Hosting and Joining Multiplayer Games | Multiplayer Tutorial Series | Unreal Engine 5

[@Kekdot]

Hey guys, 👨‍🏫 My Patreon link: www.patreon.com/kekdot Download Project Files | Premium Tutorials | Courses 💦 Get our Game on Steam | Kekdot Center: store.steampowered.com/app/1487180/Kekdot_Center/

[@jared69sib]

Of course Patreon is down rn. Can anyone link me another way? Wanted to get started on this while I have the motivation. Thanks and Cheers!

[@jared69sib]

Nvm.. Patreon is back up already. lol.

[@pinklloyd]

Amazing tutorial. This has got to be on of the finest tutorials I've seen yet. You sir are meant to be an Unreal Instructor and make millions. Can't wait to see your next.

[@dakotayocom7764]

I spent twelve hours perfecting this code trying to figure out why my controllers aren't possessing pawns. That's three days for a hobbyist like myself. Well, the answer was that I forgot to change the input mode back to game after you click the host lobby button. I was so excited when I figured that out ; I then spent three more hours trying to figure out I have to do the same thing on the join lobby button. This is why I keep my day job!

[@thana3270]

that literally happened to me

[@tomaslaaperi5849]

@@thana3270 me too, not quite sure how to make character move after clicking "play" in my main menu level :(

[@Rgamesdev]

Create C++ project or you cant handle this subsystem. Its buggy. If you want use blueprint you can use. But you need to create C++ project or clients cant connect your server.

[@Rgamesdev]

@@tomaslaaperi5849 you too.

[@nestalaudat3164]

Yeah I'm having the same issue, so what you have to create a c++ class?

[@ph11n1x]

If only tutorials would be this good on the average! Excellent work my man.

[@samuelbowers3289]

Can you help me create the sessionDemo widget as you missed it out in the video please? Without it nothing works!

[@AnimClip-dr2ek]

The best multiplayer tutorial I have ever seen

[@michaelsparkson]

Love it. Please continue this series.

[@Kekdot]

will do

[@speedwaylabsdev]

You are legendary. Please keep going. I will support you

[@Frey4cre]

You didn't show us the WB_SessionDemo. I don't understand how you made all the widget appear on the main menu since you didn't use the one we created.

[@imercutio]

Create a new widget and look for the other already created widgets under "User Created". Drag and drop them and there you go.

[@xprogrunds2836]

@@imercutio i have pretty much the same problem as the one you commented on but dident quite understand what you mean with what you commented also idk why but my widget dont show up at all when i run the game

[@kippe1221]

Thanks for this btw. There are very few videos on that topic, people are desperate for answers, thanks!

[@kippe1221]

A bit confused. If you would have that Game there packaged and on 2 seperate PCs in 2 seperate countries, would that work? Could they connect? It just feels like there is something missing. If i wanted to make a Game where everyone could Host a session, would that work? I have set up such a system and a game before, never tried if it actually works because i thought it cant be that easy.

[@herogamesstudio]

You are amazing, perfect explanation and so simple!

[@plank2490]

Great Tutorial! but I ran into a problem. I can't seem to find the session on another pc. it works fine in the editor when I open 2 new editor windows but not when I use another PC. I am using unreal 5.4.2 and I followed all of the steps on this tutorial on a new project.

[@inourcingdisk2104]

Idk not sure how it works since I haven't finished making a game before, but my best guess is that you tried to open them in 2 unreal editors and that wouldn't work because it's not actually exported as a game?

[@K3rhos]

I'm still learning about multiplayer on Unreal Engine, but question here, is it possible to instead make the client not worrying about the sessions system, like no sesions list, let me explain: When a player launch the game, he simply click on "Play 'Name Of My Game'", and the game try to find an already hosted session on the network, if one is found (and not full) you put the client into the game but if no sessions has been found, its automatically hosting a new session ! Also it could be cool if the session could "swap host", if the player that created the session leave but another player is still in the session, this other player become the new host of this session ! Pretty sure all of that is possible, but I don't know if the built-in sessions system of UE is capable of doing that. Thx for the video, it was very useful.

[@jonda_mc]

do I have to open a port in the firewall? because I tried to connect with my friends via Hamachi and it didn't work even when I tried via lan network. so i have to open that port?

[@GameDeveloper7]

hi, I am stuck please help, It totally works in the viewport but as soon as I build this It stops working on the joining part

[@Luca-yq5ux]

kekdot the goat for best practise mp

[@mobildisko579]

2:45 Why is there so much ping even though it's a local network?

[@sandjarsharshekeev4383]

Thank you very much for your tutorials! Now I understand the logic behind everything, but as a complete noob I don't know how to properly copy the widgets. Can anybody please explain me at least roughly or recommend a video or an article to read? My main problem is how to make a border to a certain size, not the whole window. Thank you very much!

[@slibbynl9425]

Ty so much i always wanted to create multiplayer! thx!!!

[@JakobESG]

I've build two Local Multiplayer Version in 5.3 and in 4.27. The Odd part is, that it works in 5.3 but in 4.27 the Joining Client isnt transported to the Hosts Level / Map. Did they Change anything in the System what needs to be considert when using an older Version of unreal? Does anyone here have a solution for this? This would really help me out, thank you in advance!

[@SK.2050]

Hello i have a one question. If i share this game to my friends can they join and it works?

[@stromoedit1657]

Very nice tutorial very simple and works just as intended !! 🤑🤑

[@CringingDragon]

I Have everything working save for joining the actual game. Both players can load up the game, start it with steam overlay, all plugins and subsystems set, even got the markers that greyed out the steam subsystem from working. But still cant join the session after its created. Does anyone have any advice or know of reasons the online would not be working through steam at this point? Im even using the advanced sessions versions of create and find sessions. Any help would be appreciated

[@JakobESG]

This Video is so good, keep it up

[@alexfernandez9659]

Loving your replication tutorials. I'm running into likely a small issue. When I click on Create Session, It loads the level for both the server and the client, but neither can see each other. On 5.5 FYI.

[@alexfernandez9659]

Ok so I found out it works when the client creates a session but if the server does it I get the above mentioned action.

[@DimitryArsenev]

Hi. I dunno, with Dedicated server i need Sessions or not? Its fine work without Sessions, just open level by IP: port and all connected. I no see any reason why i need use sessions. Also on dedicated server not easy run session with different params, i think EXE file not have many options. Its -log, -port, level name, something else, but not much.

[@safak2492]

Dope video, subbed 👍

[@cheemayt1530]

Was looking for something like this for weeks now, Amazing Tutorial & Thanks man!

[@flacastrexy]

if you are unable to connect to the session, add a parameter "listen" to the function "Open Level"

[@johndavidtaylo9725]

Somehow i cant connect my 2 get player controller on find session and create join session widget for find session widget graph any idea guys ? thanks for the help blue print refference 14:00 minutes on video

[@wiktoriapoch2679]

If anyone has problems with opening the map while hosting or joining the session, try to open level by reference, instead of open level by name

[@goldkat94]

Why is your ping 34 when you are connected in your home network? This seems strange to me.

[@nafisforkan5188]

My widget varuables wint turn public. What do I do? Like the variables for the text elements in the UI. What do I do?

[@ECAKJ]

im failing to find sessions immediately im not sure why, i had this working months ago and now its not

[@Kekdot]

If you are using a subsystem like Steam and UE 5.1 then using 5.1 is the reason. At the moment the session setup in Unreal is completely broken in 5.1. They messed up a line of code and a pull request has already been made. I pinned a comment about this in our discord server in the #multiplayer channel. In 5.0 work fine however. If this is not your case, then you must be missing something but hard for me to tell due to lack of knowing how you set it up.

[@ECAKJ]

@@Kekdot shit I’m using 5.1 haha. Well thank you.

[@hyperatomart8]

How do you make this into an online multiplayer session and not a lan one?

[@wakey4286]

WOW! This is awesome, thanks!

[@demonitgames]

Can u make on Friends list and inv with EOS Integration Kit for Epic Store connection

[@kazp5020]

thanks for the tutorial! would you mind if i ask a question? at 11:56, I tried searching for the "SetText" node, but it doesn't come out. Am I doing something wrong?

