Server-Authoritative Tick System
Server-side tick system with lag compensation for fair multiplayer gameplay.
When to Use This Skill
- Building real-time multiplayer games
- Need to prevent cheating (speed hacks, teleports, aimbots)
- Want fair hit detection despite network latency
- Require deterministic physics simulation
Core Concepts
Client-authoritative multiplayer is trivially exploitable. Server-authoritative feels laggy without lag compensation. The solution:
- Fixed tick rate (60Hz) for deterministic physics
- Input validation with violation tracking and decay
- Position history for lag compensation (200ms window)
- Reduced broadcast rate (20Hz) to save bandwidth
Implementation
Python
from dataclasses import dataclass, field
from collections import deque
from typing import Dict, Optional, Tuple, Callable, Awaitable
from enum import Enum
import asyncio
import time
import math
class ViolationType(str, Enum):
SPEED_HACK = "speed_hack"
TELEPORT = "teleport"
INVALID_ACTION = "invalid_action"
@dataclass(frozen=True)
class TickConfig:
rate_hz: int = 60
broadcast_divisor: int = 3 # 60/3 = 20Hz broadcast
max_speed: float = 300.0 # Units per second
teleport_threshold: float = 100.0
max_rewind_ms: int = 200
violation_threshold: int = 10
decay_per_second: float = 1.0
@property
def interval_ms(self) -> float:
return 1000.0 / self.rate_hz
def max_distance_per_tick(self) -> float:
return self.max_speed / self.rate_hz
@dataclass
class PlayerInput:
player_id: str
tick: int
dx: float = 0.0
dy: float = 0.0
timestamp_ms: float = 0.0
@dataclass
class PositionSnapshot:
x: float
y: float
tick: int
timestamp_ms: float
@dataclass
class PlayerState:
player_id: str
x: float = 0.0
y: float = 0.0
health: int = 100
last_valid_position: Tuple[float, float] = (0.0, 0.0)
violations: float = 0.0
position_history: deque = field(default_factory=lambda: deque(maxlen=15))
def record_position(self, tick: int, timestamp_ms: float) -> None:
self.position_history.append(PositionSnapshot(
x=self.x, y=self.y, tick=tick, timestamp_ms=timestamp_ms
))
@dataclass
class GameState:
game_id: str
tick: int = 0
players: Dict[str, PlayerState] = field(default_factory=dict)
running: bool = False
start_time_ms: float = 0.0
class InputValidator:
"""Validates player inputs for anti-cheat."""
def __init__(self, config: TickConfig):
self._config = config
def validate_movement(
self, player: PlayerState, input: PlayerInput
) -> Tuple[bool, Optional[ViolationType]]:
distance = math.sqrt(input.dx ** 2 + input.dy ** 2)
max_distance = self._config.max_distance_per_tick()
# 50% tolerance for network jitter
if distance > max_distance * 1.5:
return False, ViolationType.SPEED_HACK
# Check for teleport
new_x = player.x + input.dx
new_y = player.y + input.dy
last_x, last_y = player.last_valid_position
jump_distance = math.sqrt((new_x - last_x) ** 2 + (new_y - last_y) ** 2)
if jump_distance > self._config.teleport_threshold:
return False, ViolationType.TELEPORT
return True, None
def apply_violation(self, player: PlayerState) -> Tuple[bool, bool]:
player.violations += 1.0
should_warn = player.violations >= self._config.violation_threshold * 0.5
should_kick = player.violations >= self._config.violation_threshold
return should_warn, should_kick
def decay_violations(self, player: PlayerState, delta_seconds: float) -> None:
decay = self._config.decay_per_second * delta_seconds
player.violations = max(0.0, player.violations - decay)
class LagCompensator:
"""Lag compensation for fair hit detection."""
def __init__(self, config: TickConfig):
self._config = config
def get_position_at_time(
self, player: PlayerState, target_time_ms: float, current_time_ms: float
) -> Tuple[float, float]:
# Clamp rewind to max window
rewind_ms = current_time_ms - target_time_ms
if rewind_ms > self._config.max_rewind_ms:
target_time_ms = current_time_ms - self._config.max_rewind_ms
if not player.position_history:
return player.x, player.y
# Find surrounding snapshots
before: Optional[PositionSnapshot] = None
after: Optional[PositionSnapshot] = None
for snapshot in player.position_history:
if snapshot.timestamp_ms <= target_time_ms:
before = snapshot
elif after is None:
after = snapshot
break
if before is None:
oldest = player.position_history[0]
return oldest.x, oldest.y
if after is None:
return before.x, before.y
# Interpolate between snapshots
time_range = after.timestamp_ms - before.timestamp_ms
if time_range <= 0:
return before.x, before.y
t = max(0.0, min(1.0, (target_time_ms - before.timestamp_ms) / time_range))
x = before.x + (after.x - before.x) * t
y = before.y + (after.y - before.y) * t
return x, y
def check_hit(
self, shooter: PlayerState, target: PlayerState,
shot_time_ms: float, current_time_ms: float, hit_radius: float = 20.0
) -> Tuple[bool, Tuple[float, float]]:
target_x, target_y = self.get_position_at_time(target, shot_time_ms, current_time_ms)
distance = math.sqrt((shooter.x - target_x) ** 2 + (shooter.y - target_y) ** 2)
return distance <= hit_radius, (target_x, target_y)
class TickSystem:
"""Server-authoritative tick system."""
