What network architecture does D3 use?
D3 is based around a Client/Server architecture. This means there is always a server of some kind, whether a dedicated server or a listen server. A listen server is a hosted game, where the client is running on top of the server on a single computer. D3 offers a number of variations. A Dedicated C/S game is one where a computer acts as a dedicated server for all clients. The server is used to determine the action of the game, such as whether a shot hit another client, a door opened, etc. In simple terms, this model will offer the best game play. Since the client talks to the server rather than the other players, a player’s ping (lag) is constant to all other players. A Hosted C/S (a listen server) acts the same as a dedicated server. The main difference being that the computer hosting the game will have zero ping to the server. On a LAN (Local Area Network) this is not important. In an online game this can offer a substantial advantage to the Hosting Client. The ping or lag to all othe
