Forem: Simon Lopez

How to Set Up EOS Integration Kit in Unreal Engine 5

Simon Lopez — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 18:18:57 +0000

When implementing Epic Online Services (EOS) in your Unreal Engine game, you might want to consider using a third party plugin like EIK (EOS Integration Kit). Because this third party integrations make the process of implementing EOS SDK much easier, reducing the amount of code you have to do, and helping you implement EOS from blueprints.

Why EOS Integration Kit?

After I tried many plugins that simplify the process of implementing EOS, I have to say that this one is the best one so far. Not only is the community active, but the developers are constantly updating the plugin to keep with engine and SDK updates, new features, and solving bugs. The plugin is also in progress to have console support allowing you to use EOS features in Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo.

Installing EIK

To install EIK you have 2 options, you can either use the marketplace (Fab.com) or get the GitHub version! In case you need to get the GitHub Version, I recommend you to follow the Docs Tutorial, but I will do my best to guide you!

Installing from the marketplace

To get EIK on the marketplace you can visit the EIK posting on Fab.com, here you will be able to acquire the plugin! I will recommend you to support the devs of this plugin so they can continue working on it!

After you have acquired the Plugin in Fab.com you can now proceed to install it on your Unreal Engine version from the Epic Games Launcher!

Installing from GitHub

First you will have to download the GitHub version, you can do this by going to the git repo and choosing your engine version from the release section or by downloading the source code and compiling the plugin. We are going to download the latest version for UE 5.5.1 this means we will have to compile the plugin.

To do so, we have to download the Plugin files, you can use this command if you have Git installed.

git clone https://github.com/betidestudio/EOSIntegrationKit.git

Or you can use any other option from the GitHub Repo using the Code <> drop down

I used the git clone command

Now that we have the plugin we have to download the latest EOS SDK version from the Epic Developer Portal. Remember to download the versions of the SDK for the platform you are going to develop for!

Windows : C SDK

Mac : C SDK

Linux : C SDK

Android : Android SDK

iOS : iOS SDK

In my case, I will download the C SDK only

Now we need to copy the SDK files to the plugin folder. The SDK files are located in the SDK folder of the downloaded ZIP archive. The SDK files are different for each platform.

Android SDK and iOS SDK

If you want to develop for these two platforms, here are the respective links to the documentation so you can install the EOS SDK in EIK: iOS SDK, Android SDK.

To install the C SDK, extract the downloaded ZIP archive and then copy the elements of the SDK folder to the ThirdParty/EIKSDK folder of the plugin.

[...PluginPath]\Source\ThirdParty\EIKSDK

Now lets build the plugin, to do so the easiest way is to move the plugin into your projects Plugins folder,

Now right-click on the .uproject file of your project and select Generate Visual Studio project files.

Now open the generated .sln file, this will open Visual Studio, Here you have to right-click on your project name, then click on rebuild.

Now your plugin is ready to go!

In case it fails 😨

In case this fails, or you dont want to use this method, here is a tutorial on how tobuild plugins from the Epic Dev Community.

Configure EIK

Once you install EIK on Unreal Engine/Your Project, you can the project, then go to Plugins and look for EOS Integration Kit and enable it. Then proceed to restart the engine.

Now we have to configure EIK, to do so its really simple, first we have to go to the project settings, you can do this by going to Edit > Project Settings, here we are going to go Game > EOS Integration Kit

Now you will see some options, the first option will be the automatic set up, so check that option, when you check it will prompt you to restart the engine again to apply the changes to the Engine.ini file.

Now we have some extra configurations you can check out, we are going to focus on the main config to set up the connection with EOS, and do the login, but I recommend you to check the plugin documentation to learn how to use all the other cool features EIK has!

Connect EOS

We have to go back to the Epic Developer Portal and Create a product (in case you have an existing product you want to use, feel free to use it and skip this steps!) by clicking on the Create Product button on the dashboard.

Add a name and click on create, wait for EOS to create your project and then click on it and go to the Product Setting

Now we have to create a Client, an Application, and a Client Policy! So lets start!

Client Policy

For this example, I am going to create a Peer-2-Peer Policy. So lets go to Clients, then look for the Add new client policy button.

