Developing cross-platform live-service games is complex. RallyHere simplifies this process significantly with our Backend as a Service (BaaS) product. A standout feature is our world-class SDK integration with Unreal Engine 5 (UE5). This integration streamlines development, particularly in managing social systems and party integrations across major gaming platforms such as Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.
What is the RallyHere UE5 SDK?
The RallyHere UE5 SDK is an Unreal Engine Plugin that wraps our API calls and provides caching and best practices implementation. It is a drop-in plugin that can get you up and running in minutes with our environments. This plugin connects Unreal Engine to the RallyHere Backend APIs, incorporating all best practices for using these APIs efficiently.
Why RallyHere’s SDK is Exceptional
Integrated Debug Tool
A key differentiator, RallyHere’s integrated Debug Tool uses ImGui for rendering and interacting with the RallyHereIntegration layer. It provides rich debugging capabilities through three facets:
Data Viewing: Allows viewing data in the integration layer (e.g., viewing catalog data).
Functionality Interaction: Allows moderate interaction with the integration layer (e.g., creating sessions).
Consolidated Analytics and Error Handling: Provides an easy-to-use location for viewing web request history and handling errors.
Below images are some example windows within RallyHere Debug Tool:
(Detail 1, Data Viewing within Debug Tool window, Login User Information)
(Detail 2, Functionality Interaction within Debug Tool window, Creating Sessions for Multiplayer)
(Detail 3, Consolidated Analytics and Error Handling within Debug Tool window, RallyHere API Request Analytics)
(Detail 4, Consolidated Analytics and Error Handling Within Debug Tool, RallyHere API Request History)
Comprehensive Analytics Integration
RallyHere leverages the Unreal Engine Analytics system to send events to RallyHere’s powerful Game Data & Analytics System. This includes a large set of predefined standard events that are common across most live-service games, support for attaching custom data to each of these events, as well as the ability to create and send custom game events. By default, this data flows into RallyHere’s powerful analytics suite, powered by Microsoft Fabric. Developers can also configure the system to send events to third-party locations, providing flexibility and comprehensive data tracking.
Easy-to-Use Hotfix System
RallyHere supports patching Unreal INI configuration files via hotfix updates, allowing developers to quickly address issues and update their games without requiring new builds. This ensures that games can remain up-to-date and functional with minimal downtime.
Our GameHostAdapter Library
RallyHere’s integration with our GameHostAdapter library connects the game to a variety of backend hosting providers and is a key component of our Fleet Commander offering. This flexibility ensures that games can scale and adapt to different hosting environments seamlessly, regardless of the hosting provider.
Streamlining Platform Integration and Certification
In addition to the above, RallyHere’s SDK incorporates many elements that help simplify your cross-platform integration and prepare your game for console certification.
Platform Party Synchronization
Managing platform-specific parties is challenging due to varying requirements. RallyHere’s integration layer handles synchronization within each platform, ensuring seamless party support. This includes managing platform sessions, making it easier to meet console certification requirements and providing a richer experience for players on the same platform in a cross-platform environment.
Platform Entitlement Processing
Platform entitlement processing involves managing and synchronizing purchases made across different platforms. RallyHere simplifies this process by integrating platform entitlement redemption, ensuring consistent entitlement management across all platforms.
Platform Permissions Management
RallyHere obeys platform permissions in accordance with certification best practices, particularly for child account requirements, covering communication, crossplay, and user-generated content permissions.
Message Filtering and Display Name Management
RallyHere leverages the engine to check message filtering requirements, specifically for cross-platform display names, ensuring all communications meet platform standards.
Detailed Features Breakdown
Local Player Subsystem
A custom subsystem is instantiated for each local player, which handles requests on their behalf.
Login: This class handles logging into the RallyHere API, caching results, performing basic OnlineSubsystem login calls, and checking permissions.
Friends: Retrieves, caches, and updates friends on the RallyHere API, integrating friend data from the OnlineSubsystem interface.
Session: Enables the local player to interact with RallyHere Sessions.
Presence: Updates the RallyHere API with the local player’s presence information, making it retrievable by other players.
Entitlements: Retrieves platform entitlement information for on-platform purchasing and redemption.
Notification: Accelerates updates outside of the normal polling cycle.
Game Instance Subsystem
A custom subsystem instantiated per game instance, which handles non-player-specific requests.
Player Info: Allows looking up information about other players, including presence and inventory. This subsystem is critical and complex, often warranting a dedicated section due to its importance and functionality.
Session Management: Synchronizes game instance state for gameplay functions like map loading or server connections.
Session Browser: Enables searching for and caching session results.
Matchmaking Browser: This enables looking up and caching matchmaking configuration information.
Server Bootstrapper: Handles bootstrapping dedicated servers, including allocation, session management, recycling, and shutdown.
Catalog: Enables looking up and caching information for in-game purchases.
Config: Allows for global configuration data lookup and initiating hotfix applications.
Additional OnlineSubsystems
Anon: Supports anonymous login types, primarily used by developers to create test accounts.
Basic: Supports basic login types used by dedicated servers.
Hotfix: Provides the ability to run the engine’s hotfix manager using settings delivered by the integration layer.
SteamV2: Supports using Steam Inventory and other features missing from the base Steam subsystem.
Real-World Impact
RallyHere’s integration with Unreal Engine 5 addresses the most challenging aspects of cross-platform multiplayer game development. By managing platform-specific requirements and simplifying the integration process, developers can focus on creating engaging content and experiences for players. This integration not only reduces development time and effort but also ensures that games meet the stringent certification requirements of various platforms.
For instance, platform party synchronization significantly reduces the complexity of managing platform-specific parties, making it easier for developers to create seamless multiplayer experiences within each platform. This approach enhances the overall player experience by providing richer interactions and functionalities on the same platform, even in a cross-platform environment. Similarly, platform entitlement processing ensures that players’ purchases are consistently managed across all platforms, enhancing the overall player experience.
The integrated Debug Tool is particularly valuable. It provides developers with a powerful tool to troubleshoot and optimize their code efficiently. The ability to interact with subsystems, make API calls, and view analytics in real-time is a game-changer for development teams.
Conclusion
RallyHere’s Unreal Engine 5 integration layer simplifies the development of cross-platform live service games. By handling platform-specific requirements and providing robust tools for integration, RallyHere enables developers to focus on creating immersive and engaging gaming experiences. Whether you’re dealing with platform party synchronization, entitlement processing, or friends system integration, RallyHere has you covered.
For more information or to see a demo of RallyHere’s Unreal Engine 5 integration in action, schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation or contact us at contact@rallyhere.gg. Transform your multiplayer cross-platform game development with RallyHere today!