Update 0.3: Multiplayer

Hey folks,

A new update is ready which introduces Multiplayer. This includes support for Steam P2P (the "Play with friends" option), LAN support and a dedicated server. The dedicated server files are also available on Steam (as a separate beta branch on the "Rising World Dedicated Server" app).

It was important for us to get the multiplayer feature ready ASAP, because this makes bug tracking in this area a lot easier - the later we release multiplayer, the harder it would be to find and fix bugs. But please keep in mind that this is the first multiplayer release, so it may contain bugs. If you run into any issues, please let us know, so we can fix them ASAP.

The new version provides much better player sync compared to the Java version. The connection to servers should also be more stable now. There are also ragdoll physics available for dead player bodies (of course the same also will apply to npcs in the future). We've added better hit detection for firearms (which will make gunfights more fun) and implemented a basic foot IK system for players, which corrects their feet and legs depending on the ground.

This update already includes built-in "Area Protection" functionality. You can create areas in creative mode, assign custom names to them (which will be shown to players who enter the area) and specify custom permissions per player. You can find more information about this feature here: Area Protection

The dedicated server also provides a lot more functionality compared to the Java version - this includes a new, powerful scheduler, restart functionality, ability to set up custom server descriptions and header images, extensive logging of world events and more. We were also working on a new RCON tool (which will be web-based), but unfortunately it wasn't ready in time. But it will become available soon.

If you want to play with your friends, just go to the singleplayer menu, select a world and hit the green "Play with friends" button. This starts a P2P session and friends can join your game through the friends list. It doesn't require any port forwarding or additional setup.

If you want to join a public multiplayer server, go to the multiplayer menu to bring up the server browser. Please bear in mind that there may be almost no servers available right now, considering this is the first multiplayer release for the new version. This will likely change in the next few days.

If you want to host your own dedicated server, you find more information about that here: Dedicated Server Setup

But hosting a dedicated server requires some additional steps, so it's usually easier to rent a game server, or if you just want to play with your friends, use the "Play with friends" option mentioned above.

It's now our intention to focus on more survival- and gameplay-related features. The next big updates will introduce a fully working world generation, water and npcs. In the meantime, we also want to get crafting and blueprints ready. It's now also about time to introduce more content in general, like new items, plants etc. Stay tuned for the next updates!

Changelog 2021-08-31 (0.3):

• [New] Multiplayer
• [New] Added support for Steam P2P ("Play with Friends")
• [New] Added LAN mode
• [New] Added kick, ban and other multiplayer-related commands
• [New] Added dedicated server (Multiplayer)
  
  • Restart functionality
  • Whitelist and Blacklist functionality
  • Ability to set reserved names
  • Input listener (for direct server commands)
  • Custom server console
  • Logging (with optional auto-removal of old logs)
  • Custom header images (for server browser)
  • Custom description (for server browser)
• [New] Added areas and area protection
  
  • Areas can be created and modified in creative mode (F9)
  • Radial-Menu to setup area (name, priority, permissions)
  • Areas can have an arbitrary name which is optionally shown to players
  • Areas can have a default permission and individual permissions per player
  • Ability to prevent players from entering/leaving an area (like an invisible wall)
• [New] Added extensive scheduler (multiplayer)
  
  • Three different timer tasks (interval, fixed time, time offset)
  • Event-based tasks
  • Built-in variables and access to server options
• [New] Serverbrowser with various filters and sort modes
• [New] Serverbrowser can also discover LAN servers (in local network)
• [New] Keeping track of server history and favorites
• [New] Added player list / scoreboard (i)
• [New] Added extensive logging of world modification events (multiplayer)
• [New] Added permissions (multiplayer)
• [New] Added UI to show the current permissions
• [New] Added hit marker for firearms (when hitting a target/player)
• [New] Added ragdoll physics for dead player bodies
• [New] Added player foot IK (adapt player foot and leg position to the ground)
• [New] Added private chat messages (chat messages beginning with '@' followed by the player name)
• [New] Added supersonic crack for fast projectiles flying by
• [New] Added basic voice chat (WIP)
• [New] Current world snowiness and wetness is now saved persistently
• [New] Command "edit" which allows you to change transform, color or texture of a construction element (like "editc" in the Java version)
• [New] Added "fake-color" to paint roller as placeholder which can be used to decolor objects
• [New] Added singleplayer world list (full functionality will be available with the future world generation update)
• [New] New Main Theme
• [Change] Improved visibility of building grid on distorted or frosted glass
• [Change] Latest world changes now get properly saved when shutting down the game
• [Change] Reduced grid line thickness on construction elements
• [Change] Updated chat font size and emojis
• [Change] Equipping an item from inventory now closes the inventory automatically
• [Bugfix] Fixed rare crash after placing or removing construction elements
• [Bugfix] Fixed rare error showing up when hitting a tree or object
• [Bugfix] Fixed broken block id label (in texture selection window) under certain resolutions
• [Bugfix] It's no longer possible to shoot through walls if you stand right in front of them
• [Bugfix] Fixed rare issue which caused plants to become unremovable
• [Bugfix] Fixed changes to no-clipping in flymode not being saved correctly
• [Bugfix] Fixed input dialogs (e.g. when saving a building preset) sometimes closing instantly
• [Bugfix] Fixed "No fall damage" setting not being applied after restarting the game
• [Bugfix] Other changes and fixes