Now we have to name our policy, and select the type, as I said before I am choosing the Peer-2-Peer policy. After you configure it, you can click on add new client policy

Client

For creating our client we have to click on the Add new client Button, Here we have to name the client, then select the policy and click on Add new client

Application (Only if you are planing on using the Epic Account Services)

Now we have to go to the Epic Account Services section to create a new Application, here you have to click on Create Application, Then follow the steps to get your app approved, you can test things without adding your website and privacy policy but if you want to use Epic Account Services you need to do all the verification process.

You will be required to add some data about your Company/Brand, your Privacy Policy (As an example of a Privacy Policy you can visit Party Madness Privacy Policy, It is a game I did that uses EOS Services), and some Information about your game project. You dont need to put all the actual info for the draft and testing, but if you want to test with other people that are not part of your company, you will have to submit your brand for review.

Likewise, you will also be asked to choose the Permissions this will allow you to get things like user location, friends list, and Online Presence.

The last thing we have to do so we can start testing is to link our client, this can be done on the last tab.

We are now done in this section! When you go back to the Epic Account Services tab, you should see something like this with your own data!

Connecting with EIK

Lets set up the connection between EOS and Unreal Engine (EIK/EOS SDK), first we have to go to Product Settings, here you should see the something like this (I obscure part of the IDs because this is information you should keep private)

Now in we have to go back to our EIK plugin configuration (in the Unreal Engine Project Settings), and start configuring our first artifact.

For this tutorial, I will use DefaultArtifact as the name for the Artifact, but you can use any name that is meaningful to you. So create an Artifact by clicking the plus button, and add put the name, The name you use should match the Default Artifact Name option, so the plugin knows what to use.

Now lets start adding the IDs and Secrets from the Epic Online Services to the fields, just ensure the field name matches what you are adding. (That means Client ID with Client ID, Client Secrete with Client Secrete and so on) At the end it should look something like this (IDs and Secretes have been obscured to protect privacy)

Just like that, you have set up EOS Integration Kit on your game, Now its your responsibility to start coding the behaviours of your game, if you need some guides on what to do next here is a list of things you might want to do!

Set up Login: https://eik.betide.studio/Authentication/basics
Set up EOS Dev Tool: https://eik.betide.studio/Authentication/autologin
Matchmaking: https://eik.betide.studio/multiplayer/matchmaking/lobbies
Create Achievements: https://eik.betide.studio/playerinformation/progression/achievements
Set up Voice Chat: https://eik.betide.studio/multiplayer/voicechat/basics

Important Resources

Unreal Engine Multiplayer Docs: https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/networking-and-multiplayer-in-unreal-engine
EOS Docs: https://dev.epicgames.com/docs/epic-online-services
EOS Dev Portal: https://dev.epicgames.com/portal
Multiplayer Tutorial EIK: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx9KZWpnHHA2mhvlMFeyIuPFJncz4dWKz
EIK Docs: https://eik.betide.studio
EIK Store Page: https://www.fab.com/listings/70689002-04d3-4098-ad9e-62792fe0b669
EIK GitHub: https://github.com/betidestudio/EOSIntegrationKit
The best Plugin options for implementing EOS

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Boost Your Unreal Engine Game: Best EOS Plugin Options

Simon Lopez — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 05:29:45 +0000

As an Unreal Game Dev you might have asked yourself how to do a multiplayer game, keep track of your players, have a store or even publish your game on Epic Games Store. Well, the answer to this is EOS (Epic Online Services). These tools are designed to help game dev to implement all sort of features, like Cross platform multiplayer, progression (achievements, player data storage, leaderboards), P2P (peer-to-peer connectivity), game analytics, anti-cheat, title storage, and more.

While you could implement these tools using the SDK provided by Epic Games, or the already implemented plugin on Unreal Engine, these two options require large set up, and lots of knowledge on Networking, API, and C++. They don't offer functions that are exposed to blueprints, making the process harder to make for Devs that are not as skilled on coding. There is where third party plugins come to in handy. Some plugins we will talk about will help you implement all these features in an easier way or provide useful functionalities to improve the work flow with EOS. Let's get started!

EIK (EOS Integration Kit)

EIK is a plugin made by Betide Studio to provide game dev with the tools to implement EOS on their games. They also offer support on their discord community, helping devs to implement features to their games. This plugin not only implements the online subsystem, but also implements all the other handy functions like anti-cheat, login with multiple platforms, functions exposed to blueprints, and the Dev Portal login. It is also compatible with their other subsystems like: Edgegap Integration Kit, Steam Integration Kit, and PlayFab Integration Kit.

