Please help with ultra basic listening server question

Development Programming & Scripting Blueprint
1

If I want to just make a game where multiple people can connect to a listening server, run around, and see each other, how would I go about that?

I think my biggest question is how to make it so people can connect from different computers.
Do I put my ip somewhere?
Do I have to set up my router to a certain port?

I know it’s better to do a dedicated server, but I’m just trying to get something up and running while I figure out more.

I know there are networking tutorials out there, but none of them just answer this question.

Thanks

2

You can start a listen server with the command:


<UE4Editor.exe path> <*.uproject path> <Map Name>?listen -game

and then connect a client with:


<UE4Editor.exe path> <*.uproject path> <Server IP> -game

Note that everything wrapped in <> should be replaced by you and don’t type the <> signs.

Alternatively you can use the Online Subsystem.

To start a server you use the “Create Session” node followed by an “Open Level” node with the added Option


Listen

Then a client will need to use “Find Session” followed by “Join Session” to join.

If you add this to your DefaultEngine.ini file


[/Script/Engine.GameEngine]  
+NetDriverDefinitions=(DefName="GameNetDriver",DriverClassName="OnlineSubsystemSteam.SteamNetDriver",DriverClassNameFallback="OnlineSubsystemUtils.IpNetDriver")

[OnlineSubsystem]
DefaultPlatformService=Steam

[OnlineSubsystemSteam]
bEnabled=true
SteamDevAppId=480

You should also be able to connect over the internet. You can’t connect to yourself on Steam though so you will need several PC’s and several accounts.

3

Hi Garner,

Thank you for responding.
I’m not very well versed in coding.
Is there some Blueprint I could use to do this?

It seems like there should just be a blueprint that says “connect to server”, then you put in the ip or have a field where the player can put in the ip.
Then a place in Blueprints to input the port.

There are a lot of tutorials out there, but they all use multiple players on the same computer. I’m thinking/hoping it’s something so simple that people don’t think mention it. :slight_smile: