Build Multiplayer Games
This activity is included in an 8-part, 1 hour series to learn Game Maker. Short, focused topics with guided practice will give you practical experience building useful logic for creating games.
Last updated
This activity is included in an 8-part, 1 hour series to learn Game Maker. Short, focused topics with guided practice will give you practical experience building useful logic for creating games.
Last updated
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In this activity, you will learn the fundamentals of setting up logic layers for multiplayer games, which combines logic individual players experience and synchronized logic all player experience. This includes how variables in the Rules System and Spawn Point behaviors can be used to create teams. Finally, you will learn how to share your Experience for testing or publish it to The Sandbox Map if you own LAND.
Multiplayer Experiences synchronize data across all players, such as object motion.
However, not all logic needs to be Synchronized [MP] for all players. To improve gameplay performance, some logic can be managed on the individual, or Client [SP], layer.
When adding logic to an object, you can see a dropdown filter for these communication layers.
Open the Experience from the previous activity to reuse some of its logic.
Multiplayer is a deep and complex topic because it opens up many more game types and specialized approaches to create gameplay. We've introduced some of the key considerations so you can begin to explore it further.
We encourage you to start building your first multiplayer Experience once you feel confident with how to use Game Maker's systems to build logic for a singleplayer Experience.
Learn how experts at The Sandbox create a game from concept to launch with our Game Production Guide. It provides actionable steps to build a high quality singleplayer or multiplayer Experience with helpful supportive resources.
Join the community at our forum to find updates, ask questions, support other creators, and more!
Practice: Try to send a message to trigger the [MP] Weather Switcher with a [SP] Message Broadcaster. In singleplayer mode it will work, but in multiplayer mode it will not.
| Gameplay | When to use SP | When to use MP |
|---|---|---|
For the most accurate multiplayer results, generate a link to test it in the Game Client software using the button in Game Maker (top right).
Speaker component
When information is only relevant for an individual player
"Barks" to hint all players to talk to an NPC, share general information, etc.
Dialogue (Asker behaviour)
When each player triggers dialogue at their own pace
Compatibility with quests (0.10)
When all players must see dialogue at the same time
Collectables (includes consumables & equipment)
When each player can collect an item (and you need to use less MP logic for improved performance)
SP compatibility is needed
When players compete to collect only one instance of an object (Global set to True) OR When every player can collect an instance of the object (Global set to False)
MP compatibility is needed
Any use of Game Rules (HUD, banner, key input, variables, etc)
No limitations (Set Broadcast Type to All to communicate with Game Rules)
No limitations (Set Broadcast Type to Rules or All to communicate with Game Rules)
Quests
Only SP logic can communicate with quests in Game Maker 0.10
The Quest system will be compatible with MP logic in Game Maker 0.11
Logic that controls movement, collisions, spawning/ destroying, etc.
No SP options exist to avoid physics conflicts
Minimize use to boost gameplay performance
Refer to performance recommendations in Game Maker to choose how many and which logic to use to create an outcome
Use Actor Property Switcher instead of destroying and respawning objects