This plugin has a cost of $54.99 for individual license, or $129.99 for the professional license (Learn more about it on the Fab.com page). While I encourage you to buy the plugin to support the Devs behind it, They also offer it for free on their GitHub, if you want to learn more about that I invite you to enter to their discord https://discord.gg/betidestudio

Link to the Plugin: https://www.fab.com/listings/70689002-04d3-4098-ad9e-62792fe0b669

EOS Online Subsystem

This amazing plugin is created by Redpoint Games it offers all the tools you need to build your game online system, including support for console, all the EOS auth types, unified friends list, and cross-platform support. There are 2 versions of this plugin, one that is free, and the marketplace version, each one of them have different things, so I recommend you to check which one you need using this link. Be mindful that this plugin does not implement Blueprints, so if you require the online subsystem exposed to blueprints, you have to use their Online Subsystem Blueprints plugin.

The price of the marketplace version (the full version) is: $129.99

You can get the plugin in FAB: https://www.fab.com/listings/b900b244-0ff6-49e3-8562-5fc630ba9515

Advanced Sessions Plugin

ASP (Advanced Sessions Plugin) by MordenTral is a tool set for those that want to use any online subsystem from blueprints. This plugin offers blueprints you can use to interact with the online subsystem, and simplify the configuration and manipulation of sessions and data. While there is no official support for EOS specific features (Anti-cheat, player storage, title storage, store, achievements, and a lot of other features), you can use it to control sessions, and logins with the right configuration.

This is an open-source project, you can get the code and compile it yourself or download a precompiled version of the plugin for the engine version you are using!

GitHub: https://github.com/mordentral/AdvancedSessionsPlugin

Precompiled versions: https://vreue4.com/advanced-sessions-binaries

Important Resources

While having plugins to improve your experience with EOS is good, you should always keep in mind some of these official resources, mostly since the all the plugins really on EOS SDK to run. Here I compiled some good resources for you to work with EOS! If you know any other good plugins or resources, put them in the comments!

Epic Games Dev Portal: https://dev.epicgames.com/en-US
Online Services Docs: https://dev.epicgames.com/docs/dev-portal
Epic Online Services page: https://onlineservices.epicgames.com/en-US/services
EOS Community: https://eoshelp.epicgames.com/s/?language=en_US
Unreal Engine EOS Docs: https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/online-services-eos-plugins-in-unreal-engine
Community EOS Plugin course: https://dev.epicgames.com/community/learning/courses/1px/unreal-engine-the-eos-online-subsystem-oss-plugin/Lnjn/unreal-engine-introduction
Druid Mechanics - EOS Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd9m4cG2hnU

How to Decide Which Engine is Right for You

Simon Lopez — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 22:33:18 +0000

What is a game engine?

A game engine is basically a piece of software and APIs that gives Game Devs all the tools and stuff they need to make and develop games. It's like a middleman between the game and your computer, taking care of things like graphics, managing objects, physics, and more.

Some popular game engines include Unreal Engine, Unity Engine, and Game Maker. These engines have a bunch of features and tools to support game devs, making their workflow better, reducing development time, and helping them create some amazing gaming experiences.

Why should you use an pre-made engine?

Writing a game engine can be very appealing, but it is equally very challenging. Here are some reasons why ready engines are preferable to creating a custom one:

Cost-saving : With a pre-made engine, you just avoid such expensive licensing fees, subscription costs, and all that development time.
Simplified : Pre-made engines take care of complicated things like rendering, physics, and user interface, so your team can focus more on making the game.
Community Support : Popular game engines have greater communities with resources, great documentation, and support.
Compatibility with the Platform : Most of these engines run on a wide range of consoles, PCs, phones, and other platform.

The scenery of game development has really started to lean towards using pre-made engines, with even big AAA studios going for established options. A trend all about the perks of these pre-made engines includes:

Well-established Communities : Pre-built engines have vast active communities offering valuable resources and support.
Latest Features : Well-established engines often have the latest features and technologies, giving developers a competitive edge.
Device Compatibility : This way, such readymade engines are ready for immediate action on various devices, such as consoles, PCs, and even mobile phones.

You may be thinking that working on a custom game engine sounds cool, but using a pre-made one is way more practical and saves a lot of time for game developers. With a pre-made game engine, they can simply focus on creating fantastic games without worries about other complexities.

Images taken from gamedeveloper.com

What should I take into account when choosing an engine?

