Yahn Bernier on Half Life Netcode

One of the hot topics in the world of on-line games in recient times surrounds Valve's desision to test the netcode for Team Fortress 2 with the latest Half Life patch. Half Life, and its various modifacications is by some way indeed the biggest game in the internet. Even on an average night the Team Fortress 1.5 and Counter Strike mods combined have more players playing than most other games combined. The fact that everyone knew this, and players generally play for several hours at a time, on every platform, with every type of net connection gives Valve a perfect testing platform for their next title. GameSurge have sat down with Yahn Bernier, senior software engineer, and mister netcode at Valve.

There have been 100's of posts in bulletin boards, and several high profile editorals on big gaming sites on the subject of the netcode. Some people think that it has spoiled the fun, and just plain 'broke' Half Life. The industry and the community would not be what is is without the other people who think the netcode is the best thing since sliced bread. One of the most hotly contested debates is that the new netcode only caters to high-ping, slower players, while causing low-ping players to have a disadvantage, Yahn responds, "when a high pinger fires, lag compensation might move a low pinger backward in time and let that player be hit where he or she otherwise wouldn't have been hit. However, the much more likely scenario is that the low pinger will see the high pinger, press fire, and his or her fire message will get to the server well ahead of the high pinger." In a debate set to run and run, its well worth getting up to speed on the issues by checking out what valve have to say.