Create A Dedicated Server Multiplayer Shooter in Godot 4 from Udemy

Welcome to the Dedicated Server Multiplayer First Person Shooter course.

In this course, you'll learn how to build your very own multiplayer game using a dedicated server and client architecture, focusing on a casual 4v4 first-person shooter format.

This is an intermediate-level course, so while I recommend you have a basic understanding of Godot, nodes, and GDScript, I'll guide you step-by-step through everything else you need to know.

Here's what you’ll master by the end:

-Setting up a dedicated server and connecting clients

-Creating efficient communication between server and clients

-Hosting servers and configuring port forwarding

-Implementing matchmaking and multiple lobbies per server

-Applying networked interpolation, lag compensation for smoother gameplay

-Building a weapon system, including pistol, SMG, and shotgun, with raycasts

-Adding throwable grenades and explosions

-Health and damage systems

-Enhancing the experience with dynamic visual effects

-Designing a scoreboard

-Integrating 2D elements within a 3D environment

-Creating networked audio

-And much more.

By the end of this course, you’ll be equipped to either create your own multiplayer game or expand on the project we develop together. I'm excited to publish a new course with a new topic. If you're interested in singleplayer survival games, check my other course.

See you in the course.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Creating and hosting dedicated servers
Server-client communication
Public matchmaking and multiple lobbies

Lag compensation and machine syncing with buffering and interpolation
Shooter mechanics and game rules
Robust system architecture and clean project management

Creating and hosting dedicated servers
Server-client communication
Public matchmaking and multiple lobbies
Lag compensation and machine syncing with buffering and interpolation
Shooter mechanics and game rules
Robust system architecture and clean project management

Syllabus

Introduction

Intro

Checking the Project

Connections

Connecting to Server

Lobbies

Client Connection UI

Cancelling Quickplay

Overlapping Lobbies Fix

Loading the Map

Local Game Scene Manager

Syncing the Match Start

Player Spawn Points

Server Map

Players and Match

Spawning Remote Players

Remote Player Movement

Remote Player Animations

Player Colors

Remote Player X Rotations

Movement Interpolation

Server-Client Clock Sync

Client Data and Player Names

Choosing Weapons

Showing Weapons

Shooting Weapons

Registering Hits

Bullet Hit Effects

Weapon Config and Accuracy

Health

Damage Fall-off

Health Pickups

Player Eliminations and Respawning

Game Scores

Game Timer

Ending the Match

Grenades

Grenade Explosion Effect

Grenade Warning Prompts

Grenade Pickups

Effects and Final Touches

Screen Shake

Health Change Effects

Local Audio

Spatial Audio

Settings and Pause Menu

Elimination Texts

Handling Player Exits 1

Handling Player Exits 2

Final Touches

Server Hosting and Port Forwarding

Outro

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Create A Dedicated Server Multiplayer Shooter in Godot 4 with these activities:

Review Godot Engine Fundamentals

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Reviewing Godot fundamentals will ensure a solid base for understanding the course's more advanced multiplayer concepts.

Browse courses on Godot Engine

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Review the Godot documentation on nodes and scenes.
Practice creating simple games in Godot.
Familiarize yourself with GDScript syntax and best practices.

Brush Up on Networking Concepts

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Understanding basic networking principles is crucial for grasping the server-client architecture used in the course.

Browse courses on Networking

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Study the basics of client-server communication.
Learn about TCP and UDP protocols and their differences.
Understand the concept of sockets and how they are used for network communication.

Read 'Game Programming Patterns'

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Studying game programming patterns will help you write cleaner, more maintainable code for your multiplayer game.

View Crafting Interpreters on Amazon

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Read the book and understand the design patterns.
Identify opportunities to apply these patterns in the course project.

Four other activities

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Implement Basic Movement Prediction

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Implementing movement prediction will deepen your understanding of lag compensation and client-side prediction techniques.