When selecting a game engine, it's essential to consider the following three main factors:

Project scope : Estimate how complicated and big a project your game is going to be. Other major considerations while choosing a game engine will be the kind of game and features, and the platform a game is targeted for.
Team you have : Assess the skills and experience of your development team. Choose an engine that aligns with your team's strengths and weaknesses. For example, if your team is familiar with C++ and has experience with Unreal Engine, it might be a good choice.
Community support : Consider the level of support and resources available from the engine's community, including documentation, tutorials, and forums. A strong community can help you overcome challenges and stay up-to-date with the latest features and best practices.

Additional Factors to Consider

Even with those three major ones, there are a lot of other points you might want to consider:

Cost : Evaluate the engine's licensing fees, subscription costs, and any additional expenses.
Platform compatibility : Ensure the engine supports the platforms you want to target, including consoles, PCs, and mobile devices.
Learning curve : Consider the engine's complexity and how easily your team can learn and adapt to it.

What engine is the best?

The best engine will be defined by your needs. But here you have a list of engines their strengths and weaknesses, also some games that were done in the engine so you can see what is possible.

Unreal Engine 5

Description: The latest version of the Unreal Engine, known for its high-performance rendering, advanced physics, and large community of developers.
Strengths: High-performance rendering, advanced physics, and a large community of developers.
Weaknesses: Steep learning curve, Bad performance on low end devices.
Games: Fortnite, Ark: Survival Ascended, Dark and Darker, The Finals
Platforms: PC, Consoles, Mobile
Cool Features:

Unity

Description: A versatile, user-friendly game engine developed by Unity Technologies, known for its cross-platform support, ease of use, and vast community of developers.
Strengths: Cross-platform support, user-friendly interface, and a large community of developers.
Weaknesses: Lisensing fees.
Games: Cuphead, Genshin Impact, Pokemon Go
Platforms: PC, Consoles, Mobile, Web
Cool Features:

Godot

Description: An open-source game engine developed by the Godot community, known for its cross-platform support, ease of use, and growing community of developers.
Strengths: Open-source, cross-platform support, and a growing community of developers.
Weaknesses: Limited console support.
Games: Brotato, A Most Extraordinary Gnome, Pingo Adventure
Platforms: PC, Consoles, Mobile, Web
Cool Features:

MonoGame

Description: An open-source implementation of the Microsoft XNA framework, known for its cross-platform support, ease of use, and large community of developers.
Strengths: Open-source, cross-platform support, and a large community of developers.
Weaknesses: Limited advanced features, No visual interfaze, Requiares lots of knowledge about coding, Relatively small community.
Games: Celeste, Stardew Valley, Mercenary Kings
Platforms: PC, Consoles, Mobile, Web
Cool Features:

Game Maker

Description: A popular game development engine developed by YoYo Games, known for its user-friendly interface, drag-and-drop functionality, and large community of developers.
Strengths: User-friendly interface, drag-and-drop functionality, and a large community of developers.
Weaknesses: Limited advanced features, Lack of proper 3D capabilities.
Games: Koboo: The Tree Spirit, Forager, Nuclear Throne
Platforms: PC, Consoles, Mobile
Cool Features:

Construct

Strengths: User-friendly interface, drag-and-drop functionality, and a large community of developers.
Weaknesses: Limited advanced features, Lack of support for consoles, Relatively small community.
Games: Mighty Goose, Creature Keeper
Platforms: PC, Mobile, Web
Cool Features:

Cry Engine

Description: A powerful game engine developed by Crytek, known for its high-performance rendering, advanced physics, and large community of developers.
Strengths: High-performance rendering, advanced physics, and a large community of developers.
Weaknesses: Steep learning curve, Relatively small community.
Games: Deceit, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Crysis 3
Platforms: PC, Consoles
Cool Features:

Conclusion

Choosing the right game engine for your project can be a daunting task, but by considering the scope of your project, your team's skills and experience, and the level of community support available, you can make an informed decision.

Ultimately, the best engine for you will depend on your specific needs and goals. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting out, it's essential to choose an engine that aligns with your project's requirements and your team's strengths and weaknesses.

By considering the strengths and weaknesses of popular game engines like Unreal Engine 5, Unity, Godot, MonoGame, Game Maker, Construct, and Cry Engine, you can make an informed decision and create a game that meets your vision and exceeds your players' expectations.

Key Takeaways

Consider the scope of your project, your team's skills and experience, and the level of community support available when selecting a game engine.
Evaluate the engine's licensing fees, subscription costs, and additional expenses.
Ensure the engine supports the platforms you want to target.
Consider the engine's complexity and how easily your team can learn and adapt to it.