[@Renkyys]

Drag from the "Server Name Text", "Amount of Players Text" or "Ping Text". Than search for "SetText" node

[@kazp5020]

@@Renkyys Ah! Thank you so much! It worked

[@JoeHendersonOfficial]

The node is "set text text"

[@character726]

where do i get the "public connections node"?

[@DimitryArsenev]

Somehow I don’t understand UE well (I develop on a unity). Uni has room/channel logic (Photon, Tnet, etc). An example - in DotA, 10 people in a room play on one map, and there are many such rooms on the server, the data, respectively, is not synchronized with everyone, only between those who are in the room. What is the UE room alternative? And as I understand it, it is important for me to use several of these rooms at the same time (an example is a chat, an example is a list of games showing data from other rooms)

[@buennyo]

Thank you so much for your help! I will save this video snd watch it again when i need it!

[@KillerSneak]

How would you take your lobby as a ”fireteam/squad” from your own lobby (with its own session) to a dedicated server (new session) its the one thing I can’t wrap my head around. How do you get your squad from the lobby to the server as a whole (all 4 need to connect to the dedicated server and need to be/stay your fireteam/squad as well)

[@GilbertoDesign]

Man! you are awesome!

[@zetwu]

i don't have "set text" option ue5, please helpppppp

[@thehungrymonk17]

What do you need to do to make this actually connect two different computers on 2 different networks? Just for testing and funsies I followed this tutorial and added it to one of the template unreal projects and then packaged it. Ran the game on 2 different computers but after creating a session , that session was never found on the other pc when attempting to find sessions. It works fine if I do it within the editor but not on a packaged project. Or should this work and connect to different PC's on different networks as is and im just doing something wrong?

[@pleaseenteraname386]

I have the same issue. I’m still trying to figure it out. So far, I believe it may have something to do with either a need for an “Open port” on your WiFi router or some bizarre issue with Windows Defender Firewall. I’ll comment any solutions I find!

[@thehungrymonk17]

@@pleaseenteraname386 yah lmk please! I’ve been doing some research and I think maybe its because this tutorial doesn’t show how to implement an online subsystem. I think all of this would work if the subsystem was setup but the video did not cover that. I’m learning so if anyone can comment and throw me in the right direction that’d be rad. :)

[@thehungrymonk17]

@@pleaseenteraname386 hey just curious have you found a solution or got yours connected?

[@pavelkral8381]

Hello, thank you a lot Kekdot for explaining multiplayer in deep details. I watched a lot about multiplayer and also one thing where you explain dedicated server vs listen server vs peer2peer... I see that you work a lot via listen server pattern but I wanted to ask something about dedicated servers. Are Game Mode, Game State, Player Controller and Player State also available in dedicated server pattern? Also with the lobby system you introduced somewhere? I have single player game and want to remake it to multiplayer.. I am using Playfab dedicated server and its configured but I need to change the game system to it like joining etc..

[@jakesmeef0323]

Does this work connecting from one pc to another? LAN works fine for me but for online, it just doesn't show any sessions

[@VizibilityZero]

I dont know if you still check these comments, but I followed everything and when I click create server from the server side client into multiplayer, it takes both player 1 and 2 into the new level, the result of this is one player who is the correct character, and another character (player 2) who becomes the default pawn instead. I have no idea how to fix this or even to look up how to fix it. thoughts?

[@TheSkyrim24]

Every find an answer to this?

[@starscream2092]

Everything works, but : 2 players, play standalone and when i press Join, it waits 20 seconds and spawn the player in default third person map. Is it because i need the advanced steam plugin ? It does not work without it ?

[@SupernovaOneFourOne]

Super easy to understand thank you so much

[@TheSlimHim]

But how did you get the main menu to be displayed on both instances of the game? Same for getting the same camera for both?

[@zackseah1594]

Can it work in Pixel Streaming multiple full stacks matchmaking?

[@ttv_mrjack6749]

Can I expose the "Get Server Name" from Result, before creating a server. So I can change the displayed System ID, as a way to create a "Server name" customization? Right now its hardlocked to display Steam name, or System ID.