Quote from yahwho

app_update 339010 -beta "New Version" validate

Sorry for my late response on this The beta branch for the new version is called unity

We'll prepare instructions for SteamCMD soon

Quote from King Nothing

ok i gave up hosting the server here, but i was told by an employee at GTX, there is an issue with servers not showing up on the list? i just want ti clarify it

There are basically 3 requirements for a server to show up in the server list: The "Server_Visible" flag in the server.properties file must be set to true (which is the default setting), the query port (serverport-1, by default 4254) must be open, and servers have to set a custom "Server_Name" in the server.properties file (like in the Java version, if a server is called "Default Rising World Server" [default setting], it will not show up in the list).

A new update is available for the client and server btw The version number didn't change, so old clients and servers are still compatible with each other. However, we still recommend to install the latest update, since it fixes a memory leak in the dedicated server.

Hotfix 2021-09-01:

• [New] Added context menu to copy player UID to clipboard when rightclicking on player list
• [Change] Command "spg" no longer changes player permissions if the particular group was not found
• [Change] Removed max size limit for areas (when using Area Tools F9)
• [Change] Surface edit settings on construction elements no longer reset after placing
• [Bugfix] Fixed a memory leak in multiplayer
• [Bugfix] Fixed permission group assignment for players not being saved correctly
• [Bugfix] Fixed crash when setting address filter in server browser
• [Bugfix] Fixed sporadic Steam API error when loading a singleplayer or P2P session (need feedback)
• [Bugfix] Fixed broken surface edit mode if modular snapping is active

Quote from King Nothing

this is from GTX:

Hmm... it's difficult to say what's going on there... of course it's possible that there is a bug. We will take a closer look at this.

However, when the server is running, one could maybe check if it responds to requests on the query port (e.g. by entering the serverip + query port into the webbrowser, e.g. "http://127.0.0.1:4254", except that the public server ip should be used instead). If no valid JSON string is returned, it means there is an issue with the query port.

If that works, however, one could check if the ip gets registered to the master server correctly. This link provides the result of our master server: https://api.rising-world.net/v4/serverlist
If the server ip shows up there, it means the game could just not query the server (in this case, the log of the game may contain more information). If the server does not show up there, it's getting a bit more difficult: Our master server retrieves the list from Steam, so it may be an issue with the Steam master server (it would be interesting to know if the server shows up in Steams built-in server browser).

It would be helpful to know the IP of a server which does not show up in the list, so we could take a closer look at this

Oh, thanks a lot for pointing that out! I can confirm there is indeed a bug which prevents the server from showing up in the list I'm sorry for the inconvenience! I'm also sorry about @GTX for spending 3 hours on this issue...

It happens if the int representation of the server ip could not be represented through a signed int (that's why it's only happening for few servers)... we're preparing a fix for that... but even though it's a minor change, compiling the game will take around 2 hours (this does not require a serverside update). We'll upload the update once it's ready.

The fix for this issue is ready now. It's a client-only update, so there is no need to update the server for this:

Hotfix 2021-09-02:

• [Bugfix] Fixed some servers not being visible in server list
• [Bugfix] Door knock sound can no longer be heared everywhere

Quote from King Nothing

thank you! it works like a charm!

Thanks for the feedback, I'm glad to hear it works now

Quote from insG_Drifter

So, what can we actually do in this version? What are we testing for. I hopped into a server last night but really saw little reason to be there. I can set up a server but is there a point for testing?

In terms of content, it's more or less the same state as the previous building update (except that you can do these things with more people now). There are also a few basic PVP elements (gunfights with the rifle), but our main intention to release the multiplayer update now had technical reasons: RW was implemented in a "multiplayer-compatible" way from the beginning, or more precisely, every feature is affected by multiplayer. But the later we implement multiplayer, the more time consuming it would be to get it ready and to find potential bugs in this area. In addition to that, the mp update also forced us to revise every feature that's already in the game - if we decided to add multiplayer at a later stage, there would have been more features that need to be revised (and thus there would be a lot more work involed to get the mp ready).

At the end of the day, it's really up to you to decide whether or not you want to set up a server now. In general, we're happy about every bug report regarding multiplayer, because the sooner a bug is detected, the easier it can be fixed. But on the other hand, building is actually the only real feature in the new version at this stage - so this is mostly appealing to players who are interested in building.

The next updates, however, will add more survival- and gameplay-related features

insG_Drifter We're happy about every single bug report, even if this results in duplicates and redundant reports Especially if bugs were reported through our built-in report tool (if an error occurs in the game, there is a report button - alternatively a report can always be sent by typing "report" into console), we can easily spot duplicates.

Server-related bugs are unfortunately a bit more difficult to spot though, since the server has no reporting tool...

On the other hand, the total amount of available servers out there probably don't make a big difference (if a server is empty and no one plays on it, we probably won't get any bug reports from it either^^).

So it's really up to you. Ofc you don't have to set up a server solely for the sake of finding bugs - if the current state of the version doesn't offer enough content for you, it may be a better idea to wait a bit longer until the game is a bit more fleshed out.