By following these guidelines and doing your research, you can choose the right game engine for your project and create a game that is both fun and successful.

Useful Links

Official Game Engine Websites

Unreal Engine: https://www.unrealengine.com/
Unity: https://unity.com/
Godot: https://godotengine.org/
MonoGame: https://www.monogame.net/
Game Maker: https://gamemaker.io/
Construct: https://www.construct.net/

Game Engine Communities and Forums

Unreal Engine Community: https://forums.unrealengine.com/
Unity Community: https://unity.com/community
Godot Community: https://godotengine.org/community
MonoGame Community: https://www.monogame.net/community
Game Maker Community: https://www.yoyogames.com/community
Construct Community: https://www.construct.net/forum

Enhancing Online Gaming with Epic Online Services: A Developer's Perspective

Simon Lopez — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 22:27:06 +0000

Introduction

In the ever-evolving world of online gaming, creating a seamless and engaging experience for players is paramount. Enter Epic Online Services (EOS), a powerful suite of tools designed to help developers build and enhance their online games. As a game developer, I've had the opportunity to integrate EOS into my projects, and the results have been nothing short of transformative. In this blog post, I'll share my insights on how EOS can elevate your game development process and provide a great gaming experience for your players.

What is Epic Online Services?

Epic Online Services (EOS) is a comprehensive set of free, cross-platform services that make it easier and faster for developers to successfully launch, operate, and scale games. Whether you're working with Unreal Engine, Unity, or any other game engine, EOS offers a range of features designed to support all aspects of online game development. These services include voice chat, achievements, matchmaking, and live operations, all of which are crucial for creating a dynamic and engaging multiplayer experience.

One of the standout features of EOS is its cross-platform capabilities, allowing players to connect and play with friends across different devices and stores. This means that whether your players are on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, or PC, they can enjoy a seamless gaming experience without any barriers. Additionally, EOS provides shared account services, enabling players to log in using various accounts such as Facebook, Google, or Apple. This flexibility not only enhances the player experience but also simplifies the development process for you.

EOS services

EOS has two main categories for the services. Account Services, allow devs to use epic games account services to authenticate users, store user data, and allow users to connect with their friends. And the Game services, that are the Matchmaking, Lobbies, Peer-to-peer, Achievements, Leaderboards, etc. You can mix and match these services to fit the need of your project, like I did in Party Madness, an Online Multiplayer game that using EOS for authentication and Peer-to-Peer connection.

Key Features of EOS

Cross-Platform Play

Epic Online Services enables players to connect and play with friends across various platforms, including PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC. This cross-platform capability ensures a seamless gaming experience, allowing players to enjoy their favorite games with friends regardless of the device they are using.

Account Services - EOS provides shared account services that allow players to log in using different accounts such as Facebook, Google, Apple, and more. This flexibility not only enhances the player experience by making it easier to access games but also simplifies the development process for you as a developer.
Game Services - EOS offers a universal set of services that support all platforms and stores, making it easier to release, validate, and scale your games. These services include voice chat, achievements, matchmaking, and live operations, all of which are crucial for creating a dynamic and engaging multiplayer experience.
Live Operations - With EOS, you can manage live operations seamlessly. This includes updating game content, managing player data, and ensuring smooth gameplay. The live operations tools help you keep your game fresh and engaging for players, which is essential for maintaining a loyal player base.
Analytics and Insights - EOS provides robust analytics and insights tools that help you understand player behavior and game performance. These insights are invaluable for making data-driven decisions to improve your game and enhance the player experience.
Security and Compliance - Epic Online Services ensures that your games are secure and compliant with industry standards. This includes protecting player data and ensuring that your game meets all necessary regulations, which is crucial for building trust with your players.

These features make EOS a powerful tool for game developers, enabling you to create high-quality, engaging, and scalable online games. By leveraging these services, you can focus on what you do bestcreating amazing gameswhile EOS handles the complexities of online services.

Why Choose Epic Online Services?