[@BluMango567]

I have a Question, what are the dots from the text changed public connections?

[@vialived]

Hey ik this is a year old but for anyone that might come across this, it's the "To String" node into "String to Integer"

[@BluMango567]

@@vialived Thank you!

[@UrbexUS]

Would this be the best way to truly test how the multiplayer game is functioning and how replication is being handled? Rather than testing as listen server?

[@deelay05]

I exactly followed along this video, the sessions are successfully created, but the find session results array is always empty.

[@deelay05]

Okay, it was an known issue that I could fix by disabling the virtual NIC of VirtualBox.

[@RagbroGaming]

hi @Kekdot at the time 9:50 you talk about the on text change but how do i set that? i cant manage to find those two nodes that goes to text and Public connections

[@StevenDiLeo]

You explained it awesomely, thank you for this!

[@OnibiPlays]

I have an issue. When I play it in editor it works well, but when I make a build and try to create a server it doesn't create it, only teleports me to the main menu again. How can I solve it? (Project created with blueprint mode)

[@pleaseenteraname386]

I had the same issue. From what I could tell, you will need to make a reference in the “Project settings” to the in game map. You can do this by going into project settings and searching for “Maps” then you will need to link your UMAP into the “Project - Packaging” tab. Hope this helps! I’m not awfully sure why this extra hurdle was added but at least it is a relatively easy fix.

[@OnibiPlays]

@@pleaseenteraname386 Thanks :D

[@has_j]

when I do this and build the project it works with LAN only and friends that are not in my house cant join

[@SugoiAdam284]

You need an online hosting system like Steam or Epic Game Store. He said that at the start.

[@has_j]

@@SugoiAdam284 I was very ignorant about the topic back when I wrote this comment. I eventually got the steam subsystem working a bit after sending that message and now I kinda understand how the networking side of Unreal works. Thanks for the response tho

[@bluehornet03]

Thanks so much for the Video, I just had a question though. Whenever I press Find Sessions it works, but only after clicking it the second time around. Have you encountered this issue?

[@bluehornet03]

If anyone gets this issue, a quick fix is just to apply do once function after you reenabled the find session btn into the find sessions.

[@dylanbello-gamedev5923]

Hello! Firstly great tutorial, has been very helpful in understanding the ins and outs. Ive been following along and I notice you are using 1 widget called SessionsDemo. Im curious is this widget is just 1 with all of these separate widgets inside of it. Or is it referencing these other widgets? just a little confused with how the UI is presented like that. Thankyou for any assistance!

[@Kekdot]

Glad you like it! It’s the widget with all of the other widgets inside of it.

[@redwolf831]

How exactly did you add all of them together?

[@Trojangomer]

@@redwolf831 make a Canvas Panel and then put the widgets on there.

[@xprogrunds2836]

@@Trojangomer probally bit stupid question but do i need to remake all the nodes for that? or are they gonna follow with

[@LuizGamingYT]

Can I use Online Subsystem for dedicated server with open world map like MMO?

[@Tranehed]

Thank you! Very well explained! :)

[@zdroid5818]

another question i can find server that where ticked to be on lan while unticking find land while searching how do i fix this

[@myyoutubeandothercommentaccoun]

hello, i got a problem with the join session. after i'm pressing the button to join the engine crashing and the engine write: Assertion failed: Actor->GetLevel() == this [File:D:\build\++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\Engine\Private\Level.cpp] [Line: 571]. anyone else got this problem?

[@ryanpatton1795]

Finding and connecting to local sessions in Unreal has been easy, what is difficult is transferring local data from the main menu to the server you are connecting to. Lets say people set their character skin on the main menu, but when they connect to the server everything is messed up like everyone has the same skin.

[@nestalaudat3164]

On the game mode there's a note called login, you can add each player controller to an array and use that array to spawn your actors

[@prismgod1904]

@@nestalaudat3164 where is this note called login that you speak of?

[@elias.j5241]

This is so good but my project crashed multiple times and the reason was because I set the game to listen servers but when I set it back to stand alone it worked, strange but why?

