[RELEASED] Steam Networking - NAT Traversal, steam relay servers and more!

Steam Networking
Ultimate networking solution based on Steamworks SDK.

3050474--232523--upload_2017-5-28_19-42-22.png

This plugin is suitable especially for demanding multiplayer games with lots of networking traffic.

ASSET STORE LINK

Features

  • No CCU
  • NAT Punching
  • Steam relay servers
  • Matchmaking
  • Multi-Threaded
  • Super fast
  • Data compression
  • Bit packing
  • Snapshot interpolation

All source codes are included!

Steam integration is made via C# wrapper Steamworks.Net

Note: Included guide is not 100% finished - few chapters are still missing

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First draft of the guide for this asset can be found here: http://www.unity.t4j.cz/Guide.pdf
However it’s still not fully completed and some chapters are still missing.

Version 1.02 has been released on the asset store!

  • Direct support for separate scenes
  • Bug fixing

$50 are expensive while Steamworks.Net also support for Unity 3D

Hi :),

as stated in the description this asset integrates Steamworks.Net, which enables the possibility to use Steam SDK in Unity. Steam gives you only the possibility to send byte array to some player, but that’s it, nothing more and that’s why this plugin was created. It is heavily optimised multi threaded plugin, with various advanced algorithms and techniques. It is faster then UNET/Photon and it can deliver much better quality than UNET with only fraction of the networking bandwidth.

Yes. But this too expensive if you compare your price with forge networking about support for mobile platforms. If i have $50, i will add money to buy forge networking instead of network framework that support for pc only.

Hi,
I have few questions, hope you don’t mind answering >>
when are you going to finish the documentation, any ETA >?
UNET compatibility is it on your roadmap of development? or how difficult would it be to replace all UNET structure with your package ?

thanks.

Hi :),

I am planning to finish the documentation during June, but until then if you need help with topics, which are not covered yet or you want to ask on anything else, then just send me a message or write here on the forum.

I definitely want to add components which will give you the possibility to sync gameobjects, animations etc. using only inspector in similar way as with UNET, but regarding porting unity components I’m not sure about that yet, because I don’t see many benefits there. UNET compoments are sending huge amount of data over the network and once you need to sync multiple AI characters, players with animation etc. then you will quickly run in to issues. Here’s an example using bit packing in this asset you can sync player’s position, rotation, separate head and body movement, animator with multiple parameters using the same amount of data as syncing only a position with NetworkTransform component in unity.

Also as said in the description this asset is suitable especially for demanding multiplayer games, because it was designed to be able to handle syncing movement and behaviour of 800 NPCs + players over the network.

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Hi Vasica,

it sounds amazing the fact that we can have over 800 npcs + player over the network. Definitively impressive, however some of us are already hooked with UNET, due heavy gameplay relying on it, this is why I was asking about this particular issue, how feasible you think it is?

There are two ways how to do it. The first one (the easier one) is that you will be able to use UNET the same way as you do now, but network traffic will be established using steam, but there won’t be multi threading, bit compresion etc… The harder way is that I could try to rewrite the UNET components so that you could use it almost the same way, but they would be enhanced.

Hi, I still have few questions remained and will sent you a PM instead. Hope you dont mind :slight_smile:

Hi
I am planning to buy this, but I still have some questions

  • Can players invite their Steam friend? Right Click their friends on Steam Panel and invite them to join the game
  • UNET compatibility, For me, UNET is convenient and my game is using it. Will I need to rewrite my whole multiplayer system if I use this asset?
  • Video tutorial and Demo, I think it is indispensable for a 50$ asset.
  • Must have a Steam Appid ? (I have a Appid but I want to use it on other games which have not get the Appid

Are these things on your roadmap?

Hi AsixaChen,

  1. Yes
  2. Not yet, but I am working on it
  3. Video tutorials will come with the UNET support
  4. For testing purposes there is a Appid from the Steamworks demo, so you can work with this asset before you get your Steam Appid for your game.

Hi, curious on how your progress is for these things (Unet integration & video tutorials)? Do you have an ETA?

Hi .

Is there a way to watch the video of steam video player?
What is isteamvideo.cs in?

thx

I am targeting July.

As said in the description, this plugin uses open source C# wrapper Steamworks.Net made by Riley Labrecque, thanks to this you can use all SteamAPI features, but this plugin is focused on networking and I have no experience with the steam video player. So I would recommend you to check out the Steamworks documentation how to use the video player.

Hi Vasica, any news or ETA for this upcoming update with UNET support?

I’m very interested in this. Maybe for Guts and Glory or my 2nd project. Are you still developing and supporting this? Do you have a demo or Steam game that uses this?

Hi,

yes I am still doing a support. In terms of development I am currently working on UNET integration, but the current problem I am dealing with is that some functions in the UnityNetworking DLL, which need to be edited, aren’t overridable. I am trying to find some workaround, but in the end I might have to recreate unity’s networking dll in order to make it work.

Yes, we are using it in our own game called Hobo: Tough Life, which is an open world game and it will be released in early access once steam will approve our steam page in the store.

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Awesome! If you make a tutorial video that shows clearly how to setup a very basic multiplayer shooter with this asset then you’ve got a guaranteed sale right here!