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Game Engine | Unity |
Tutorial Level | Easy |
Properties | Sync Material |
Project Files |
In this tutorial, we will take a closer look at the No-Code Collaboration Sync Components to a real world example /wiki/spaces/CSM/pages/881426433 component.
Starting Project
We are going to begin with a simple single-player Chess scene.
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32 movable chess pieces on a table.
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This scene presents a car model with several interactive features. In this tutorial we will be focusing on swapping the base color texture to change the car’s paint body color.
A sports car with 5 available color schemes.
A HUD with 5 buttons corresponding to the 5 color schemes.
No special game logic other than moving pieces around on the board.
No restrictions on movement based on chess rules (just planar movement)modifying the paint material based on which button is selected.
No physics applied (see: Sync Property Components and Physics)
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| primaryTab | true |
|---|---|
| colorPalettes | Default |
| an.spaceKey | CSM |
| tabsPageTitle | Unity |
| color | #00875A |
| fixed | false |
| id | g6wcjgbgpu6 |
| backgroundColorPalette | Default |
| headerStyle | Filled |
Setting up Cavrnus in Unity
As described in the Setup Your Scene guide, we will setup our Scene for Cavrnus using the dropdown button.
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Then, as described in that same page, we will set the Cavrnus Spatial Connector to use our server, Login to our account automatically, and Automatically Join a “Chess” space we created in the web.
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Add Sync Components to Chess Pieces
Next we will simply select all the pieces and Add Component Sync Transform in the Inspector.
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And we’re done! That’s it!
OK, Let’s Add a Custom Avatar for Fun
Alright, the Cavrnus Spatial Connector comes with a default Avatar, but if you wanna be a bit fun you can Add a Custom Avatar. In this case we’ve already found a fun 3rd party Floating Orb Avatar. Like in the Developer Guide, we’ll start by just giving it a Sync Transform component, like we did the Chess Pieces.
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Then, in the Cavrnus Spatial Connector, we will set the Remote User Avatar to be this.
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And now we’re actually done!
Final Product
With the Sync Transform components added, the Avatars and Chess Pieces will move in a synchronized way for both users. This, combined with Voice and Video, will let you play a chess game with whomever else launches this scene!
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| tabsPageTitle | Unreal |
|---|---|
| colorPalettes | Default |
| an.spaceKey | CSM |
| color | #0052CC |
| id | ikr0f7bi4g |
| backgroundColorPalette | Default |
Installing the Cavrnus Plugin (Unreal Engine)
As with any Unreal plugin, adding the Cavrnus Spatial Connector is a simple 3 step process:
Drop the latest version of the CSC plugin into the Plugins folder of your project files.
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Load the project in Unreal Editor and enable the CSC plugin in the Plugins Manager
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Restart the Unreal Editor as indicated.
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The project now has the Cavrnus Spatial Connector plugin enabled. The next steps will connect a specific map in the project to a Cavrnus server. |
Initial Cavrnus Setup
The first time the project is opened with the enabled plugin, the Cavrnus Spatial Connector dialog box will display to guide the initial setup.
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Set up your Space - Adds an instance of the CavrnusSpatialConnector to the current map.
Web Console - Open the Cavrnus Web Console in the default browser.
Visit Documentation - Open the online documentation in the default browser. (You’re already here!)
Show when Unreal Editor Starts - Toggle this checkbox off to
Dismiss - Close the dialog.
Click Set up your Space to add an instance of the CavrnusSpatialConnector to the current map.
Alternatively, you can add the CavrnusSpatialConnector instance to the level from the Cavrnus menu on the Unreal Editor Menu bar.
Note that you only need one instance of CavrnusSpatialConnector for a given level.
As described in the Setup Your Scene guide, configure the settings for the CavrnusSpatialConnector on the Details panel:
Domain Name: cav.dev.cavrn.us
Auth Method: Guest Join Auto
Guest Join Username: <Enter any name here>
Space Join Method: Automatic
Automatic Space Join ID: Reference a valid 24-character Space ID from the Web Console. (e.g. 65d51cde823bca2e0f0bc79c)
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| Tip |
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At this point, the level is now connected to a server and will directly enter a Space with copresence. The next step adds synchronization of level assets. |
Verify user Copresence Components
This project uses a custom game mode called “BP_MouseDragGameMode”.
From the World Settings panel, expand the Game Mode rollout.
In the “GameMode Override” field, note the entry says “BP_MouseDragGameMode”.
This project also uses a custom Default Pawn Class “BP_MouseGrabPawn”.
In the World Settings panel, under Game Mode, expand the Selected GameMode rollout.
Note that the Default Pawn Class references “BP_MouseGrabPawn”.
Click the “Browse to Asset in Content Browser” button next to the field.
Open the “BP_MouseGrabPawn” blueprint from the Content Browser.
Under the Component panel in the blueprint editor, note the following components:
SyncTransform_Character
Property Name: Transform
NameTagWidget
CavrnusProperties Container
Add Sync Components to Chess Pieces
For each asset in the hierarchy that requires transform synchronization, add the following components
Sync Transform
Set the Property field to “Transform”. Note that this property is case-sensitive.
CavrnusPropertiesContainer
Set the Container Name field to “Pieces/Dark_Pieces/<asset_name>”, where “asset_name” refers to the name of the object as it appears in the Outliner.
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| Tip |
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And that’s it! The project is now fully connected to the Cavrnus server, with copresence and shared properties that will be synchronized with other users accessing the same Space. |
| Info |
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It’s worth noting that if you have matching projects in Unity and Unreal where the objects/assets in the corresponding Heirarchy/Outliner match each other in name (case-sensitive), then running the applications in the same Space will synchronize with copresense! |
OK, Let’s Add a Custom Avatar for Fun
Alright, the Cavrnus Spatial Connector comes with a default Avatar, but if you wanna be a bit fun you can Add a Custom Avatar. In this case we’ve already found a fun 3rd party Floating Orb Avatar. Like in the Developer Guide, we’ll start by just giving it a Sync Transform component, like we did the Chess Pieces.
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Then, in the Cavrnus Spatial Connector, we will set the Remote User Avatar to be this.
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And now we’re actually done!
Final Product
With the Sync Transform components added, the Avatars and Chess Pieces will move in a synchronized way for both users. This, combined with Voice and Video, will let you play a chess game with whomever else launches this scene!
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