Networking

The Networking feature of the engine allows different parts of the script to communicate with each other by emitting and listening to events. It's possible to synchronize data, send messages, and trigger actions across the server, client, and scripts.

In this section, we'll provide an overview of the Networking feature and explain its purpose in the script.

Events

Custom events can be defined using the engine.network.* methods like engine.network.emitToPlayers, providing a flexible way to extend the functionality of the Networking feature. With custom events, developers can define their own event types, data, and listeners, which can be triggered and received by other parts of the script. This allows for a wide range of possibilities, from syncing player inventory and stats to triggering custom animations and effects. Custom events provide a way to tailor the Networking feature to meet the specific needs of your project and create a unique experience for players.

See the full Methods List.

Emitting and Listening to Events

To emit a custom event, you can use one of the engine.network.* methods listed in the previous section and specify the event name and data. The data can be any valid JSON data, such as a string, number, or object.

Here's an example of defining, emitting, and listening to a custom event:

// Emit a custom event
engine.emitToPlayers('myCustomEvent', {message: 'Hello, players!'});

// Listen for the custom event and log the message
engine.onPlayerEvent('myCustomEvent', data => {
  console.log('Received message: ' + data.message);
});

Event Emitters and Receivers

Based on where the event is emitted from, the event can be received by different listeners. This flexibility in communication channels allows for a wide range of possibilities in creating custom experiences for your project.

Here's a table of all the possible combinations of event emitters and receivers:

Emitter	Receiver	Action
Client emitToPlayers	Client onPlayerEvent	Emits to all players
Client emitToPlayer	Client onPlayerEvent	Emits to a specific player
Client emitToServer	Server onPlayerEvent	Emits to the server
Client emitToPlayersWithAccess	Client onPlayerEvent	Emits to all players with the specified access
Client emitToPlayersWithRoles	Client onPlayerEvent	Emits to all players with the specified roles
Client emitToScripts	Client onScriptEvent	Only emits to local scripts
Server emitToPlayers	Client onServerEvent	Emits to all players
Server emitToPlayer	Client onServerEvent	Emits to a specific player
Server emitToPlayersWithAccess	Client onServerEvent	Emits to all players with the specified access
Server emitToPlayersWithRoles	Client onServerEvent	Emits to all players with the specified roles
Server emitToScripts	Client Server onScriptEvent	Emits to all scripts, including client scripts

SECURITY NOTE

It's important to note that with this flexibility comes the responsibility to ensure that events are emitted and received securely. Developers should take care to validate the data sent with events and ensure that sensitive information is not exposed to unintended listeners as well as ensure that events are only emitted by authorized sources.