SmartFoxServer as backend through Unity?

Hey guys

I have previously used SmartFox server for lobby system, and was wondering if anyone had written a .NET plugon for Unity to use it?

It should be fully possible to do this, but you would have to code your own client API port (sources available).

For anyone not seens SFS yet:

http://www.smartfoxserver.com

Really good pricing, good features, extensible but Flash only for now on client side.

Searched both here, on SFS forums and through Google, but couldnt find much.

So this is the last resort before trying to create a port myself.

 

OK - reply to my own thread :-D

Seems no one really has done this, so I talked a little with the SFS makers.

I'm currently prototyping a SFS client API for Unity. Lets see if I make it through to the finish.

Doesnt have top priority right now, but it doesnt seem to bad a job, and could expand multiplayer games with Unity a lot.

Will keep you updated

 

Last update before going on a few days vacation.

Got the client api to connect/disconnect, login and logout as well as return the list of rooms.

All in a few hours of fiddling - so it is definitely feasable within a few days to port the majority of the client API to C#.

I'll start with all the major things, and save away some of the more special stuff (like multiple protocols) for later/never. But I'll definitely do this now.

 

It's totally feasible ... I have it up and running through our own API based on the Flash code that Smartfox gives you

I really wish I could share some code, but it's all for 'the company' so it belongs to the company.

All I can say is that it works REALLY well here. *Edited out some badly put crap I wrote here!*

A lot of the server side nasty work is already done (dealing with buddy lists etc.) and you can't lose!

I'm thinking about the possibility of using Unity's built-in networking AND smartfox ... the server could tell you IP addresses of connecting computers so that you can do all the matchmaking etc. with smartfox then go peer to peer for action-packed minigames and the like. It seems crazy, but it just might work

Good luck!

 

Just remember that you need a facilitor for NAT punch through, but if you don't need to do it, that's just fine.

I will have to research SmartFox myself. Sounds like a very useful tool.

-Jeremy

 

Spend some transportation time going on a mini-vacation with the family to translate most parts of the API.

Will have to revisit variou parts, but I think most of the "send from Unity to SFS" part works out of the box now.

My main issue to crack will be how to handle the event callbacks. Any tips and tricks on how you guys did that?

The SFS API for AS3 extends the Flash Event object. Now my lack of C# knowledge starts to show for good, as I have no clue about how to do it in C#. Google is my friend, but if you got a tip, then please spare me the hours spend searching

Thanks!

BTW - got contact to the SFS guys, and seems we can agree to the terms. So once I get this done it will be released for free as part of SFS - so everyone can use (and improve) it

 

All right

Easter egg surprise.

I got the C# client API running now for real with 95% of functionality ported over

Missing is support for HTTP protocol and JSON protocol (easy add ons) and sending generic objects to/from clients. The latter will take quite some coding to do, so that will be left for later.

I'm still running some tests and fixing buggers, but basics work.


But here comes the easter egg - it doesnt work in Unity. I have used Linq for handling the XML data, and that is a .NET 3.5 feature. I didnt realize before I was done that Unity runs .NET 2.0 only.

So I will get things tested through now using a dedicated C# client, and then afterwards port the Linq code to "something .NET 2.0" for XML handling. BAH!


If anyone has some good advice on XML handling that doesnt involve tons of code and is 2.0 compatible, then please contact me.

 

Perhaps if you ask real nice you'd get a hint at when the latest edition of mono will be added to unity. In all probability you won't get a date, but if you're lucky you might get a "this spring / summer / fall / winter".

 

You should be able to use the mono dll's for LINQ - try to include them in your project and seen if unity will compile it.

 

OK - bit the bullet and converted everything down to .NET 2.0

Now compiles, and I'll try to get it running in Unity today

Test at 3 am this morning didnt go well. The C# client works perfectly, but Unity as client doesnt.

It is as if it doesnt receive the response from the SFS server or doesnt call the delegate callback.
I wonder if there is some namespace issue or something here when the dll runs in Unity.