Why Choose Epic Online Services? Epic Online Services (EOS) stands out as a premier choice for game developers looking to enhance their online gaming experience. Heres why:

Comprehensive and Free: EOS offers a wide range of services, including voice chat, achievements, matchmaking, and live operations, all for free. This comprehensive suite of tools allows developers to focus on creating engaging gameplay without worrying about the backend infrastructure.
Cross-Platform Play: One of the most significant advantages of EOS is its cross-platform capabilities. Players can connect and play with friends across various platforms, including PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC. This seamless integration ensures a broader reach and a more inclusive gaming community.
Ease of Integration: EOS is designed to be easily integrated with popular game engines like Unreal Engine and Unity. This ease of integration means you can quickly implement these services into your game, reducing development time and effort.

Why Use a Pre-Made Online Subsystem?

Creating your own online subsystem can be a daunting and resource-intensive task. Heres why using a pre-made solution like EOS is beneficial:

Time and Resource Savings Developing an online subsystem from scratch requires significant time, expertise, and resources. By using EOS, you can leverage a proven and reliable system, allowing you to focus on game development rather than backend infrastructure.

Scalability and Reliability EOS is built to handle the demands of modern online gaming, ensuring scalability and reliability. This means you can confidently grow your player base without worrying about server performance or downtime.

Cost Efficiency Using a pre-made solution like EOS, Steamworks, or Playfab can be more cost-effective compared to creating your own Online Subsystem, renting servers, and creating your own frameworks. EOS provides a comprehensive set of services for free, helping you save on development and operational costs.

Comparison with Other Alternatives While there are several alternatives available, EOS offers a unique combination of features, ease of use, and cost efficiency. Heres a brief comparison:

Steamworks : While Steamworks offers robust features, it is primarily tied to the Steam platform and limited to PC platforms, restricting cross-platform play.
AWS Gamelift : AWS Gamelift provides excellent server hosting but can be costly and requires significant setup and management. However, it can be integrated with EOS to provide dedicated servers for your game.
Xsolla : Xsolla offers various services, including payment processing and marketing, but may not provide the same level of integration and ease of use as EOS.
Playfab : Playfab is a comprehensive backend platform and a good competitor, but it comes with a cost. It can also be integrated with EOS, allowing you to have dedicated servers for your game.

By choosing EOS, you benefit from a powerful, cost-effective, and easy-to-integrate solution that enhances your games online capabilities and provides a seamless experience for your players.

My Experience with EOS

Integrating EOS into Party Madness

Creating my game, Party Madness, was an exciting journey, and integrating Epic Online Services (EOS) played a crucial role in its development. In this game, I utilized many of the game services and account services provided by EOS. The game used a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection to create matches that players could join from anywhere in the world. Additionally, I implemented the account system, allowing players to use their existing accounts from Epic Games, Google, Steam, Xbox, or any other supported platform. Although I only released the game for Windows, the system was compatible with all platforms, thanks to EOS's cross-platform capabilities.

The integration process was straightforward, thanks to the integrated plugin in Unreal Engine 5. This made it easy to incorporate EOS features into my game without extensive coding or configuration. The analytics provided by EPS were particularly helpful, as they allowed me to identify and fix bugs, ultimately improving the game's performance and player experience.

Challenges and Solutions

One of the main problems I faced while creating an online multiplayer game was managing users. EOS made this easy by allowing me to see who was in the session with easy-to-use C++ functions and the integration of many account services on their subsystem. Another challenge was finding a way to start the project, but thanks to the Unreal Engine community and EOS support, this was superfast, and all the issues I encountered were solved quickly by the community of developers.

Standout Features of EOS

Several features of EOS stood out to me and significantly improved my game's performance and player experience:

Lobbies : This feature allowed me to control the current players in the lobby, manage their information, and change settings for the session while keeping a simple game structure.
Cross-Platform Play : The ability to connect players across different platforms was a game-changer. It allowed me to reach a broader audience and create a more inclusive gaming community.
Account Services : The shared account services made it easy for players to log in using their existing accounts, enhancing the overall user experience.
Analytics and Insights : The detailed analytics provided by EOS helped me identify and fix bugs, optimize game performance, and make data-driven decisions to improve the game.
Ease of Integration : The seamless integration with Unreal Engine 5 made it easy to implement EOS features without extensive coding or configuration.

Overall, EOS provided a comprehensive and reliable solution that enhanced my game development process and delivered a superior gaming experience for players.

Success Stories

Fortnite: One of the most well-known games utilizing Epic Online Services is Fortnite. By leveraging EOS, Fortnite has been able to provide a seamless cross-platform experience, allowing players to connect and play with friends across different devices. The integration of EOS has also enabled Fortnite to manage live operations efficiently, ensuring that the game remains engaging and up-to-date with new content and features.

