How difficult would cross-platform multiplayer be?

First off, I am not a programmer. I understand the basics and the theory and all that, but the most complex application I ever made was a C++ app that gave you a random complement when you pressed a button.

I’m looking to find out how difficult it would be to make a cross platform multiplier game using Unreal. Specifically, PC, Mac, iOS and Android. If you need a gameplay example to determine the difficulty, think Fallout 1 or 2 with multiplayer. (I am not making a Falloutish game; It’s just the most popular game I can think of that works as an example in this case)

I am going to go ahead and assume Unreal does not natively support that type of thing, and that you would have to build some sort of host server that the individual clients connected to which coordinated the data. But like I said, I am not a programmer, nor am I looking for a how-to; I just need to know exactly how difficult it would be to make in your vastly more qualified opinions.

Thanks in advance.

No offense but when you go https://www.unrealengine.com you will see all supported platforms by unreal engine on the right side (+ Linux). UE has already easy to use network technology.

I know those platforms are supported. The question is not “can Unreal make multiplayer games on those platforms”, I already know they can do that, that’s a major selling point for me. The question at hand is “Can someone who is playing on a PC be in the same game instance as someone who playing on their iPad

If it was an FPS, the example would be: Can PC, Mac, iOS and Android users all play on the same server at the same time.

Sure. Like i said UE4 has easy to use network technology that works on every platform same way. You write client and server code in same project and can use same functions on both sides. http://wiki.beyondunreal.com/Everything_you_ever_wanted_to_know_about_replication_(but_were_afraid_to_ask)

You do not have to think about other platforms while development. Only about input controls, graphic quality and third party c++ libraries.

Right on, thank you.

Network code if obviously not my thing, but the perspective project I’m working on with people only works if users on multiple devices are able to directly interact with each other in smei-realtime; dividing the players by platform would not be an option if this instance, and I just wanted to get to insure that would not be unreasonably difficult for someone to do on this engine.

Hey, I’m actually doing (well, trying…) to make a multiplayer cross-platform game. As said, UE4 has support for multiplayer and the cross-platform compile is easy, almost automatic. But my projects goes further the native multiplayer, as I’m trying to build a good structure for a cross-platform MMO game (only building the theory/architecture, not going further to make a real mmo game), so I am using the Photon Server to do the multiplayer job. The problem now is the cross-platform compile, because some platform directives in some Photon API headers. I’m trying to manage this issue right now.

Of course, for a simple multiplayer game, even cross-platform, you can go with UE native networking for sure.

I know this is an old post, but have you guys looked into GameSparks. It doesn’t require C++, and from what I understand, it doesn’t matter what platform you package on, as long as it has access to the internet. I’m looking into it now, so I’ll let you know how it goes.

In theory.

In practice you will probably have to deal with a fair few cases where the implementation of things differs between platforms. I haven’t tried running UE multiplayer cross platform but if you are looking into doing it I would assume you are going to have all kinds of fun and interesting little differences to contend with.