Authoritative multiplayer networking layer for a Bomberman student project, with dedicated server flow, explicit packet protocol, client prediction and correction, and built-in diagnostics.
Live documentation site: v4lkdev.github.io/BombermanMultiplayer
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This project extends a provided singleplayer Bomberman base in SDL2 with a client-server multiplayer architecture built on ENet.
The work focuses on four goals:
- add a clear authoritative networking model to an existing local game
- synchronise gameplay-relevant state across multiple clients
- keep runtime behaviour observable through logs, diagnostics, and test tooling
- document the system through clear architecture and design decisions
My contribution is the multiplayer and networking layer added around the provided singleplayer base.
This includes:
- designing and maintaining the shared protocol in
Net/NetCommon.h - implementing the dedicated server runtime and authoritative round flow
- building the client netcode for connection handling, prediction, correction, and recovery
- integrating authoritative state into the multiplayer gameplay scene
- adding diagnostics, testing hooks, and technical documentation
- Authoritative client-server architecture built on ENet
- Fixed-size packet protocol with explicit message ids, payload sizes, and channel assignments
- Lobby bootstrap flow from connect and ready state into synchronised match start
- Prediction and correction pipeline with replay-based recovery for the owning player
- Built-in diagnostics and telemetry for transport, correction, and runtime behaviour
ENet: lightweight UDP-based networking with channels and optional reliabilitySDL2: core client runtime for rendering, input, windowing, and timingSDL2_image: image loading for the clientSDL2_ttf: font and text rendering for the clientSDL2_mixer: audio playback for the clientspdlog: structured logging and runtime diagnosticsnlohmann/json: JSON output for diagnostics and tooling
The client sends gameplay intent, predicts local movement for responsiveness, and consumes authoritative updates from the server.
The server owns shared match state, processes accepted input on fixed ticks, and replicates snapshots, corrections, and reliable gameplay events back to connected clients.
The repository includes CMake presets for Linux debug and release builds, plus Windows MinGW cross-build presets. All other dependencies are vendored in third_party/.
# Linux debug configure
cmake --preset linux-debug
# Linux client
cmake --build --preset linux-client-debug
# Linux server
cmake --build --preset linux-server-debug# Run from the configured build directory
./build/linux-debug/Bomberman_Server
./build/linux-debug/BombermanFor Windows cross-builds, use the windows-debug or windows-release configure presets together with the matching client build preset:
cmake --preset windows-release
cmake --build --preset windows-client-release- no mid-match reconnect support
- no runtime seat reordering once players are in the lobby
- no server browser or larger matchmaking flow
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