Hey all!

We’ve been hard at work making steady progress on the Online Multiplayer Framework. This week is a big one and I can’t wait to share some of the key features that we’ve been polishing. This framework should help make hosting, customizing, and finding games even smoother.

State of the Online Multiplayer Framework

We’ve revamped the host server settings to give more flexibility to players running their own servers. Hosts can now tweak everything from player limits to match durations. We wanted to make sure that hosts have total control over their game experience without overwhelming them with unnecessary settings, so the interface has been streamlined to ensure easy navigation. If you’re hosting for the first time, it should feel intuitive, and if you’re an old pro, you’ll notice that more fine-tuned options are now at your disposal.

Next up, are game playlists. We’ve added support for fully customizable game playlists. This means that hosts can create their own sequence of game modes and maps, tailored for their server’s community. Want to alternate between Capture the Flag and Team Deathmatch? Or even change settings for coop games? Now you can, with just a few clicks. We’ve also added preset playlists for those who just want to hop into a balanced rotation without spending too much time tinkering.

Now that you can get your host session ready, you’ll need your players to be able to find your session, right? The server browser will display all available sessions, and with the new design, allows for familiar filtering and search options for servers based on region, game mode, ping, etc. 

What’s Next?

If you have any comments or feedback, please let us know so we can continue to make the system as close to what you need as possible! We are excited for the options this will open up for devs and can’t wait to get it out to you all.

We couldn’t do this without our fantastic Patreon supporters—if you want to help shape the future of future systems, consider joining Patreon today!

Next week, we will take a first look at the Quest Manager and Narrative Design!

With kind regards,

Eric Ruts