Dedicated server with Steam is a joke

Development Programming & Scripting C++
83

Thank god I finally got it :smiley: It works my server gets listed on the steam masterserver … Thanks a lot man!
Is there any way to find those dedicated sessions in unreal engine?
Because I can’t find the session over the client only over the steam server browser

84

Okey so I changed some things in AdvancedSessions and found the dedicated server sessions ( I share soon with you my version of advancedsessions ). How ever it seems that the server doesn’t update his player amount.

Advanced Sessions Dedicated Support:
https://github.com/FinalSparkGamestudios/AdvancedSessions-DedicatedSupport

There you go it is really really simple.

85

Great Wiki,

We’re also getting no updates on Player Amount

86

Hey CLBander, I ran into this post earlier today, for future problems that you find in my plugin I would appreciate it if you would bring it back as a bug report to the thread for it. I have corrected the FindSessions always using presence today but I was unaware that there was a problem. You shouldn’t need to upload a copy of my plugin to Git for a one or two line change, I am perfectly willing to patch it.

87

Hey I write you an private message what you could fix and even implement … Steam sessions are pretty tricky…
Yeah I only uploaded this for the threat. Sorry bro

88

I already fixed the dedicated searching, or at least it should be. I can’t test dedicated builds on my machines currently.

89

The problem is that you are not able to get the current players from the dedicated server

90

Does the pull request branch remain at 4.11.0? Thanks.

91

Now it’s 4.11.2

92

Will this be a part of official 4.12 release, so that the entire Steamworks functionality is exposed to Blueprints ?

93

If Epic merges my pull request, it will be.

94

I mean, did they contact you in any way to let you know if it’s acceptable code to be merged?
@epic: Is there any reason this wonderful patch isn’t even in 4.11.x ? Kinda quite critical functionality for indie devs if you ask them.

95

It doesn’t look like they merged your pull request. I don’t see it in any of the 4.12 previews. This really needs to be merged if there is to be more developers using dedicated servers with Steam like myself, unless the developer that is creating a Generic Online Subsystem plugin that was introduced on the Marketplace forums follows through. I’m not advanced enough to write my own online subsystem.

96

+1 for requesting official fixes to these issues!
(actually +2 as I got my wife to agree :slight_smile: )

Cheers

97

I tweeted this thread to Zak, one of the engine team.

They do have a ticket open for it but have other priorities. It’s on their radar though it seems: https://twitter.com/_TheJamsh/status/743391471785639936

98

I have tested and it works great. I also helped him clean it up a ton. Let’s get this merged boys.

99

So is this safe to use with 4.12? I was about to go ahead and update my source version of the engine to the latest version. I was hoping that when I got to the end of reading this thread I would find it got merged into the latest but alas it’s not as of today :(. Do you think if this gets merged in later it will cause issues if I grab your code now and use it in my version of the engine?

Also, was wondering If I follow 's wiki and don’t set up steam would that be sufficient enough to atleast get multiplayer development started for my game? Considering most of these sub system functions seem to work no matter what sub system is being used. Theoretically I could set up the game on the null subsystem setup then switch over to steam later on yes? I am just trying to find the path of least resistance and wondering if going through the headache of trying to get the dedicated server to work with steam now would be better than waiting 4-5 months if possible (more concerned about getting the game in peoples hands so they can test the core gameplay).

Thanks ahead of time guys, great work in this thread. Very, very informative.

100

Hey guys, VERY nice stuff going on ! :slight_smile:

I’ve been trying to get dedicated servers going following this/ and this/ tutorial. I have been able to get the files compiled and packaged, but couldnt make a connection to the server. After reading this thread it is evident to me, that this can currently only work in C++, as this is not exposed to Blueprints (correct?). I’ve also read about the Advanced Sessions Plugin, but im not sure, if this exposes the necessary things to BP. Dedicated Server log shows initialization of steam to be working (I think), but its neither listed on the master server nor can i find a session.

Short story shorter: Is it now possible to set this up in BP/expose the necessary things to BP for a C++ noob like me?

101

Jeez, this is a lot to take in …
I was looking for something to start me off, but, i don’t see anything in saying “hey download this ya no0b!”
I have “ShooterGame” loaded up, but, it looks like its LAN only? Not sure. Using the 4.12 version. I even opened all the C stuff and got a little lost in there.
One thing i want to stay away from, is, Ark used “ShooterGame” as a base, and, the systemprocess is ShooterGame.exe and everything else is that way also. I would like something to keep me clear of being tied to that (thanks Wildcard Studios)

lol - anyone mind directing me to a place that i can whip up something for my game? I want to use Steam - you know what - like Arks networking system.
If i have to pay someone, well, thats fine to lol … Inbox me of it is more appropriate

102

To use Steam, you “only” need to setup Steam for your Project:

You will use AppID 480, which is Spacewars or so. That’s the TestID you are allowed to use.
Once you have your game GreenLit, you can change it to yours and modify achievements etc.

With AppID 480 you can, first of all, host ONLINE as a ListenServer. This is totally possible in the ShooterGame too.
UE4 uses a SubsystemInterface. Means you will call “CreateSession” etc, for all different Subsystems at the same point
and UE4 uses the implementation of the Active Subsystem. In your case, that’s Steam.

So ShooterGame works with Steam (Follow Allars Blog and you will see that you can’t use Steam if you try to play in Editor!)

This thread is simply about the Dedicated Server thing.

You need to download the Source of the Engine (so not the Launcher one) to get the Option to Build a Dedicated Server (in Visual Studio).

This Thread offers a solution for the Steam Authentication, which (iirc) needs Source changes at the moment. Hence the PullRequest.
What is Steam Authentication? A way to make sure that the User who started your Game, actually owns the Game. That’s all, at least
that’s what I mostly saw in the PR by going over it.

So this isn’t really the place for you to start looking to implement Steam :stuck_out_tongue: this is already the point where you got it working and need
to release the game, but you are lacking the Auth for Steam, so everyone could pirate it and play it.