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Research client-side prediction algorithms.
Implement basic movement prediction for the player character.
Test and refine the prediction to minimize discrepancies.

Document Your Learning Journey

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Creating a blog or video series about your experience with the course will reinforce your understanding and help others.

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Create a blog or start a video series.
Document your progress, challenges, and solutions.
Share your content with the community.

Contribute to a Godot Engine Project

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Contributing to an open-source Godot project will expose you to real-world development practices and collaborative coding.

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Find an open-source Godot project on GitHub.
Identify a bug or feature to work on.
Submit a pull request with your changes.

Read 'The Godot Engine Game Development Projects'

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Working through the projects in this book will give you more hands-on experience with Godot.

View Godot 4 Game Development Projects: Build five... on Amazon

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Select a project from the book.
Follow the instructions and build the project.
Experiment with modifications and enhancements.

Career center

Learners who complete Create A Dedicated Server Multiplayer Shooter in Godot 4 will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Multiplayer Programmer

A Multiplayer Programmer focuses on creating the systems that allow multiple players to interact in a game. They design and implement features like matchmaking, lobbies, and real-time gameplay synchronization. This course equips Multiplayer Programmers with the skills to build robust multiplayer systems, focusing on dedicated server architecture and efficient client-server communication. Understanding the matchmaking and lobby construction, as well as lag compensation and machine syncing with buffering and interpolation, from this course will directly contribute to building better player experiences as a Multiplayer Programmer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Multiplayer Programmer

Game Developer

A Game Developer designs and codes video games. They create game mechanics, write scripts, and implement gameplay features. This course helps Game Developers understand how to create multiplayer experiences with dedicated servers, a critical aspect of many modern games. The course's instruction on server client communication directly enables a developer to implement real-time interactions between players. The weapon system module prepares a game developer to create an engaging user experience.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Developer

Gameplay Programmer

A Gameplay Programmer implements the mechanics and systems that make a game fun and engaging. This includes things like character movement, combat, and artificial intelligence. This course will give Gameplay Programmers practical experience building a multiplayer first-person shooter, covering these core features. Modules on weapon systems, health and damage systems, and dynamic visual effects are especially relevant. A Gameplay programmer is able to create engaging user experiences after completing this course.

See salaries and explore the career path for Gameplay Programmer

Network Programmer

A Network Programmer specializes in the code that allows video games to function online. They make sure players can connect, communicate, and interact within the game world. A course can help Network Programmers learn about dedicated server architecture and client-server communication, essential knowledge for creating smooth and responsive online experiences. Modules on server client clock synchronization and networked interpolation are especially useful for a Network Programmer. The knowledge gained in this course enables a programmer to reduce lag and optimize data flow.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Programmer

Server Engineer

A Server Engineer designs, implements, and maintains the server infrastructure that supports online video games. They ensure the servers are stable, scalable, and secure. This course provides Server Engineers with practical knowledge of setting up dedicated servers, configuring port forwarding, and managing server-client communication. The modules covering server hosting and port forwarding are particularly relevant. Acquiring these skills helps a Server Engineer deploy and manage game servers effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Server Engineer

Game Designer

A Game Designer conceptualizes and designs the gameplay, rules, and features of a video game. While they may not write code directly, they need to understand the technical aspects of game development. This course gives Game Designers insights into the technical challenges and solutions involved in creating a multiplayer first-person shooter. The course may be useful in understanding the constraints and possibilities of multiplayer game development in order to then design better experiences. Exposure to networked audio and visual effects can enhance the user experience, if the designer understands how those pieces work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Designer

Graphics Programmer

A Graphics Programmer specializes in the visual aspects of a video game. They optimize rendering performance, implement visual effects, and work with shaders. This training may be useful for Graphics Programmers who want to learn about dynamic visual effects in a multiplayer context. This course can increase their knowledge of how visual effects synchronize across a network. This knowledge is helpful when creating immersive and visually appealing experiences.