[@Kekdot]

You probably set it to listen server in the main menu? If thats what you do and then try to host a map then, well.. Your players are connected to each other when you start a listen server. So you make it so that the players are already connected in a session to each other on the main menu. You then host and try to make two players who are already in a session attempt to join a session. Well thats not possible so it crashes the engine. In any normal game you of course are in the main menu by yourself (in single player, so standalone), and then the listen server will automatically work when you host and join a session through standalone. Listen server is only intended to test with when you want to test multiplayer in your gameplay maps. So that you dont have to start in standalone all the time and have one game host, one game join. You can skip that by directly loading the map and playing it as netmode: listen server

[@elias.j5241]

@@Kekdot Ok thanks that makes more sense

[@iasmina5359]

@@Kekdot Thank you for the explanation, I am new to Unreal so I am not sure what to do to follow it up. I had the same crashing problem because I set the Client/Server in the MainMenu level so instead if I do that in the CreateSessoin widget will it still work as a client/server model? Also do you have a follow up video that shows how to test it on two separate PCs?

[@orangeaedan]

Great video! It’s a really good tutorial and really helped me out. Just 1 question is, how can i make skins work. When someone joins it’s just the default skin.

[@delmelon]

Hey do you have any idea why my character is lagging when moving in multiplayer even when i use only the ue template ? Basically its lagging when the client join the server but not in the editor

[@g4lstudios621]

ran into issue, i have a destructible mesh that if i break it , and join with client after i do it is not broken on their end

[@fabiohazel]

Is there a video from you or any other youtube channel that shows how the Sessions Demo is created? i am pritty new to UE5 and cant seem to get this working. The Demo blueprint i think combines all the created blueprints. But how do i create that one? The rest of the video was verry clear and relatable!!

[@adam4designss]

HOW I ADD TAG NAME FOR ALL PLAYERS,IDO,IT ,BUT IN CLINET DOESNOT APPER THA NAME BUT SERVER IS OK

[@az-ru2084]

Relax bro

[@조시완-q1n]

First I want to say thank you! And when creating a session, can't you just specify the server name?

[@giannisigona5830]

I’m a beginner and I’m trying to get my first game finished, I have packaged my game for windows and put it on 2 computers but it doesn’t see the seasons I don’t know why any help would be appreciated thanks

[@theepicgaminggod4275]

What about transferring session host after a set amount of time as if your internet connection happened to fail??

[@ISDISNJH]

Following your tutorial on I got server showing up in list, but on joining the lobby the client is not seeming to have its players controller set or getting the default map setting? host is loading just fine into game. anyone else get issues with client joining not getting their controller set?

[@dwiyantorissetyono7345]

Great Explanantion and complete. thank you very much

[@BCF39]

hay i was wondering if you could help me, when i try to join a server it always fails can you help me fix it

[@inourcingdisk2104]

How do you have the widgets be that size but not using a canvas panel?

[@Kekdot]

Use an overlay panel

[@PraiseMore]

Hey @kekdot how do I get my lobby widget and my find sessions widget to show up when i hit play?

[@Kekdot]

Hi there, Basically you call these two events for instance on Beginplay in your player controller: 'Create widget', and then you do 'Add widget to viewport'. See the code from my player controller on 08:07 I will make some tutorials about UI basics soon!

[@xprogrunds2836]

@@Kekdot i had the same problem as this guys before but i now have made it exactly as you did but but i run into a problem i use the first person template and it uses Event Beginplay already in File BP_firstPersonPlayerController if i disconnect it in there the menu kinda works is there any other then Event Beginplay i can use to make the menu work or is it possible to split it up so both can use it at the same tiem?

[@xprogrunds2836]

​@@Kekdot think i found a solution but i have made a canvas but everyting is overlaping

[@jasonyeo1465]

I have a question. If client A creates a session and B finds that session. Then client A destroyed it, but B doesn't know and the UI is still there. When client B starts join session, B cannot join other existing sessions because session already exists. In the output log, it keeps sending packets. How to handle this kind of situation?

[@worbarry9735]

i have a issue with using the default subsytem i cant find a asnwer does it work over wan or not i understand that server browser wont work but i cant even connect with direct ip, it all works on lan and browser, but over wan even with ports forwarded and verfiied they are open clients still cant connect? does the default subsystem only work over LAN?

