I spent another few days improving multiplayer, this time I looked more at what is happening with replication behind the scenes. With some engine modification, I was able to make per player replication, so each time a new player joins, they are the only one receiving changes.
What I also noticed with bigger station replication was slowing down and sometimes it could even stop showing newly created objects. This should be now resolved, so there is no limit to how big you can go. It only means that syncing will take a little bit longer.
What is new?
Per player syncing system
When a player joins, replication is limited to only one player for all replicated objects and fast-replicated heavy structures.
If you are wondering what are these blue floors - they are logic blocks that are the smallest replicated objects in the game, so I can create easily many of them and test.
Right now creating big blueprints is no longer a problem. Replication is also faster and places a device more responsively.
Bot interaction
Interactions in the game changed, so for example, now you can construct something behind the bot screen.
You won't be able to place a building mid-air, like it was possible to place cables attaching them to the bot or asteroids :D
Improvements & fixes
- Fixed a dedicated server configuration problem that Supernova would no longer spawn
- Fixed multiplayer issue that player couldn't no longer use warehouse resources due to invalid server numbers
- Fixed gamepad sensitivity for interactions like asteroid catcher
- Fixed multiplayer issue that meteor or comet strike would destroy conveyor belts easily causing desync of resources.
- New batch replication waiting for client confirmation
- Update 03.10 - pushed resources are now keeping the right chronology even if many resources got pushed
- Update 03.10 - Timer pusher is now fully controlled by server
Improvements 10.10
- Single player hitches caused by decorations are eliminated. There is a new way of calculating tiny objects.
- Game balance - I've done adjustments for recipes to reduce times by about 2 sec - it's good for early iron and copper processing
- Multiplayer - there was one way to make junctions get blocked if there was a device pushing directly into it
- Multiplayer - A lot of profiling is done, and batching decreases server calls by 40%+
- Multiplayer - syncing button could also make conveyors get stuck (thanks to batching optimizations), but now it is improved
- Balance tech tree change to remove basic sciene, to never make it mandatory to progress
- Client docking state is now always up-to-date, preventing from getting "Docking" when docked
- Client docking conveyor default belts are now reliable
- Fixed issue that client would not see anymore updated human needs after syncing
- Fixed visual glitch for client bot screen, showing invalid distances when first time loading
- Fixed visual glitch for client with resoruces registering the same resource in Base Warehouse
- Fixed visual client problem that all game objects would appear in the blueprint designer right after connection is back
- Recycling machine right mouse take action no longer moves items to the wrong inventory
- Multiplayer docking is now correctly pushing right resources even if there are many in the queue
- Fixed multiplayer syncing crash related to Iridium Absorber bots
- Improved height of some white bilboards - ex. conveyor joint
- Dedicated Server is now correctly starting the game and pausing it if there are no players
- Fixed LAG related to the signal UI tooltip created when opening an antenna
- Fixed missing signal tooltip preview for signal receiver (showing all resources and not only 5)
- Improved multiplayer client resource state when opening machines
Autumn Sale
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1614550/Astro_Colony/
The game is currently on Sale, so please don't forget to grab the game when it is discounted.
Also tell your friends, since multiplayer is in the way better shape now :)
Please share your feedback and let me know what you would like to see in the future!
https://discord.com/invite/EFzAA3w
Thanks guys so much for your support!
Tefel (Terad Games)
