Abstract: A video-game system includes a network, a plurality of user devices and a server each coupled to the network. The plurality of user devices are each configured to receive information corresponding to at least one user action for a respective user, to transmit the information corresponding to at least the one user action for the respective user using the network, to receive video-game content using the network and to display the video-game content. The server is configured to receive the information corresponding to at least the one user action for the respective user from one or more of the plurality of user devices and to transmit the video-game content. The server includes a memory storing a video game and a controller configured to execute the video game such that sets of users play the video game substantially simultaneously.

Abstract: A system and method of distributing information from a central source to network elements in a communications network. The central source or network manager is augmented by a distributor which maintains a record of all table entries or transactions originating at the central source. The distributor also maintains a dynamic record of all network elements including current status information and the last transaction successfully received thereby. Each table entry is assigned a transaction number (NextTN) which is incremented by one with each new transaction. The transaction last received by a network element is assigned a transaction number (LastTN) which is one less than NextTN. If an element has been temporarily out of service, upon its return to service its LastTN is compared with the source's current NextTN and if the difference is greater than one, the entries are update sequentially beginning with the table entry following its LastTN.