def __init__(self, config: TickConfig = None):
self._config = config or TickConfig()
self._games: Dict[str, GameState] = {}
self._tasks: Dict[str, asyncio.Task] = {}
self._validator = InputValidator(self._config)
self._lag_comp = LagCompensator(self._config)
self._broadcast_callback: Optional[Callable[[str, dict], Awaitable[None]]] = None
self._kick_callback: Optional[Callable[[str, str, str], Awaitable[None]]] = None
def set_broadcast_callback(self, callback: Callable[[str, dict], Awaitable[None]]) -> None:
self._broadcast_callback = callback
def set_kick_callback(self, callback: Callable[[str, str, str], Awaitable[None]]) -> None:
self._kick_callback = callback
def create_game(
self, game_id: str, player1_id: str, player2_id: str,
spawn1: Tuple[float, float] = (100, 300),
spawn2: Tuple[float, float] = (700, 300)
) -> GameState:
game = GameState(game_id=game_id)
game.players[player1_id] = PlayerState(
player_id=player1_id, x=spawn1[0], y=spawn1[1], last_valid_position=spawn1
)
game.players[player2_id] = PlayerState(
player_id=player2_id, x=spawn2[0], y=spawn2[1], last_valid_position=spawn2
)
self._games[game_id] = game
return game
async def start_game(self, game_id: str) -> None:
game = self._games.get(game_id)
if not game:
raise ValueError(f"Game {game_id} not found")
game.running = True
game.start_time_ms = time.time() * 1000
self._tasks[game_id] = asyncio.create_task(self._tick_loop(game_id))
async def stop_game(self, game_id: str) -> None:
game = self._games.get(game_id)
if game:
game.running = False
task = self._tasks.pop(game_id, None)
if task:
task.cancel()
try:
await task
except asyncio.CancelledError:
pass
self._games.pop(game_id, None)
async def process_input(self, game_id: str, input: PlayerInput) -> bool:
game = self._games.get(game_id)
if not game or not game.running:
return False
player = game.players.get(input.player_id)
if not player:
return False
valid, violation = self._validator.validate_movement(player, input)
if not valid and violation:
_, should_kick = self._validator.apply_violation(player)
if should_kick and self._kick_callback:
await self._kick_callback(game_id, input.player_id, f"Anti-cheat: {violation.value}")
return False
player.x += input.dx
player.y += input.dy
player.last_valid_position = (player.x, player.y)
return True
async def _tick_loop(self, game_id: str) -> None:
game = self._games.get(game_id)
if not game:
return
interval = self._config.interval_ms / 1000.0
last_time = time.time()
while game.running:
tick_start = time.time()
delta = tick_start - last_time
last_time = tick_start
await self._tick(game, delta)
if game.tick % self._config.broadcast_divisor == 0:
await self._broadcast_state(game)
game.tick += 1
elapsed = time.time() - tick_start
sleep_time = max(0, interval - elapsed)
if sleep_time > 0:
await asyncio.sleep(sleep_time)
async def _tick(self, game: GameState, delta: float) -> None:
current_time_ms = time.time() * 1000
for player in game.players.values():
self._validator.decay_violations(player, delta)
player.record_position(game.tick, current_time_ms)
async def _broadcast_state(self, game: GameState) -> None:
if not self._broadcast_callback:
return
state = {
"type": "game_state",
"tick": game.tick,
"players": {
pid: {"x": p.x, "y": p.y, "health": p.health}
for pid, p in game.players.items()
}
}
await self._broadcast_callback(game.game_id, state)TypeScript
enum ViolationType {
SPEED_HACK = 'speed_hack',
TELEPORT = 'teleport',
INVALID_ACTION = 'invalid_action',
}
interface TickConfig {
rateHz: number;
broadcastDivisor: number;
maxSpeed: number;
teleportThreshold: number;
maxRewindMs: number;
violationThreshold: number;
decayPerSecond: number;
}
const DEFAULT_CONFIG: TickConfig = {
rateHz: 60,
broadcastDivisor: 3,
maxSpeed: 300,
teleportThreshold: 100,
maxRewindMs: 200,
violationThreshold: 10,
decayPerSecond: 1.0,
};
interface PositionSnapshot {
x: number;
y: number;
tick: number;
timestampMs: number;
}
interface PlayerState {
playerId: string;
x: number;
y: number;
health: number;
lastValidPosition: [number, number];
violations: number;
