Hey all,
A few months back, I got the idea to integrate the Patreon API in my future game. With this, you can do powerful things such as give supporters exclusive features or bonuses. To my surprise, I could not find anything in the store yet, so I decided to make my own plugin AND share it with you guys.
[HR][/HR]Marketplace: Link
Documentation: Link
Example: Link (near the bottom)
[HR][/HR]This plugin was developed with three things in mind:
- It should be easy to use for the developer
- It should provide a good user experience for the player
- It should process and store sensitive data securely
The plugin is easy to use, it’s just one component, and is 100% compatible with blueprints. Configuring the plugin is easily done via the project settings. The plugin setup procedure is documented and proofread via the link above. Furthermore, the server code is kept as simple as possible, almost no experience with webhosting is required!
To provide an optimal user experience for the player, this plugin uses the power of Unreal’s built-in web browser to keep players in the game without having to open an external browser to log in and connect Patreon with your game.
Finally, since (your and your patron’s) data is personal and sensitive, this plugin (and the server code) has been designed and implemented in such a way that your data is always secure. Data encoding and validation make attempts to tamper with it hard. Furthermore, encryption ensures leaked data is not usable for anyone with bad intentions.
[HR][/HR]Example
When the user plays for the first time, they need to log in once. Successfully logging in provides your game with a token, which can then be saved and re-used next time the game starts up so the user does not need to log in again.
The log-in experience is done via the web browser widget (a built-in Unreal feature!) so the player never needs to leave the application!
After logging in, the game is provided with Patreon information of your Patron, allowing you to do with it what you wish!
[HR][/HR]Limitations / Known Issues
- The built-in web browser does not support logging in to Patreon with Google or Facebook. Logging in with e-mail works. I am investigating solutions.
- E-mail login verification inherently interrupts the web browser login experience. The user needs to log in again after verifying.
[HR][/HR]
Feel free to ask any questions and I will try to help you out!