Example (reworked for here) client code:

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. using UnityEngine;
3. using System;
4. using System.Collections;
5. using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
6. using System.Security.Permissions;
7. using System.Text;
8. using SmartFoxClientAPI;
9.  
10. public class SmartFoxClientTest : MonoBehaviour {
11.     public SmartFoxClient smartFox;
12.  
13.     void Start ()
14.     {
15.         smartFox = new SmartFoxClient(true);
16.  
17.         // Register callback delegate
18.         SFSEvent.onConnectionCallback += OnConnection;
19.  
20.         // "Multicast" of event
21.         SFSEvent.onLoginCallback += OnLogin;
22.         SFSEvent.onLoginCallback += OnLogin2;
23.  
24.         Debug.Log("Test: " + smartFox.getVersion());
25.  
26.         smartFox.connect("127.0.0.1", 9342);
27.     }
28.    
29.     public void OnConnection(Boolean success, String error)
30.     {
31.         Debug.Log("On Connection callback got: " + success + "\n\r" + error);
32.         smartFox.login("xflow", "thomas", "");
33.     }
34.  
35.     public void OnLogin(Boolean success, String name, String error)
36.     {
37.         Debug.Log("On Login callback got: " + success + "\n\r" + error + "\n\r" + name);
38.     }
39.  
40.     public void OnLogin2(Boolean success, String name, String error)
41.     {
42.         Debug.Log("On Login2 callback got: " + success + "\n\r" + error);
43.     }
44.    
45.     void OnApplicationQuit (){
46.         try{
47.             smartFox.disconnect();
48.         }
49.         catch{}
50.     }
51. }
52.  

None of the callbacks ever get called - but I can see on the server that the connect and login work.

 

Chapter 2 of this test round.

It seems that its the networking part that is the problem.

I did a small delegate callback test that is not triggered from network response but from a method call, and that worked.

So the issue is that somehow the socket that is opened to the SFS server from the Unity based client doesnt read the response send back!

Has anyone tried this before from inside unity?

I'm doing this:

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. StreamWriter writer = new StreamWriter(socketConnection.GetStream());
3. writer.Write(msg + (char)0);
4. writer.Flush();
5.  

to send the message to the SFS server. Works fine!

The socketConnection is defined as follows and uses async callback for reading the response.

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. socketConnection = new TcpClient();
3. socketConnection.Connect(ipAdr, port);
4. socketConnection.GetStream().BeginRead(byteBuffer, 0, READ_BUFFER_SIZE, new AsyncCallback(handleSocketData), null);
5.  

Works fine in a standalone C# client, but apparently not inside Unity.

I should maybe post this as a separate support issue.

 

BAH!!!

Good news and bad news.

Good: Got it running now in Unity too!!
Bad: My ego has taken a few bruises

Hehe

Dont know why it worked in the C# client - shouldnt have really - but it does work in Unity now.

Was neither an issue with delegates or network replies. Was all a matter of a null reference exception that didnt get caught.

 

We've been toying around about using SFS for a backend and I'm very interested in your port of the client. Don't know if I can help out, but I'm offering.

 

Thanks for the offer!

At the moment all thats left is (more or less) integrating a serializer that Marco from SFS wrote for me, testing and fixing comments to be C# style.

If you want to run some testing, then I would be super happy! I've done my own, but only tested about 50% of the commands yet.

Buzz me if you want a copy of the code and have time to test drive it.

Its going to be part of the official SFS release, so (soon?) its public

 

Interesting
Could you give me more details about why real-time stuff would not be fast enough? We have many clients working with Flash real time games (racing games, shooters) and they achieved excellent results.
I'd like to learn more about possible Unity/SFS integrations and see if we can introduce enhancements on this front

Thanks in advance

Lapo
p.s. = btw, I am the lead the developer of SmartFoxServer

 

Hey!

Reading back on my post, that wasn't quite what I meant and I put it pretty badly. Must have been a late night or something

I meant that the idea of, for example, producing Unreal Tournament or Halo-style multiplayer using SmartFox isn't a realistic one.