Hades: Hades, developed by Supergiant Games, uses EOS to incorporate cross-platform cloud saves and achievements. This feature allows players to continue their progress across different platforms, providing a flexible and convenient gaming experience. The integration of EOS has helped Hades maintain a high level of player engagement and satisfaction.

Rocket League: Rocket League, a popular vehicular soccer game, has also benefited from EOS. The game uses EOS for its cross-platform play and matchmaking services, enabling players to compete with others regardless of their platform. This has significantly expanded Rocket League's player base and enhanced the overall gaming experience.

Conclusion

Epic Online Services (EOS) offers a comprehensive and cost-effective solution for game developers looking to enhance their online gaming capabilities. With features like cross-platform play, account services, game services, live operations, and robust analytics, EOS provides everything you need to create a seamless and engaging multiplayer experience. By choosing EOS, you can save time and resources, focus on game development, and deliver a superior gaming experience for your players.

Whether you're developing a new game or looking to improve an existing one, EOS is a powerful tool that can help you achieve your goals. I encourage you to explore EOS and see how it can benefit your projects. If you have any questions or want to share your experiences with EOS, feel free to reach out. Happy gaming!

Additional Resources

Case Study: Ascension Belle's Offering

Simon Lopez — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 22:23:48 +0000

Overview

Ascension: Belle's Offering is a 2D Platformer I developed with the help of o0shortcake0o (an excellent Game Dev and Artist) for Speed Jam #5. This was a short game jam; we only had three days to do a complete game that could be speed run, with the topic ascension. We instantly came up with the idea of a player trying to climb using grappling and jumping in platforms. This idea was further developed during the game jam, and we ended up with Belle, a soul trying to escape Hades to Olympus by jumping and grappling her way to the top before her time ran out. We also decided to use the Game Jam sponsor LootLocker, and we used their leaderboard API to allow the player to save time and appear on the leaderboard.

Game Description

The player plays as Belle, a soul trying to escape Hades. To do so, the player must navigate through three zones, Hades, Overworld, and Olympus, while collecting offerings for the gods. Each zone has its unique obstacles, enemies, and challenges that add depth to the gameplay, The game use time as a score and punishment for the player, while rewarding precision, timing, and strategic use of the grappling mechanics.

Development Journey

Initial Concept

When we started the Game Jam, we faced the first challenge: figuring out what we would do; we needed a game that aligned with the theme of Ascend while keeping the aspect of speed running. The idea we came up with was to create a simple platformer with 2 main mechanics, jump and grappling, where the player had to ascend through various levels. We wanted a simple and responsive control scheme to support the fast-paced gameplay and let the users improve with practice. As this was our first Game Jam, we knew we needed to keep the project scope low compared to other projects we had done before so that we could have a playable game within the limited time frame. We inspire the game's narrative by combining Greek mythology, religious themes, and Minecraft, and we came up with the narrative where Belle ascends from Hades to Olympus.

Technical Challenges

When we did the Game Jam, I had almost no experience doing 2D platformer, grappling mechanics, or working in GameMaker, so I had to learn all that in 3 days while also developing the game. This was a big challenge, mainly because my experience and expertise were in Web development, Unreal Engine, 3D, and Multiplayer Games. The good news was that I am pretty good at coding and learning from the documentation itself, allowing me to start working on the project quickly (if you want to learn something, challenge yourself to do that thing you don't know; it works).

To make my life harder, I decided to use GameMaker's physics system, and if you know something about this, you might know how difficult to use this system is. Doing a smooth movement system was a priority, and the grappling mechanic was a core element, so iteration and problem-solving on these elements were crucial for the game. Constant feedback helped shape these mechanics and spot most of the issues so I could solve the problems and improve the system.

Another problem we faced was SFX, which was mainly our fault for not testing this properly before submitting it. This made the SFX too loud, making the game experience quite problematic for the people who did not disable the SFX. If this wasn't bad enough, this issue was solved a couple of minutes after the Game Jam submissions closed; the solution couldn't be uploaded until the voting period ended.

Gameplay Design

The game's core mechanics revolved around movement, grappling, and jumping. So, one of the leading design goals was to ensure these game elements felt satisfying.

Jumping: The jump was one of the most essential parts of the game; we need it to feel responsive. To do so, we added two systems, Coyote Time (allowing players to jump a few frames after leaving a platform) and a Jump Buffer (allowing the jump command to trigger once the player lands), making the game feel smoother and more responsive to the player.

