Method and apparatus for partitioning virtual worlds using prioritized topic spaces in virtual world systems

Abstract

A method and system for hosting an online virtual world system on game engine servers, is provided. One implementation involves obtaining a map representing a virtual world in the game, partitioning the map into multiple partitions, and selecting a game engine server for each partition as responsible for executing the game for detected game entities in that partition, wherein the selection is based on load balancing between the game engine servers.

1 . A method for hosting an online virtual world system on game engine servers, comprising:
 obtaining a map representing a virtual world in the game;   partitioning the map into multiple partitions; and   selecting a game engine server for each partition as responsible for executing the game for detected game entities in that partition, wherein the selection is based on load balancing between the game engine servers.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further including performing dynamic load balancing among the servers. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  further including:
 determining a management grid for the map, the grid including multiple cells, wherein:
 partitioning the map further includes partitioning the map into multiple partitions, each partition corresponding to one or more grid cells; and 
 selecting a game engine server further includes selecting a game engine sever for each partition for executing the game for detected clients in each cell of the partition. 
   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein dynamic load balancing further includes selecting servers to balance the load on the servers based on the computational capacities and the geospatial relationships of the areas of responsibility. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  further including:
 for each cell, determining a unique topic name within a topic space of a publication and subscription framework, wherein the topics name may be used to publish data relevant for the cell to the framework, and wherein interested servers may subscribe to the topics in order to receive such data from the framework.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein dynamic load balancing further includes:
 dynamically changing the partitioning by publishing requests with the framework to the different servers, and dynamically adjusting responsibility for one or more cells between the servers for balancing the load therebetween.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein dynamic load balancing further includes:
 detecting a game entity is moving out of a current cell into a destination cell;   a first server responsible for the current cell publishing the game state information of the entity to the topic for the destination cell;   a second server responsible for the destination cell, having previously subscribed to the topics of all the cells it is responsible for, receiving from the framework the state of the moving entity as published by the first server; and   the second server resurrecting state information of the entity, as responsible for publishing future state change data for the entity;   thereby achieving dynamic load balancing between the first and second servers.   
   
   
       8 . A computer program product for hosting an online virtual world system on game engine servers, comprising a computer usable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform:
 partitioning a map representing a virtual world in the game, into multiple partitions; and   selecting a game engine server for each partition as responsible for executing the game for detected game entities in that partition, wherein the selection is based on load balancing between the game engine servers.   
   
   
       9 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the computer readable program when executed on the computer further causes the computer to further perform dynamic load balancing among the servers. 
   
   
       10 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the computer readable program when executed on the computer further causes the computer to further perform:
 determining a management grid for the map, the grid including multiple cells, wherein:
 partitioning the map further includes partitioning the map into multiple partitions, each partition corresponding to one or more grid cells; and 
 selecting a game engine server further includes selecting a game engine sever for each partition for executing the game for detected clients in each cell of the partition. 
   
   
   
       11 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein the computer readable program when executed on the computer further causes the computer to further perform dynamic load balancing by selecting servers to balance the load on the servers based computational capacities and the geospatial relationships of the areas of responsibility. 
   
   
       12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the computer readable program when executed on the computer further causes the computer to further perform:
 for each cell, determining a unique topic name within a topic space of a publication and subscription framework, wherein the topics name may be used to publish data relevant for the cell to the framework, and wherein interested servers may subscribe to the topics in order to receive such data from the framework.   
   
   
       13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the computer readable program when executed on the computer further causes the computer to further perform dynamic load balancing by dynamically changing the partitioning by publishing requests with the framework to the different servers, and dynamically adjusting responsibility for one or more cells between the servers for balancing the load therebetween. 
   
   
       14 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the computer readable program when executed on the computer further causes the computer to further perform:
 detecting a game entity is moving out of a current cell into a destination cell;   for a first server responsible for the current cell, publishing the game state information of the entity to the topic for the destination cell;   for a second server responsible for the destination cell, having previously subscribed to the topics of all the cells it is responsible for, receiving from the framework the state of the moving entity as published by the first server; and   for the second server, resurrecting state information of the entity, as responsible for publishing future state change data for the entity;   thereby achieving dynamic load balancing between the first and second servers.   
   
   
       15 . A system for hosting an online virtual world game, comprising:
 a manager including a partitioner configured for partitioning a map representing a virtual world in the game into multiple partitions; and   a load balancer configured for selecting a game engine server for each partition as responsible for executing the game for detected game entities in that partition, wherein the selection is based on load balancing between the game engine servers.   
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the load balancer is further configured for performing dynamic load balancing among the servers. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the partitioner is further configured for determining a management grid for the map, the grid including multiple cells, wherein partitioning the map further includes partitioning the map into multiple partitions, each partition corresponding to one or more grid cells, and the load balancer is further configured for selecting a game engine sever for each partition for executing the game for detected clients in each cell of the partition. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the load balancer is further configured for dynamic load balancing by selecting servers to balance the load on the servers based on computational capacities and the geospatial relationships of the areas of responsibility. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the partitioner is further configured for determining a unique topic name for each cell, within a topic space of a publication and subscription framework, wherein the topics name may be used to publish data relevant for the cell to the framework, and wherein interested servers may subscribe to the topics in order to receive such data from the framework. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the load balancer is further configured for dynamically changing the partitioning by publishing requests with the framework to the different servers, and dynamically adjusting responsibility for one or more cells between the servers for balancing the load therebetween. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the load balancer includes distributed modules for dynamic load balancing by:
 detecting a game entity is moving out of a current cell into a destination cell;   a first server responsible for the current cell publishing the game state information of the entity to the topic for the destination cell;   a second server responsible for the destination cell, having previously subscribed to the topics of all the cells it is responsible for, receiving from the framework the state of the moving entity as published by the first server; and   the second server resurrecting state information of the entity, as responsible for publishing future state change data for the entity;   thereby achieving dynamic load balancing between the first and second servers.