be using it for re-releases of old arcade games (FF:DI is after all, only running the ROMS of Final Fight and Magic Sword). For something like 3rd Strike, they’ll need to find a way to implement versus and and training modes while running the arcade ROM.