Grappling : The grappling mechanic was tricky to fine-tune. We needed the grappling to reach across the screen but not pass through objects, so the player had to use other strategies. The feedback from the play testers pointed out that it was too hard to use, so we increased the hitbox.

Time Constraints and Iteration

Due to the short time we were facing, rapid prototyping was essential, and it took only one day for us to have a playable demo and start applying the feedback we got from our friends. Most early community feedback was positive, particularly regarding the art style. However, we received little feedback about the gameplay at this stage.

We made it to the Game Jam's deadline on time, just for this one to be extended due to Itch.io sever issues. Instead of just crossing our hands, we added some extra polish to the game, improving menus, sound controls, and more. But these last-minute changes were a mix of exhaustion and excitement, allowing us to add many things, including bugs , the most noticeable being the extra loud SFX due to the addition of the sound controls.

Post-Submission Fixes and Improvemen ts

This was our first Game Jam. Our expectations were to be ranked 208 out of 209, but due to the fantastic work my partner and I put into the game, we ranked 54 out of 209 submissions. We were more than happy with this result, but we knew we could have done way better. There were many areas for solving things like the SFX being too loud, adding the Coyote Time and Jump Buffer, adding a story, making a better tutorial, etc The feedback we got during the voting period showed us some of them. We spent most of the time solving this, adding the mechanics, and improving the game, knowing that these changes wouldn't change the outcome of the vote (mainly because we couldn't update the game during the voting time). However, we weren't doing it to get a better ranking; we were doing it to become better Game Devs.

Improved Jump Mechanics

Post-jam, we implemented Coyote Time and Jump Buffering to refine the jumping system, enhancing the player's control and responsiveness.

Grappling Adjustments

We expanded the grappling area's hitbox to make the mechanic more intuitive. This adjustment made the gameplay smoother and allowed players to grapple more efficiently.

Leaderboard Adjustments

To balance the competition, we fixed bugs where players only needed to collect half the items to appear on the leaderboard, which led to more fair and accurate scores.

Aesthetic Adjustments

We outlined the collectibles to make them stand out better and resolved overlapping UI issues that were previously disrupting gameplay transitions.

Art and Music Collaboration

The game's visual and sound elements were created by o0shortcake0o , who created vibrant art assets and composed adaptive music that changed between levels. Each zone had its variation of the core music, where different instruments were used to signal progression through the levels.

Key Features

Collectibles and Leaderboards

Collecting items is an extra challenge that we also used to make the players explore the map; this element also had value for the story of the game, and while it wasn't explicitly in the game, we wanted to add it from the start.

The leaderboards track the overall time, the deathless runs, and the full completion, including getting all the collectibles. This added replayability and encouraged the player to improve their performance.

Zone-Based Difficulty

The game's difficulty ramped up with the inclusion of spikes, birds, and clouds as environmental hazards, designed to challenge the player's mastery of movement and timing. Each enemy type and platform mechanic introduced new layers of complexity, pushing players to think strategically.

Adaptive Music and Checkpoints

The adaptive music, which shifted in tone as players progressed through the zones, helped create an immersive atmosphere. Checkpoints were introduced to reduce frustration, ensuring players didn't lose all their progress after dying.

Key Takeaways

The biggest takeaway from developing Ascension: Belle's Offering was understanding the importance of feedback and iteration. The gameplay was rough around the edges during the jam, but we improved the game's mechanics and systems based on the feedback received. This experience also taught us the balance between creating content that matches a theme while delivering tight, enjoyable mechanics that players can easily pick up but require skill to master.

Our first game jam experience was both challenging and rewarding, providing valuable insights into time management, collaboration, and rapid development under pressure. These lessons will be instrumental in future projects as we strive to create more polished and engaging games.

Future Plans

Polish and Updates:

We plan to continue improving the game based on community feedback. Adding new zones or refining existing mechanics could provide even more replay value.

Potential Expansion:

Depending on reception, we may explore expanding the game's narrative, introducing new levels, or developing a broader story surrounding Belle's journey through the afterlife.

Concept art by o0shortcake0o

Overall, the journey of creating Ascension: Belle's Offering during a game jam was a significant learning experience and helped us grow as developers. The combination of art, sound, and mechanics we achieved in such a short time makes us proud, and we are eager to see where our development journey takes us next.

You can play Ascension: Belles Offering by clicking here!