User:Jamestheprogrammer/RakNet
Incomplete Article
This information should not yet be considered accurate or reliable.
About RakNet
RakNet is a cross-platform, open-source, object-oriented networking library for C++ created by RakkarSoft. It is specialized for game development, and is available under three different licenses. It uses UDP for network communications, and supports Client/Server and P2P systems. Anyone can obtain a copy of RakNet under the GNU General Public License for free. However, linking it into your own source code, even with a static library or a DLL, would force your source code to be released under the GNU GPL, you can apply for a free Shareware or Commercial license. It is a very easy process to obtain a license. Simply fill out an easy-to-find form on the RakkarSoft website, and you'll probably receive a license sometime during the next few weeks.
Advantages Over DirectPlay
RakNet has many advantages over Microsoft's DirectPlay, the largest two being that RakNet is open-source, and that RakNet is cross-platform. However, it has a much nicer API as well. It generally takes less than an hour to integrate RakNet into a project. All you have to do is use the RakNetworkFactory class to create a RakServerInterface object in your server application, and a RakClientInterface object in your client application. If you want to use P2P, use RakPeerInterface.