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I need ADVICE... working legacy network code

Discussion in 'Multiplayer' started by jbarbeau, Jun 24, 2016.

  1. jbarbeau

    jbarbeau

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2012
    Posts:
    46
    I have a flight simulator that uses legacy Unity networking code. I had to work pretty hard to make it work the way I wanted, but Unity has changed a lot, and there's also Photon.

    I have to add functionality for CLUSTER RENDERING. This is where a client has multiple PC's rendering at the same "STATION". I set offsets for the camera for each PC in the cluster, as a PC may be rendering a view out a different window (for planes) or below (for helicopters).

    I wanted to go to a single computer solution using multiple video outputs on 1 or more cards. This has less headaches especially because I have the network working the way I want it with the Legacy Network code. But they have the hardware setup with multiple PCs at each station, so I need to provide the solution.

    I've been looking through the new 5.4 Networking documentation. There is a High level interface which I think would work a lot like my legacy connection, and there's also a low level interface that provides peer to peer comms. I think I can take the network data that coming to a "MAIN CLIENT" in the STATION, then use a peer to peer interface to replicate that network data to all "SLAVE CLIENTS" at a STATION. Or perhaps some other broadcast RPC? Sending transform data and animation data and other network data as needed to all SLAVES in the cluster.

    I just need some experienced opinions with Unity networking to give me advice on what will be the EASIEST solution. I really would not like to start over, although, perhaps there are advantages to using the Network Manager with discovery to connect everything...... THOUGH, my application is NOT like normal MMO game networking. It is a more customized application inside A SINGLE LAN, not online at all.

    I've been talking to Photon. They suggest an On Premise server. Photon also has a porting tool for UNity Legacy Network code. Would it be best to use the Photon porting tool and switch to Photon? Is there a tool that ports from Legacy to current Network code?

    I suppose the reason for the change in Unity network code is in design flexibility, and I may need to look at my network code differently, but since I have a working solution I'm reticent to start over....

    Any advice?

    Thanks
     
  2. KelsoMRK

    KelsoMRK

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2010
    Posts:
    5,539
    As someone who just recently finished converting from legacy networking to UNet....it's a huge undertaking. More than likely there will be fundamental pieces of your architecture that need to be re-thought.

    I had 134 deprecated RPC calls and it took me about 6 weeks to comb through and convert everything. Being an RTS my project was a bit different but it's not a small undertaking by any stretch of the imagination.