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Features
Multiple platform support
- Windows 98, ME, NT, XP
- Linux on x86
- Mac OS X
Robust connection architecture
- UDP based delivery notification connection protocol
- Two-phase connect for prevention of IP spoofing attacks
- Client-puzzle system for server CPU depletion Denial of Service protection
- ECC key exchange and certificate authentication
- AES symmetric encryption with SHA-256 message authentication
- Efficient packet streaming architecture for consistent bandwidth utilization
Multiple levels of data guarantee
- Reliable, ordered - data will arrive, and will be delivered in the order it was sent
- Reliable, unordered - data will arrive, and will be delivered as soon as it is received
- Unreliable - data is not guaranteed to arrive
- Most Recent State with prioritization - most recent state of an object will be reflected on a client, updated according to priority
- Guaranteed Quickest - data is sent with every packet until its delivery is confirmed
Bit-level compression using the BitStream class for optimal bandwidth utilization
- Specific bit length encoding for simple data types (floats, integers)
- 3D point compression based on maximum error tolerance from reference point
- Huffman encoded strings and common substring skipping
Server Object replication (ghosting) and management
- Objects can be cloned from server to client
- User code has complete control over scoping policy (which objects get replicated)
- Prioritization of updates can be specified on a per-object basis
- Support for up to 32 orthogonal state categories per object
- Automatic class registration and remote instantiation
Simple and efficient event and RPC (remote procedure call) framework
- RPC methods declared using simple macros
- RPC parameter lists can contain simple data types, as well as vectors
- RPC´s can be invoked on connection instances as well as ghosted objects
- Generic network event class for data not suited to RPCs
Extensible master server framework
- Supports filtering of game servers on several criteria
- Acts as a matchmaker, and can facilitate a direct connection between hosts behind firewalls and NATs
- Easily extended to particular game needs
- RPC versioning feature makes exposing new interfaces easy while maintaining backward compatibility
Documentation, tutorials and example code, and full library source code
- Extensive API and usage documentation covering all members of every class in the library
- Simple "Hello, World" client/server example
- Example master server and client test program
- Graphical TNLTest example that demonstrates the higher level features of the TNL
- Full client/server team based space shooter ZAP
Proven successful technology
- Iterative improvement of core technology over the last 7 years
- Dozens of shipped titles, including the internet hits Starsiege: TRIBES and Tribes 2
- Award-winning network play
Support
- Free updates and bug fixes via SourceForge CVS
- Developer mailing list and forums for questions
- Email and telephone support packages are available on an annual contract basis
System Requirements
Windows 95/98/SE/ME/2000/XP
Pentium II 300, 64 MB RAM
Supported Compilers: Microsoft VC++ 6.0 Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003
OpenGL capable graphics card required for graphical examples.
MAC OS-X
G3 +, 64 MB RAM
Supported Compilers: XCode
OpenGL capable graphics card required for graphical examples.
Linux
Pentium 500, 128 MB RAM
glibc 2.2 or newer (e.g.: Redhat 7.x+, Mandrake 8.x+, Debian 3.0+)
Supported Compilers: GNU make and g++ (version 2 or 3)
OpenGL capable graphics card required for graphical examples.