Network Options for Unity Game build...

Greetings all,

Ok so here it is: Cards are on the table and I've decided on Unity to develop our up and coming MMORPG style game with.

Problem is, the more I read the more it sounds like people are having problems with any sort of client / server layout.

The game does not have to be contiguous maps - it can still just be large maps that have portals to the next, but we do want there to be the availability of at least 1k or so people on any given server before having to 'open' another one.

So, my question is then... from the tutorials and walkthroughs I have done so far - what are my options? I've never used PDS or that ilk before so it is over my head. I am unfamiliar with coding outside of this framework and I do not want to have to start over later.

Are there any resources that would either prep me for coding both ends of this properly, and getting an in-house server / client setup for testing until release, or is anyone interested? Basically after having paid for a few code - and - runners we are now on a shoe-string budget, need to save what's left for modeling and animations, and I need to learn everything I can for myself if at all possible.

Thanks for your time and take care,
- Hap

 

Basically you have a few options:

1. Use TCP / UDP sockets directly and develop your own networking and backend solution

2. Use lidgren and only develop the backend solution

3. Use NetDog and develop the own backend solution (unless they include one by now)

4. Use photon and either develop an own backend or wait for the showcased mmo base layer for photon to base your work on that

5. use pds and "only implement the game"


cost wise, 2 and 5 are clearly the favorable things, 4 is likely a very good option too. 3 is an option if you need a seriously solid network and have the commercial grade funding for it (already the single node networking according board posts cost $30k per title)
option 1 is only an option if you have a background in the materia, otherwise it will just frustrate you to hell.


as far as I'm aware there are no resources or anything you can plug in and its also nothing small to create such a thing so if someone would offer you their inhouse tech, you can easily expect 5 figure fees applied to this temporal usage rights.
The mmo that was done with Unity (Fusion Fall) was done through source usage, not through the regular licenses as you might need indepth modifications depending on your needs and targets

 

Thank you very much for the response...

I am looking at PDS as I am able to grasp it from what I have read so far. We cannot afford NetDog etc. as we've lost so much money from poor decisions - and coders that ran when things got serious.

I am not a world's best coder, but my comprehension is enough that I think given time we can salvage our project. We have too much in it now to give up.

It appears to me that I will need to restructure everything and learn to implement the API per instance.

Looks like I have a lot of learning to do. Thanks again, and any resource pointing would of course be appreciated.

Take care,
- Hap

 

PDS actually has no "client api".
What it has is a client network layer (there is already an existing C# one, so I would recommend to check out if it is still fully functional and use it. if it is not fully update, fix that details).

Given you already have something, you might very well need some restructure depending on your previous networking you used, but it definitely should be doable

 

What is this PDS you speak of?

 

http://projectdarkstar.com/

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oxl