Grapple (network layer)

Grapple is a free software package for adding multiplayer support to computer games and applications. It uses Internet protocols, supporting both TCP/IP and UDP/IP. It is intended to be simple enough that multiplayer features can be added to a game "as little as a dozen lines of code",^[1] but also offers advanced features if desired.

Grapple takes care of creating, monitoring and closing connections to a server, and supports multiple servers. It is a message-oriented system, with clients and servers each having a message queue; it can also relay messages from client to client. It also provides a fully functional lobby system.^[2]

The package was created in 2006 by Michael Simms of Linux Game Publishing. It is released under the GNU LGPL.

The features grapple supports at this time is:

• Simple client-server networking
• Keeps all clients aware of all other clients
• Network messaging by either a push or a pull model, or a mixture of both
• Unlimited connections to multiple servers.
• Multiple methods of querying users
• Data transfer via TCP, UDP, or reliable UDP
• Passworded servers
• User Groups for client bandwidth saving
• Server security - server can disconnect any client
• Network load reacting data transmission and retransmission
• Background pinging to monitor network states
• A fully functional lobby system
• Server failover
• NAT traversal using STUN

• Ballistics (Linux Version) by Linux Game Publishing
• Candy Cruncher (Linux Version) by Linux Game Publishing
• Jets'n'Guns (Linux Version) by Linux Game Publishing
• Knights and Merchants (Linux Version) by Linux Game Publishing
• Majesty: Gold Edition (Linux Version) by Linux Game Publishing
• Sacred: Gold (Linux Version) by Linux Game Publishing

• PenguinPlay, Multiplayer matchmaker for games.

• Grapple website
• Linux Game Publishing's website
• Grapple Freshmeat website

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