Multiplayer Play Mode now extends Play Mode with custom scenarios

Unity Engine
,
1

We are delighted to announce the 1.3.0 experimental release of com.unity.multiplayer.playmode.

9924135--1435605--play mode scenarios.gif

About Multiplayer Play Mode package

Use Multiplayer Play Mode to test multiplayer functionalities without leaving the Unity Editor. You can simulate up to four Players (the main Editor Player plus three Virtual Players) simultaneously on the same development device while using the same source assets on disk. You can use Multiplayer Play Mode to create multiplayer development workflows that reduce the time it takes to build a project, run it, and test the server-client relationship.

→ Documentation

About this specific version

The main addition to this version of Multiplayer Play Mode is the Play Mode scenarios feature set.
Play mode scenarios speed up the multiplayer development process, getting creators to a first-playable experience with live players and extending test cycles into real-world environments, scenarios, and tools prior to launch.
In other words, Play Mode scenarios streamline playtesting across the following types of environments:

  • In-editor testing.
  • Local testing (on the same machine or using a LAN connection).
  • Remote (Cloud) testing.

Roadmap of Multiplayer Play Mode

The addition of Play mode scenarios marks a significant change. We decided to release this initial version as an experimental feature first to gather user feedback.
On the other hand, the Multiplayer Play Mode package (com.unity.multiplayer.playmode) is currently in a released state, and we will continue to support incremental versions of 1.2.X for bug fixes until the version 1.3.0 is also promoted to release.

Requirements and limitations

To use Multiplayer Play Mode version 1.3.0, your project must meet the following requirements:

  • Unity Engine: 6000.0.3f1 or above.
  • Supported platforms for local and remote instances are desktop Standalone and Server (Mac / Linux / Windows)

Multiplayer Play Mode version 1.3.0 has the following limitations:

  • Pause and steps are not supported for local and remote targets.
  • Play Mode shortcuts are not supported for scenarios.
  • The Scenario configuration currently only supports one tag per editor instance.

Feedback

To provide feedback on this package, please fill in this survey as this helps us to pinpoint directly the biggest pain points.

Alternatively, you can also post a new thread on the Multiplayer Forum under the Multiplayer Tools or join the Multiplayer-Tools channel on the Multiplayer Discord Server. We carefully review your input on an ongoing basis so please keep it coming!

4 Likes
2

I’m excited to try it but these “scenarios” don’t ring any bell after reading this.

My best guess would be that these scenarios allow MPPM to connect with other machines where another editor with MPPM is running? Or are these scenarios creating builds so that virtual players no longer run editor instances behind the scenes?

3

Thanks for your feedback !
I’ll elaborate a bit about what a scenario is;

Within this context, a scenario is a succession of automated steps leading to a Playmode where multiple player instances are running.

Currently, these automated steps are broken down in three stages ;

  • Prepare ; Mostly limited to building the necessary players.
  • Deploy ; Moves the players to where they will be running from. Is typically a step to send a Linux Dedicated server to Multiplay.
  • Run ; Ensures that all the player instances are running starting with the instance defined as the server. It is fairly straightforward for Virtual Player instances but is a bit more tricky for cloud deployed ones.

Player instances is not an officially sanctioned term (yet!) but basically, it encompass:

  • Virtual players
  • Locally built and running players
  • Locally built and remotely running players (typ. game server)
1 Like
6

I’m testing MPPM 1.3.0-pre.1 in 6000.0.14f1.

I wanted to ask about the issue I had yesterday where any tags I assigned to scenarios would simply not get saved (errors in the console, I’m aware of the “one tag each” limitation).

In the meantime I had downgraded to MPPM 1.2.1 for stability reasons. Now I went back up to 1.3.0 only to find that there’s no menu item to open the MPPM Scenarios window anymore. It’s definitely not under Window/Multiplayer, not under Window/Panels, in fact nowhere under Window.

Where would I find the Scenarios window normally? And how can I reset it so it appears?
There are no console errors. I have also restarted the editor and deleted the Library. Packages: MP Tools 2.2.0, Dedi Server 1.3.0-pre.1, NGO 2.0.0-pre.3

7

Thanks for the feedback !

I wanted to ask about the issue I had yesterday where any tags I assigned to scenarios would simply not get saved (errors in the console, I’m aware of the “one tag each” limitation).

This is fixed in the release branch, it will be part of 1.3.0-pre.2 that we are in the process of releasing.

Now I went back up to 1.3.0 only to find that there’s no menu item to open the MPPM Scenarios window anymore. It’s definitely not under Window/Multiplayer, not under Window/Panels, in fact nowhere under Window.

We added a few windows and drop down;

  • Drop down to select the running scenario - It should be next to the “play” button.
  • Window to configure the scenarios - It should be accessible through the scenario selection drop down.
  • Window to display the scenario status - Once you select a non-default scenario, a status drop down will appear. Inside of it, you can enable the status window through a pop-up.

Is there any of these missing ?
If so, this would seem like a bug.

We could probably make these windows accessible from under the Window/Multiplayer section as this sounds more intuitive.

1 Like
8

:point_up:

Now that you mention it … :slight_smile:

I remember now but I was so focused on finding it in the menu. I had this window open for weeks so I didn’t remember how I originally opened it.

Absolutely. Doesn’t hurt to duplicate it, and I’m certainly not the only one expecting to find it under Window.

1 Like
9

Absolutely. Doesn’t hurt to duplicate it, and I’m certainly not the only one expecting to find it under Window .

Agreed!

By the way, we just released 1.3.0-pre.2 today.
1.2.2 should follow soon with a few bug fixes we backported.