Sorry if I caused confusion. You're totally right, I've seen (and put together) realtime multiplayer with SmartFox using both Flash AND Unity3d and it's awesome!

 

Ok great, thanks

Yep, I see... and I agree. At least until we add UDP support, then why not? :wink:
SmartFoxServer is essentially targeted at the Flash Player, which still doesn't provide any UDP suport. It seem it should come with version 10, expected this year.

Cool I'd be really interested in seeing what you have done. Is there anything publicly available?

Thanks

Lapo

 

If I read the website correctly you would need the pro version and bluebox, which is around 2400 euros. That would allow for authentication, buddy lists and NAT punch through for unlimited users. Seems a bit expensive for indies to me, if you're just going to use it as an authenticated master server/lobby setup.

Take the generic master server, add a little SQL here and a little SHA256 there, stir well and cook at FFFF degrees. Out pops an authenticated master/lobby for a lot less money that you can throw on a cheap unix box.

I'd be inclined to look at this product again if they had a separate (and far cheaper) license that allowed for just an authenticated master/lobby and not for use of the networking layer for games themselves.

 

Hey Lapo,

Nothing publicly available ... yet ... soon, though (if all goes well!)

UDP support in SmartFox? That would be awesome .. seriously, that'd be something we would be really interested in looking at.

Thanks - sorry again for my badly written original message!

Jeff.

 

Hi Thomas!

I have Socket Server, i want to develop a client by Unity C# script. But my client can't receive message form server.
Can you help me?

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. using UnityEngine;
3. using System.Collections;
4. using System.Text;
5. using System.IO;
6. using System.Net;
7. using System.Net.Sockets;
8.  
9. public class Mytest : MonoBehaviour {
10.  
11.     // Use this for initialization
12.     Socket sock;
13.     int counter = 0;   
14.     void Start()
15.     {
16.         IPAddress host = IPAddress.Parse("10.4.2.215");
17.         IPEndPoint hostip = new IPEndPoint(host, 3333);
18.         sock = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);    
19.         try
20.         {
21.             sock.Connect(hostip);
22.             print("Connected successful");
23.         }
24.         catch (SocketException e)
25.         {
26.             print("Problem connecting to host");
27.             print(e.ToString());
28.             return;
29.         }
30.     }
31.        
32.     // Update is called once per frame
33.     void Update ()
34.     {  
35.         if(sock.Connected == true)
36.         {
37.            
38.             byte[] receivedbytes = new byte[512];
39.            
40.             int read = sock.Receive(receivedbytes);
41.             string message=Encoding.ASCII.GetString(receivedbytes, 0, read);
42.             print(message);
43.         }
44.     }  
45.          
46. }
47.  
48.  

Thanks!

 

*bump*

Hey all! Any news on the Unity+SFS effort? This is something I would love to contribute to, if possible.

 

Hi,
yup the project is nearly completed. We're currently working on the tests which usually take more than development itself
Anyways, we should be able to release a beta by the middle of August (Thomas Lund what do you say?).
If you wish to get it, please simply drop us an email as a reminder, we'll contact you back as soon as we're ready.

Mail -> info :at: smartfoxserver.com

Thank you

 

Hehe, Thomas will be back today from vacation to answer.

 

Nice!

 

Definitely think that open beta is just around the corner!

 

beta bump... any news folks?


thanks


the lorax

 

Just days away

 

!

http://www.smartfoxserver.com/labs/API/

 

Ahhhh - you beat me to it

Yes!!! Its finally out - public beta 1 of the SFS .net client. Including a fantastic beautiful (=ugly as only a non-GUI coder can make it) Unity tech demo showing off a rudimentary lobby system with chat.

Please give it a spin everyone, and report back all issues you find!

There is a forum for reporting back on issues found. Fire away here:

http://www.smartfoxserver.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=11

I'll soon try to make a "real" 3d demo showing how to make a simple virtual chatroom = more game related than the lobby part.

