Multiplayer Game Development with Unreal Engine 5: Create compelling multiplayer games with C++, Blueprints, and Unreal Engine's networking features

Cover....1 Title Page....2 Copyright and Credits....3 Dedications....4 Contributors....5 Table of Contents....8 Preface....16 Part 1: Introducing Multiplayer Games....22 Chapter 1: Getting Started with Multiplayer Game Development....24 Technical requirements....24 Pre-requisite knowledge....25 Hardware requirements....25 Software requirements....26 Introducing multiplayer games....29 Becoming a network programmer in video games....30 Understanding multiplayer game categories....31 First-person shooters....31 Third-person shooters....31 Real-time strategy....31 Massively multiplayer online role-playing games....32 Multi-user dungeons....32 Multiplayer online battle arena....32 Reviewing gameplay twists....33 Asymmetrical gameplay....33 Hide-and-seek gameplay....33 Asynchronous gameplay....34 Is multiplayer technology just for games?....34 Cinematography....34 Architecture....35 Education....35 Unreal’s Collab Viewer template....35 Summary....37 Chapter 2: Understanding Networking Basics....38 Technical requirements....38 What is computer networking?....38 Types of computer networks....39 Local Area Networks....40 Wide Area Networks....41 Virtual Private Networks....42 Introducing network protocols....42 Packet switching....43 TCP/IP suite....44 Understanding network issues....46 Security....47 Packet loss....47 Latency....47 Introducing the Unreal Engine multiplayer system....47 Network modes and server types....48 The replication system....48 Network role....49 Pawns and PlayerControllers....49 Relevance and priority....49 Remote Procedure Calls....50 Summary....50 Credits....50 Chapter 3: Testing the Multiplayer System with a Project Prototype....52 Technical requirements....52 Creating a multiplayer game prototype....53 Setting up the project from a template....53 Adding Quixel Megascans....54 Modifying the Player Controller....58 Testing a multiplayer game locally....59 Playing as a Listen Server....59 Updating over the network....61 Adding additional character spawn points....62 Updating properties over the network....64 Creating the pickup Blueprint....64 Adding pickup variants....67 Adding a points counter to the character....69 Executing functions over the network....72 Spawning Actors....72 Skinning characters....76 Testing the game....79 Summary....80 Part 2: Networking and Multiplayer Games in Unreal Engine....82 Chapter 4: Setting Up Your First Multiplayer Environment....84 Technical requirements....84 Introducing Unreal Shadows – Legacy of the Lichlord....85 Explaining the project brief....85 Starting the project....86 Understanding C++ in Unreal Engine....87 Blueprints and C++....88 Understanding C++ classes....88 Anatomy of a UE C++ header....90 The Unreal Engine Reflection System....91 Memory management and garbage collection....92 Starting your Unreal multiplayer project....92 Creating your project file....93 Creating the project game instance....94 Creating the Game Mode and the Game State....98 Adding the player classes....99 Compiling your source code....100 Creating the Character Blueprint Class....101 Adding the Player classes to the Game Mode....101 Summary....103 Chapter 5: Managing Actors in a Multiplayer Environment....104 Technical requirements....104 Setting up the character....105 Adding basic settings to the character....105 Adding interaction to the character....110 Importing the Enhanced Input Module....118 Adding user interaction to the character....118 Testing the character’s movement....124 Controlling the connection of an Actor....124 Understanding Actor relevancy....126 Understanding relevancy....126 Testing relevancy....127 Testing the relevancy settings....132 Introducing authority....135 Controlling authority with the Role and Remote Role properties of an Actor....135 Autonomous and simulated proxy....136 Summary....136 Chapter 6: Replicating Properties Over the Network....138 Technical requirements....139 Adding character stats....139 Creating the stats structure....139 Creating a stats data table....141 Reading the data table from the character....144 Adding the data table to the character....146 Understanding property replication....147 Enabling property replication....147 Referencing Actors and components over the network....148 Handling character level-ups....149 Planning ahead....150 Declaring PlayerState properties and functions....150 Implementing the PlayerState logic....152 Adding coin pickups to the level....154 Adding a HUD to the game....157 Creating the Widget Blueprint....157 Adding code logic to the Widget Blueprint....158 Adding the HUD to the character....163 Testing the game....164 Summary....165 Chapter 7: Using Remote Procedure Calls (RPCs)....166 Technical requirements....166 Understanding what an RPC is....167 Reliability of an RPC....168 Validating RPCs....168 Executing RPCs over the network....169 Calling