GBLT-VG for high user densities by user group behavior and hot point in MMO virtual environment

Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games have large-scale virtual environments. Here, we propose a load distribution technique called the Group Based Load-distribution Technique with Virtual Group (GBLT-VG) that utilizes Peer-to-Peer (P2P) communication to maintain scalability under high user density conditions in MMO virtual environments. A common problem of P2P virtual environments is that user group behavior frequently generates high user density conditions. Existing techniques to manage the virtual environment cannot maintain performance in such high user density situations. The proposed technique, GBLTVG, reduces area management loads of manager peers by introducing a new manager who manages a user neighbor group. GBLT-VG forms the user neighbor group efficiently by using party function under high user density conditions caused by users' cooperative behaviors. In addition, GBLT-VG reduce the management load by using a virtual group when a number of parties is small, thereby decreasing the existing managers' loads dynamically. This paper also presents simulation results demonstrating how GBLT-VG can reduce the average number of users managed by the server.