Hello! So I want to create a small prototype game, with multiplayer functionality and be hosted on a website server. I want to do this without spending any money, so is this possible? Forgive me if I asked a self-explanatory or stupid question, I’m new to the engine. Thank you, kind regards, ChumpyMumpy.
Hey there @ChumpyMumpy! Welcome to the community! So the short answer to your question is, yes this is possible! However, the long answer is that depending on your use case, could be decently complex for a new learner.
If you need the game to run in a browser, your primary two options are:
Using an older build of Unreal, specifically version 4.24 or earlier to be able to use the HTML5 build capabilities as they were discontinued after that version.
Or
You could utilize Pixel Streaming, which is basically streaming video from a server that’s running the game and taking inputs on the site, much like how game streaming services work. This however usually means you have a server that can handle the data, which can be found free or cheap in some smaller use cases.
I don’t think they mean running the game in the browser, rather running the multiplayer server on a web server.
It really depends on what web server host you are using. Most of the free ones don’t allow you to run custom binaries. For the built in networking in UE, you have to use a server build of a game. I recommend taking a look at this for a little more info on the client server architecture that UE uses: Networking Overview for Unreal Engine | Unreal Engine 5.3 Documentation
Hello @ChumpyMumpy
You can check out our latest guide to create multiplayer experiences. If you decide to go for an affordable yet powerful streaming service for your prototype game, Vagon Streams could be also extremely useful. Vagon Streams offers effortless, no-code-required streaming of applications on any device, making it ideal for developers seeking global accessibility and high-quality streaming capabilities.
If you would like to do a test drive, please let me know. Or, you can create your account and easily start your first Stream anytime you want. 