Thursday, January 3, 2013

Adam Urbano: NetherRealm has spent two years on netcode for Injustice: Gods Among Us

A fighting game with loads of content is impressive, but it means nothing to online enthusiasts if the netcode is poor. NetherRealm's Adam Urbano says two years worth of effort has been put into delivering a solid online experience for Injustice: Gods Among Us.

The thought of having a fighting game with DC Comics heroes and villains is one to make you drool. Seeing the likes of Batman, Flash, Nightwing, Green Lantern, and more will surely excite future consumers. It's all for nothing, however, to online goers if the netcode isn't stable.

When it comes to a fighting game, competitiveness runs high. When an Arcade isn't open in town, gamers are going to take their skills in online match-ups. Unfortunately for NetherRealm's last fighter, Mortal Kombat 9 (MK9), that was an Achilles heel. The netcode was sub-par at best.

The question for Injustice: Gods Among Us is, can the game deliver in the online aspect? NetherRealm's senior producer Adam Urbano believes the amount of time they've put into the netcode will be beneficial. Two years to be exact (via NowGamer).

"We also paid a lot of attention to the things we know we need to improve. We weren’t happy with how we handled 'compatibility packs' for DLC play, so we have a whole new system that ensures all players get the content they need. We also spent two years focused on netplay, realizing that nothing matters more for network play than launching with solid, great fundamental netcode."

Time will tell if the hard work Urbano says his team put into online play will pay off. MK9 was plagued by dropped connections and severe lag. If Gods Among Us experiences those same issues, it will truly be an Injustice.