Hey folks,
A new update is ready which introduces Multiplayer. This includes support for Steam P2P (the "Play with friends" option), LAN support and actual dedicated servers. The dedicated server files are also available on Steam (as a separate beta branch on the "Rising World Dedicated Server" app).
It was important for us to get the multiplayer feature ready ASAP, because this makes bug tracking in this area a lot easier - the later we release multiplayer, the harder it would be to find and fix bugs. But please keep in mind that this is the first multiplayer release, so it may contain bugs. If you run into any issues, please let us know, so we can fix them ASAP.
The new version provides much better player sync compared to the Java version. The connection to servers should also be more stable now. There are also ragdoll physics available for dead player bodies (of course the same also will apply to npcs in the future). We've added better hit detection for firearms (which will make gunfights more fun) and implemented a basic foot IK system for players, which corrects their feet and legs depending on the ground.
This update already includes built-in "Area Protection" functionality. You can create areas in creative mode, assign custom names to them (which will be shown to players who enter the area) and specify custom permissions per player. You can find more information about this feature here: Area Protection
The dedicated server also provides a lot more functionality compared to the Java version - this includes a new, powerful scheduler, restart functionality, ability to set up custom server descriptions and header images, extensive logging of world events and more. We were also working on a new RCON tool (which will be web-based), but unfortunately it wasn't ready in time. But it will become available soon.
If you want to play with your friends, just go to the singleplayer menu, select a world and hit the green "Play with friends" button. This starts a P2P session and friends can join your game through the friends list. It doesn't require any port forwarding or additional setup.
If you want to join a public multiplayer server, go to the multiplayer menu to bring up the server browser. Please bear in mind that there may be almost no servers available right now, considering this is the first multiplayer release for the new version. This will likely change in the next few days.
If you want to host your own dedicated server, you find more information about that here: Dedicated Server Setup
But hosting a dedicated server requires some additional steps, so it's usually easier to rent a game server, or if you just want to play with your friends, use the "Play with friends" option mentioned above.
It's now our intention to focus on more survival- and gameplay-related features. The next big updates will introduce a fully working world generation, water and npcs. In the meantime, we also want to get crafting and blueprints ready. It's now also about time to introduce more content in general, like new items, plants etc. Stay tuned for the next updates!
Changelog 2021-08-31 (0.3):
- Multiplayer
- Added support for Steam P2P ("Play with Friends")
- Added LAN mode
- Added kick, ban and other multiplayer-related commands
- Added dedicated server (Multiplayer)
- Restart functionality
- Whitelist and Blacklist functionality
- Ability to set reserved names
- Input listener (for direct server commands)
- Custom server console
- Logging (with optional auto-removal of old logs)
- Custom header images (for server browser)
- Custom description (for server browser)