Is Networking With Blueprints Possible?

[anonymous_user_4d491507]

I have tried to get networking to work using Blueprints. I have asked a bunch of people about how to do it correctly. Most of the people I ask on places such as the freenode network (#unrealengine) told me that UE4 doesn’t currently have the nodes needed to do basic stuff like setting a specific IP address and port to look for a server on, creating a version of the game that is just a server only receiving and sending data, etc.

My question is whether these things are even possible with the current UE4 blueprint nodes. If I want these functions, am I forced to use C++? How come networking is not as integrated in Unreal like it is Unity?

Thanks!!! I look forward to any advice and direction you can provide.

[PenguinTD]

C++ can do most things even if UE4 doesn’t support it directly, so we’ll skip that.

With blueprints and stock UE4 you downloaded with launcher:

1. you can do listen server, not dedicated server. For dedicated server you need to compile from source.(If this has been updated, please correct me. )
2. there are no default master server that people can just use and search for a server list(ie. Ip/port list), but if you know IP/port you can use built-in console command to connect to a listen/dedicated server.(I’ve done this.)
3. there are also no default server browsing functions/UI, you need to come up with your own.(Check WIP forum, where a few people have their C++ implementation that connects to a backend server to update/request server list.)

[anonymous_user_4d491507]

Thanks!!!

[anonymous_user_1f12131e]

@PenguinTD;153051

1. you can do listen server, not dedicated server. For dedicated server you need to compile from source.(If this has been updated, please correct me. )

But you can do a dedicated server test play in the editor. Is this dedicated server accessible when building the game? Perhaps it’s a launch command (“game.uproj map?dedicated -game”), or something?

I tried just now to figure this out, but no luck. Still learning my way around UE4 networking.

[anonymous_user_1f12131e]

Okay, I got the shortcuts working as pointed out in the Networking videos. Simply changing “?listen” to “?dedicated” did not work.

And based on this wiki page, I think I see what you’re saying Penguin, about needing to compile: https://wiki.unrealengine.com/Standalone_Dedicated_Server

So, the question I have is: can I still use Blueprints for everything, and still compile out a standalone dedicated server? I don’t mind opening VS when absolutely needed like in this case–but will it work if I’m using Blueprints for everything?

And I’m sure at some point UE4 will be able to build a dedicated server without needing to compile from source (right?).

Thanks.

[anonymous_user_1f12131e]

Blenderite, in case it wasn’t clear, definitely check out the Getting Started: Introduction to Blueprint Networking. In the first video even, Billy points out how to setup the shortcuts, for a listen server and for a client. Worked for me.

Dedicated does seem more complicated, and for now should probably be ignored. But you can totally run a listen server and have friends manually type in your IP into a shortcut target field (as described in the video), and they’d be able to connect. Assuming of course routers and firewalls don’t get in the way (like they like too).

Networking is definitely challenging. Just keep at it!

[PenguinTD]

yes, you can just compile from source and do nothing else with the source itself. I intended to do that once 4.5 released.

the only drawback is that you would need to maybe waste some space so you can still use launcher to download marketplace stuff.

[anonymous_user_4d491507]

@human;153448

Blenderite, in case it wasn’t clear, definitely check out the Getting Started: Introduction to Blueprint Networking. In the first video even, Billy points out how to setup the shortcuts, for a listen server and for a client. Worked for me.

Dedicated does seem more complicated, and for now should probably be ignored. But you can totally run a listen server and have friends manually type in your IP into a shortcut target field (as described in the video), and they’d be able to connect. Assuming of course routers and firewalls don’t get in the way (like they like too).

Networking is definitely challenging. Just keep at it!

Yeah I found that before I downloaded Unreal! Good little tutorial indeed. I’ll give it another look.

[anonymous_user_4d491507]

After some more research and headaches, I have abandoned Unreal for Unity. Unity has built in networking support, and support for Photon. Unreal looks cool and it has some cool features, but it seems to be only skin deep.

[anonymous_user_64c55f0b]

Photon claims their service works with Unreal as well. Though for third party networking in Unity I typically prefer Bolt.

And Unity has better built-in networking support than Unreal? Seriously?

[anonymous_user_4d491507]

When I say Unity has better built-in support, I mean that it is well documented. I was unable to find anything for Unreal.