This week I focused on multiplayer stability and integrating feedback I received from the first few play-tests of the game. At the beginning of the week and when I started trying to play test the game with some friends, I figured out that clients weren’t seeing the correct items on workstations (recipes) and storage racks. The problem was that per-level settings like item lists and recipes are set on the level layout prefab, but clients spawn from registered prefabs that have default values. Those per-instance settings don’t automatically sync over the network. I fixed this by having the server broadcast the correct settings to clients after spawning. Clients apply those settings and refresh their visuals.
I received feedback on my first play test that users didn’t know which items were which, so I made some UX improvements to help identify what is happening. I added tooltips on hover in the inventory menu, which gives the title of the item being hovered, and a description. I added a tab menu to show players the recipes they need to complete and in what quantity. I added a hover tooltip on workstations to show what recipes can be completed at each workstation, and finally I added a description to each of the items.
Next week I plan to start the week off by adding some sounds and background music, and then diving into additional play tests.