One option is to only send player inputs across the network. This can take one of two forms:
- Dumb terminal model: Clients send inputs to a server running the simulation; server sends back rendered state data. Clients act purely as frontends.
- Deterministic lockstep: Peers exchange inputs with each other, then each runs the simulation locally in sync.
Advantages:
- Minimal bandwidth use, as only small input data is sent.
- Simulation complexity is limited by each client’s compute, not network.