positionHistory: PositionSnapshot[];
}
class TickSystem {
private config: TickConfig;
private games = new Map<string, GameState>();
private intervals = new Map<string, NodeJS.Timeout>();
constructor(config: Partial<TickConfig> = {}) {
this.config = { ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, ...config };
}
createGame(gameId: string, player1Id: string, player2Id: string): GameState {
const game: GameState = {
gameId,
tick: 0,
players: new Map([
[player1Id, this.createPlayer(player1Id, 100, 300)],
[player2Id, this.createPlayer(player2Id, 700, 300)],
]),
running: false,
};
this.games.set(gameId, game);
return game;
}
private createPlayer(id: string, x: number, y: number): PlayerState {
return {
playerId: id,
x, y,
health: 100,
lastValidPosition: [x, y],
violations: 0,
positionHistory: [],
};
}
processInput(gameId: string, input: PlayerInput): boolean {
const game = this.games.get(gameId);
if (!game?.running) return false;
const player = game.players.get(input.playerId);
if (!player) return false;
const distance = Math.sqrt(input.dx ** 2 + input.dy ** 2);
const maxDistance = this.config.maxSpeed / this.config.rateHz;
if (distance > maxDistance * 1.5) {
player.violations += 1;
return false;
}
player.x += input.dx;
player.y += input.dy;
player.lastValidPosition = [player.x, player.y];
return true;
}
getPositionAtTime(player: PlayerState, targetTimeMs: number, currentTimeMs: number): [number, number] {
const rewindMs = Math.min(currentTimeMs - targetTimeMs, this.config.maxRewindMs);
const clampedTargetTime = currentTimeMs - rewindMs;
if (player.positionHistory.length === 0) {
return [player.x, player.y];
}
let before: PositionSnapshot | null = null;
let after: PositionSnapshot | null = null;
for (const snapshot of player.positionHistory) {
if (snapshot.timestampMs <= clampedTargetTime) {
before = snapshot;
} else if (!after) {
after = snapshot;
break;
}
}
if (!before) return [player.positionHistory[0].x, player.positionHistory[0].y];
if (!after) return [before.x, before.y];
const t = Math.max(0, Math.min(1,
(clampedTargetTime - before.timestampMs) / (after.timestampMs - before.timestampMs)
));
return [
before.x + (after.x - before.x) * t,
before.y + (after.y - before.y) * t,
];
}
}Usage Examples
Game Setup
tick_system = TickSystem()
# Create game with two players
game = tick_system.create_game("match-123", "player-1", "player-2")
# Set up callbacks
tick_system.set_broadcast_callback(broadcast_to_players)
tick_system.set_kick_callback(kick_player)
# Start the game loop
await tick_system.start_game("match-123")Processing Player Input
# When receiving input from client
input = PlayerInput(
player_id="player-1",
tick=game.tick,
dx=5.0,
dy=2.0,
timestamp_ms=client_timestamp
)
valid = await tick_system.process_input("match-123", input)
if not valid:
# Input was rejected (possible cheat attempt)
passLag-Compensated Hit Detection
# When player fires a shot
shooter = game.players["player-1"]
target = game.players["player-2"]
hit, target_pos = tick_system._lag_comp.check_hit(
shooter=shooter,
target=target,
shot_time_ms=client_shot_timestamp,
current_time_ms=time.time() * 1000,
hit_radius=20.0
)
if hit:
target.health -= 25Best Practices
- Tune tick rate for your game - 30-60Hz is typical for action games
- Set broadcast rate lower than tick rate to save bandwidth
- Keep lag compensation window reasonable (100-200ms)
- Use violation decay to forgive occasional network hiccups
- Log all kicks with full context for review
- Test with simulated high latency
Common Mistakes
- Running physics at variable rate (causes non-determinism)
- No tolerance for network jitter (false positives)
- Lag compensation window too large (feels unfair to targets)
- Not decaying violations (kicks legitimate players)
- Broadcasting every tick (wastes bandwidth)
- Trusting client timestamps without bounds checking
Related Patterns
- websocket-management - Connection handling for game clients
- atomic-matchmaking - Creating matches before game starts
- graceful-shutdown - Draining games on server shutdown