JDH I know this is going to be unpopular (at the moment) but because we're aiming to create "the best" whatever we choose then would we be better off assuming a higher data rate connection with low latency? I'm not saying this to alienate our current modem-impaired team members but rather I'm trying to decide whether we can do what we want to do with low bandwidth unreliable connections. (OK, I've put my asbestos underwear on - flame away ...)

Istvan I think it's unwise to design a game assuming broadband connectivity among the user base. My impression is that, although broadband rollout is steadily happening in many metro areas, the combination of availability limitations and expense still means most potential game players don't have DSL, cable, or other reliable high-speed connections. That's all based on a sense of the climate stateside - I have no clue how widespread faster connectivity is in Europe. Regrettably, I fear we'd be wiser to design assuming the baseline user has a 56K dialup. It may be quite a few years before this demographic shifts.

JDH I realize that it might not be the best marketing decision in the current climate. However one of the things we want to do is produce the best game and that might require more than 56K dialup. Furthermore I believe we will be initially adopting a "it will be ready when it's ready" style of schedule. Taking those two things into account may mean that we might decide to take advantage of a better level of connectivity.

DWM I agree with John's reasoning. (Ain't that a surprise, given that I'm curently damned to modem hell?) However, it makes sense to design the game for bandwidth parsimony and adaptability in any case. If the game is unplayable via modem from the get-go, even broadband users will probably have problems when the Internet is having a bad day. I say keep it playable by modem as long as possible; if that becomes no longer possible due to increasing game complexity and richness, then stop and evaluate the state of the Internet, the connectivity market trends, and the how far we are from rollout. The problems caused by a congested Internet vs. a modem bottleneck are not identical in all particulars, but there are similarities.