[@joshmoore3785]

so if i just made this would it work online not just LAN or would i have. to intergrate EOS etc.

[@serf20120]

nice tutorial and it work in one machine but not on two computers. One joined to other but nothing is happen.

[@abdiasnemo2634]

I need help. I ve been following the tutorial play list and everything was working fine. Now today is not working anymore. I can host sessions but when I go join it doesn't join. I can find the session but when clicking join it does nothing. I added print srings and when clicking join it goes to failure. What can I do? Today I was working on the game modes for my map. I try to change it back but the problem still presists.

[@abdiasnemo2634]

Ok I kept mession around and it was the game mode. I change it back to BP_Thirdperson Game mode and it worked fine. When making the game mode I made a Game mode based because my project is single player focus with multiplayer aspect is that the problem?

[@abdiasnemo2634]

I am so lost. I change the game mode back to the mode that was giving me problems but now it works perfectly. It even solve my lag issues. I don't know how I did it but the problem is solved now.

[@DIZZYplys]

When ever I Play my game in the editor It work, but when I try to play it in the standalone or the packaged file, I doesn't work, It failed to create a session, anyone knows why?

[@josesierra4577]

Omg thank you. Easy tutorial to follow.

[@tejtuladhar2658]

I am having a problem where when I create session, the new level opens for both the server and the client. I want the client to be able to join the server. How do I do that?

[@terrablader]

will this project work in 5.1 seems to not launch after compile when save as 5.1 copy and try it

[@CringingDragon]

Im confused how the create WB Join Session widget has a search result pin. If anyone knows how to make that happen I'd really like to know.

[@SugoiAdam284]

Add a new variable and search for Blueprint Session Result

[@diegoyamo4450]

Can this play by two different internets ?

[@danieldelorme2482]

Awesome Tutorial! Thanks, very clear and well done!

[@savnitprasad9049]

What plugin did you use to create your level. I mean that low poly blocks in your level

[@ahmedalhawar595]

Wait so how do you get your friend to join ya? Isn't this just local hosting on your own network so your friend won't find it?

[@siegeb4486]

ive been trying to follow along in UE5 but i cant seem to find the for each loop node. also, UE5 wont let me open my project with the advanced sessions plugin installed. it says i need to rebuild the module (not sure what that means or how to do it). anyone else having similar problems?

[@Kekdot]

Hey Siege, Simply right click anywhere in the graph, and then when that blueprint search window comes up, simply type in: For Each Loop. And select that one. Regarding your Steam Advanced Session Plugin. Once you install that into UE5 you indeed have to re-build your module (Project). That is a base requirement to make non-marketplace plugins with C++ components work in your project. (Not a bug or anything) We've made this video in the past in which we implement the Steam Advanced Sessions plugin into one of our products. The way we implement it here applies to any project, so simply follow this tutorial carefully and it will explain how you can Build your Module. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGS4iH57ad1gbNE

[@siegeb4486]

​@@Kekdot thanks for the reply! im not sure what happened but the for each loop node is showing up for me now. ill give that video a try, thanks for your help!

[@HyperCazual]

Ok, that was weird. When I searched for the for each loop it only brought up niagra loops inside the widgetblueprint. The only thing that I could get to work is open up the thirdpersonchar and make the loop node and copy it, then go back to the widget and paste. I even restarted unreal and it wouldn't let me make a non-niagra loop in the widget. Hope this helps someone in the future.

[@yuriwang8767]

Nice tutorial ! but I don't knwo why it is not working in packaged build :( ?

[@francescogeloso79]

you solved?

[@zanispleve1777]

And how to do if there is only one live server by default and you can not create new server?

[@iminumst7827]

I am having issue, no results show when I click find sessions. My debug messages show that it's completing the for each loop. But even though it "completes" it doesn't loop once. Meaning the find sessions is not finding any session even though I have two tabs open and created a session with the second one.

[@iminumst7827]

Ah found the issue, my avast antivirus software firewall was preventing connection. Had nothing to do with my programming. If you have my issue and you are using the same antivirus I hope this helps./ My issue had nothing to do with this good tutorial.