Looking for a backend solution for a multiplayer game i wanna make

Hi, need help in selecting a backend solution.

My game will be a sports game, turn based or realtime. The good example of the features my game will have is Golf Clash.

What i need from backend is :
-to not code anything related to backend, maybe just a little.
-turn based connection/synchronous play
-player data storage
-skill based matchmaking
-authentication via facebook/google for user data persistence, so users can install game again and continue where they left off. authentication seems like client side but storing the data is server side
-assetbundle loading, initial game size would be of just one level. rest will be loaded based on user progression
-tournaments data storage
-in game chat via predefined messages

I understand that there will be no way that i wouldnt have to code anything.
Things i can try:
-photon for message passing + cdn for assetbundles (maybe bunnyCDN) + a small server to store user/tournament data
-a combo of AWS services, too much headache as i'll have to manage everything
-a service like Nakama from Heroic Clouds, will it fit all my needs?

I am willing to go the aws route but then i'll definitely need a backend guy to work on it so my preference is to use a service that does everything for me, i know it'll probably be more expensive than hiring a backend dev and going the AWS route.

 

Here is a BaaS comparison sheet.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1x0eok6EZzigar_K3QNdzTYNhp5NLywLGqBuopKiVzao/edit#gid=0

There is a Baas discussion Discord for this sheet, with dedicated channels for each Baas
https://i42.quest/baas-discord

I was on Gamesparks for a few years, but since Amazon bought it, it got neglected and now they're shutting it down.

I've just been through the whole BaaS investigation gauntlet, and eventually decided on Playfab. Owned now by MS (so no nasty buyouts on the horizon), active forums, community and support, ability to write all my cloud code using Azure Functions, and they have some good live ops features.

Even though they have a multiplayer/matchmaking offering, I'm instead going ahead with Edgegap, as I don't like Playfab's multiplayer server pricing model, they use VM's with game server instances, and you need to allocate and pay for standby instances for warm starts, so this can get pricey if you have standby in several regions, well at least from my calculations.

Edgegap offers matchmaking through OpenMatch and pure container orchestration, and you only pay for a container that is active i.e a multiplayer game session instance is running. They also have some interesting location tech to stand up containers that will give all players in the lobby the best latency.

 

No mention of photon in this document.
Do you by any chance have similar link to select CDNs?

 

I use Mirror for my multiplayer framework.

I don't understand what you mean by select CDN's

 

I mean a list so I can choose a good CDN perfect for my needs

 

I don't have a list of CDN's, but I can highly recommend G-Core Labs.
https://gcorelabs.com/

I use them to host my game files and the speeds are lightning fast, they offer good support, and their pricing is very good.

Edit : Avoid KeyCDN. Took 6 hours to get a response from then when files that were working for over a day suddenly stopped being served which almost resulted in a disastrous HTML5 beta launch. (My game was featured on the front-page of a top HTML5 games site). G-Core labs, as mentioned above, has immediate response times with their chat feature.

 

I use Playfab but I'm probably going to use my own system with Combu. Cheaper in the long run as I will pass through their 100k free limit soon enough

 

Sorry to pop in so late out of nowhere, but isn't xtralife looking like the best managed solution ?

 

After my research I ended up going with Playfab. And I'm very happy I did.

The Azure C# function workflow for server-side logic, and the plethora of live ops tools in their backend is hard to beat IMO. And their community/KB is pretty solid and very active.

 

That is so good to know, I am using it for data management only and not multiplayer server. But I am concerned with the number of meters imposed, are you able to keep track of them?

 

I've minimised calls to the server, it actually helped me design a better client.
I haven't checked out the meters or anything, for me workflow etc is more important, and pricing is not unreasonable, especially withe the free 100k.