See salaries and explore the career path for Graphics Programmer

Software Developer

A Software Developer works on the creation of a software, whether it is a mobile app, web application, or video game. This course may be helpful for Software Developers who want to expand into the field of game development. This course is especially helpful because it focuses on making a multiplayer game with a dedicated server client architecture. This course may provide a hands on experience with concepts like client server communication and machine syncing with buffering and interpolation, which can be applied to other software projects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Developer

Software Engineer

A Software Engineer designs, develops, and tests software applications. This course may be useful for Software Engineers interested in specializing in game development or learning about real-time networked applications. The course offers the chance to build a complete multiplayer game from scratch, thereby building skills in areas like client server communication, networking, and game mechanics. A Software Engineer can use this knowledge to build performant applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Simulation Engineer

A Simulation Engineer designs and develops software to simulate real-world systems and scenarios. While this course focuses on game development, the principles of networked communication, lag compensation, and synchronization are applicable to simulation environments as well. This course may be useful in implementing real-time, multi-user simulations, as they can benefit from the knowledge of server client architecture. This training could then be applied to the implementation of high fidelity simulations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Simulation Engineer

Software Architect

A Software Architect is responsible for the high-level design and structure of a software system. They make decisions about technology choices, system integration, and scalability. This course may be helpful for Software Architects who want to learn about designing networked game systems. Understanding server client architecture, matchmaking, and lag compensation can inform the design of scalable and robust multiplayer systems. Many considerations for the design of multiplayer game systems can be applied to scalable distributed systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Architect

VR Developer

A Virtual Reality Developer builds applications and experiences for virtual reality platforms. This course may be helpful for VR Developers interested in creating multiplayer VR games or simulations. The course can offer insight into server-client communication, lag compensation, and synchronization, which are important for creating immersive multiplayer VR experiences. VR developers can integrate aspects of this training to build better software.

See salaries and explore the career path for VR Developer

Application Developer

An Application Developer designs, codes, and tests software applications for computers and other devices. This course may be helpful for Application Developers interested in learning about real-time, networked applications. The knowledge gained in this course is especially beneficial as it describes server-client communication and networked interpolation which are key to performant system architecture. Application Developers can use this to create responsive and efficient applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Application Developer

Tools Programmer

A Tools Programmer creates and maintains the software tools used by other developers in a game studio. These tools can include level editors, animation tools, and build systems. This course may be useful for Tools Programmers who want to improve their understanding of the game development process. By developing a multiplayer first person shooter, they can gain insight into the challenges faced by game designers and engineers. This knowledge can inform the design of more effective and user friendly tools.

See salaries and explore the career path for Tools Programmer

Artificial Intelligence Programmer

An Artificial Intelligence Programmer develops the AI systems that control non-player characters and other game elements. While this course doesn't focus specifically on AI, it provides a foundation in game development and networking that may be useful for AI programmers working on multiplayer games. The AI Programmer can use this training to build more complex systems. It may be helpful as it exposes an AI programmer to the systems that their AI may need to interface with.

See salaries and explore the career path for Artificial Intelligence Programmer

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Create A Dedicated Server Multiplayer Shooter in Godot 4.

Godot 4 Game Development Projects

Save

Offers a series of projects that can help solidify your understanding of Godot. While it may not directly cover dedicated server multiplayer games, the projects will help you become more familiar with the engine. This book useful reference tool for building your skills in Godot. It provides a practical approach to learning the engine through hands-on projects.

Godot 4 Game Development Projects: Build five cross...

Kindle Edition

Crafting Interpreters

Save

Provides valuable insights into common design patterns used in game development. It offers practical solutions for structuring game code, which can be beneficial for managing the complexity of a multiplayer shooter. While not specific to Godot, the principles are universally applicable. This book is more valuable as additional reading to improve your overall game development skills.

Crafting Interpreters

Paperback

Crafting Interpreters

Kindle Edition

Create A Dedicated Server Multiplayer Shooter in Godot 4

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

Save this course

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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