SFS can both be used for lobby and for providing game server functionality. Its a real cool system, and I'll try to provide you guys with some tutorials and stuff soon. But have to find time for game development too :-D

 

Think this is great work you guys have been doing.

I tested the client server last night and it is working fine. Simple demo but proves the concept works.

I was wondering if you ever got round to creating a simple virtual world with smartfox integration?

I am working on something like this myself at the moment. Will keep you posted on my findings but any advice you could give would be great. What do you think about integrating streaming audio and video to Unity via the Redbox add-on.

Ian

 

Hi Ian

I know of several projects that use the SFS client for a virtual world simulation right now. So its definitely usable.

Also - beta 2 is just around the corner with some connection fixes and BlueBox support.

I havent looked at RedBox support yet at all - not even to the point if there is even anything to code or not in the API. I will take a peek soonish after beta 2!

Keep me posted on your progress!

 

Hi, first off thanks for doing this and for mentioning it in my previous MMO related post! I''d love to see a more advanced project using this; if only so myself and the rest of the community can see how it's done to aid in our learning .

Adam.

 

With some help from Thomas's example in C#, I am in the process of writing a custom Java based extension which is being used to test data throughput for a multiplayer game (avoiding the term MMO at the moment, don't have the machine power nor the bandwidth for such a test)

The main test though is the prediction queue. The ai extension module and the battle extension module are rather interesting and diverse. This server model is also very interesting in that destination information is directed to specific zones / rooms that they call it and not a complete broadcast. So the extensions that you write, you have to tell the zone / room that you want that zone to use that extension (or rather have it available to be used).

Which reminds me, need to get the next beta build from you Thomas
-Zumwalt

 

I would really love to see SFS support built in Unity3D - especially for it to work with the web plugin.

 

Hi Yazzgoth

The plugin works in the webbrowser too. Straight up with no differences to a standalone build.

So take the plunge and give it a spin!

 

I assumed it's not working as it just crashes the browser after I press connect.
Any idea why it may crash like this?

 

Current release is a beta 1. It has a few issues, but I got it running in a browser and know of several others who have it running too in a browser build.

Its not very tolerant to errors (improved a lot in beta 2), and I guess that there are some issues in the code that you got.

You are most welcome to PM me your code and I can take a look, or post it on the SFS support forums.

Also try to look at the Unity test project that ships with the dll and work from that.

I have the unreleased beta 2 sitting on my harddrive - just waiting to be released. I can send you that dll if you want also.

 

Please do send me these files.

As for the crash - that happens with the project that comes with SFS .NET API I haven't started integrating it to my own project yet.

 

Hi there,
I was just guessing:
can you let Unity-developed iPhone application and Flash made browser games interact with each other?

For example, we have a game made for the web in Flash (UFHO) that we are porting to the iPhone. We use SFS for net play, can we make the iPhone gamers play with the Flash ones?

Thanks to anyone who answers!

Ciro Continisio

 

Yes - you can do exactly that once the iPhone SFS API port has been done.

 

Isn't Http Tunnelling a main feature of Bluebox?
According to this:

"they[Unity3D APIs] provide full support to the SmartFoxServer features with the exclusion of the HTTP tunnelling feature."

http://www.smartfoxserver.com/labs/API/

So what I'm asking is whether or not Bluebox is supported in the Unity3D API provided by SmartFoxServer.

 

It is a feature of the beta 2, but there is still a lingering issue with it.

Just like beta 1 had a problem with Unity/mono not liking async socket communication (crash on shutdown), beta 2 ends up having the same issue once that communication fails over to http tunnelling. It is also doing async instead of pure threaded.

So recap - beta 2 fixed the socket shutdown crash. It also supports http failover, but your player will crash when being shut down if http was used. Will be fixed in the final (hopefully) beta 3.

Its not a problem in the API code, but a problem in the Mono library used by Unity afaik. So got to rewrite perfectly working code to work around that issue - grrrrrrrr.

 

Understood. Thanks.

 

Hey Thomas,
Thanks for the early x-Mas gift.