a function on the server....170 Implementing a door system....172 Creating the Interactable interface....172 Implementing the interact action....174 Creating the door Blueprint....177 Testing the interact action....180 Summary....181 Part 3: Improving Your Game....182 Chapter 8: Introducing AI into a Multiplayer Environment....184 Technical requirements....184 Setting up the AI system....185 Creating an AI opponent....186 Adding the navigation module....187 Creating the minion class....187 Implementing the minions’ behaviors....189 Adding opponents to the level....195 Creating a spawner class....196 Testing the spawner....198 Summary....200 Chapter 9: Extending AI Behaviors....202 Technical requirements....202 Making AI opponents more challenging....203 Making some noise....203 Enabling the hearing sense....204 Testing the hearing sense....206 Implementing an alert system....207 Declaring the Game Mode functions....207 Making the AI send alert messages....208 Adding health to the AI....210 Adding a weapon system to the character....212 Creating a dagger projectile....212 Implementing the weapon component....215 Attaching the WeaponProjectile component to the character....219 Adding an input system for the weapon....220 Testing the weapon system....223 Creating AI variations....224 Creating an AI sentinel....225 Creating an AI miniboss....228 Updating the minion spawner....230 Summary....232 Chapter 10: Enhancing the Player Experience....234 Technical requirements....235 Animating the character....235 Creating the animation assets....235 Adding the Animation System to the character....243 Adding the throw animation....245 Adding NPC Actors....247 Creating the NPC character....248 Testing the NPC Actor....252 Making further improvements to the game....253 Let’s make some noise!....253 I need a key!....254 Improve your arsenal, my hero!....254 You are not a machine gun....254 No time to waste....255 Tables, tables everywhere!....255 Need some help?....255 Summary....256 Chapter 11: Debugging a Multiplayer Game....258 Technical requirements....259 Introducing network debugging....259 Explaining game debugging....260 Introducing multiplayer options....260 Logging in a networked environment....262 Filtering the LogNet category....264 Creating a custom log category....265 Emulating a networked environment....267 Enabling network emulation....267 Testing the game with network emulation....271 Using the Network Profiler....273 Recording a profiling session....274 Analyzing a profiling session....275 Improving performance and bandwidth utilization....281 Turning on replication only when necessary....281 Avoiding invoking RPCs that are not required or essential....281 Distinguishing between reliable and unreliable RPCs....281 Validating data....282 Remembering that the GameMode exists only on the server....282 Using a naming convention for RPCs....282 Summary....283 Part 4: Deploying Your Game Online....284 Chapter 12: Managing Multiplayer Sessions....286 Technical requirements....286 Understanding game sessions....287 Introducing the Online Subsystem....287 Understanding session commands....288 Understanding connection errors....289 Preparing a project game session....290 Creating a session....291 Adding the visual elements....292 Implementing the Visual Scripting logic....295 Joining a session....298 Creating the SessionItemRenderer widget....298 Creating the FindSessions widget....303 Creating the Main Menu widget....314 Summary....315 Chapter 13: Handling Data During a Session....316 Technical requirements....317 Creating the main menu level....317 Creating the Pawn....317 Creating the GameMode....319 Creating the level....320 Testing the session system....321 Handling data during a session....322 Updating the US_GameInstance class....323 Adding the CharacterSkins data....323 Updating the US_MainMenuPawn class....326 Updating the BP_MainMenuPawn Blueprint....328 Updating the US_Character class....329 Updating the BP_Character Blueprint....332 Making further improvements....334 Leaving and destroying sessions....334 Handling player death....334 Selecting the player skin....334 Summary....335 Chapter 14: Deploying Multiplayer Games....336 Technical requirements....336 Going online for real....336 Compiling the Unreal Engine....338 Downloading the Unreal Engine source project....338 Compiling from the source code....341 Setting up a dedicated server....350 Creating the project....350 Building the project solution....351 Building the dedicated server....354 Testing the project....357 Summary....359 Chapter 15: Adding Epic Online Services (EOS)....360 Technical requirements....360 Introducing EOS....361 Accessing the Developer Portal....362 Accessing the Epic Games Developer Portal....362 Creating a Product....364 Configuring the Product services....366 Getting started with the EOS SDK....375 Downloading the EOS SDK....375 Integrating the system into your game....377 Summary....379 Index....380 Other Books You May Enjoy....391