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Commonwealth-Online-Public/server/README.md
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andrew 8c09e91534 Add basic movement state to transform packets
Add optional movement-state fields (isMoving, isSprinting, isSneaking, isJumping, weaponDrawn, movementSpeed) to transform packets and wire them end-to-end. Plugin changes: extend F4TNetworking API and RemotePlayerState, derive movement speed/jump state on the game-thread, validate values, include fields when formatting transform JSON, and add throttled remote movement-state logging. main.cpp adds sampling, speed/vertical calculations, jump hold logic, and change-detection to avoid extra sends. Networking parsing (F4TNetworking.cpp) reads optional booleans/floats safely, preserves backwards compatibility, and clears movement-state logs on disconnect. Proxy controller includes a TODO note for future animation use. Server and docs: update protocol and packet docs, dev-log, server README, and fake_client.py to parse/display optional fields safely. Also add several .cursor rule files for coding, documentation, protocol, project overview, and testing guidance. This milestone prepares the data model for later animation/behavior work while keeping existing relay behavior unchanged.
2026-06-02 13:27:40 +12:00

3.1 KiB

Server

This folder is for the external multiplayer test server.

The current server is a tiny local-only TCP test server. It listens on 127.0.0.1:7777, accepts one or more clients, reads newline-separated JSON packets, assigns incrementing playerId values, sends welcome packets, adds playerId and serverTime to transform packets, broadcasts transform packets to every other connected client, and broadcasts disconnect packets when clients disconnect.

Transform packets may include optional movement-state fields such as isMoving, isSprinting, isSneaking, isJumping, weaponDrawn, and movementSpeed. The server preserves these fields automatically because it broadcasts the original transform packet after adding server-owned fields.

This is still a local prototype. It does not make Fallout 4 multiplayer playable yet.

Run

cd server
python server.py

Then launch Fallout 4 through F4SE and move the player. The plugin should send local player transform packets, and this server should print matching transform packets.

If the server is not running, the plugin should log a warning and Fallout 4 should continue launching normally.

Current Test Flow

Terminal 1:

cd server
python server.py

Terminal 2:

cd server
python fake_client.py

Then launch Fallout 4 through F4SE and move the player.

Expected behavior:

  • The server assigns a playerId to each connected client and sends each client a welcome packet.
  • The server receives transforms from the Fallout 4 plugin.
  • The server adds playerId and serverTime to each transform packet before broadcast.
  • The server preserves optional movement-state fields on transform packets.
  • The server broadcasts those transform packets to connected clients except the sender.
  • fake_client.py receives broadcast transform packets.
  • fake_client.py stores remote player state by playerId.
  • When a client disconnects, the server removes that client and broadcasts a disconnect packet with the departed playerId to the remaining clients.
  • fake_client.py removes disconnected players from its in-memory remote_players table.

The fake client exists so broadcast behavior can be tested before coordinating a second Fallout 4/F4SE instance. It stores remote player transform state only; it does not spawn remote actors or send movement.

Implemented

  • Start local server
  • Accept client connections
  • Assign server-owned player IDs
  • Send welcome packets
  • Receive transform packets
  • Add server timestamps
  • Preserve optional transform fields
  • Broadcast transforms to other connected clients
  • Broadcast disconnect packets
  • Handle disconnect cleanup

Working In Fake Client Only

  • Receiving welcome packets
  • Receiving transform broadcasts
  • Storing remote player state
  • Removing disconnected remote players

The Fallout 4 plugin does not yet receive remote transforms from the server.

Planned Later

  • Fallout 4 plugin receive loop
  • Plugin-side remote player state storage
  • Remote actor spawning
  • Gameplay synchronization
  • Authentication
  • Public matchmaking
  • Anti-cheat
  • Persistence
  • Quest state
  • Settlement state
  • Large-scale world simulation