Integrate game session attributes

Last updated on May 28, 2024

Overview

Game sessions with AccelByte Gaming Services (AGS) Session can contain session attributes that can be used for storing and reading data that is shared across members and dedicated servers (DS) that are used to host the game session. All game session members and DSes have read and write access to this data.

This article shows you how to store, read, and listen to notifications for session data updates through the AGS Game SDK. You will also find code snippets provided for the following topics:

• Storing session attribute
• Handling update conflicts
• Reading session attribute
• Listening to notifications on session data updates

Store session attribute

Storing session data requires developers to update the session with attributes. Attributes can also be filled on game session creation.

OSS

Session attributes in Unreal OSS are stored inside session settings, so you need to set the session attribute in session settings and then call UpdateSession.

FOnlineSubsystemAccelByte* AccelByteOSS = static_cast<FOnlineSubsystemAccelByte*>(IOnlineSubsystem::Get(ACCELBYTE_SUBSYSTEM));
if(AccelByteOSS == nullptr)
{
    // Abort if AccelByteOSS is not found
    return;
}
FOnlineSessionV2AccelBytePtr SessionInterface = StaticCastSharedPtr<FOnlineSessionV2AccelByte>(AccelByteOSS->GetSessionInterface());

// Grab the local session setting data and update it with an attribute
FOnlineSessionSettings* SessionSettings = SessionInterface->GetSessionSettings(NAME_GameSession);
SessionSettings->Set(FName("attributename"), TEXT("attributeValue"));

// Listen to the delegate for completing a session update
FDelegateHandle UpdateSessionCompleteHandle;
UpdateSessionCompleteHandle = SessionInterface->AddOnUpdateSessionCompleteDelegate_Handle(FOnUpdateSessionCompleteDelegate::CreateLambda(
    [&SessionInterface, &UpdateSessionCompleteHandle](FName SessionName, bool bWasSuccessful)
    {
        // Do something after the update completes here
        // Remove the delegate handler so it doesn't trigger another time
        SessionInterface->ClearOnUpdateSessionCompleteDelegate_Handle(UpdateSessionCompleteHandle);
    }));

SessionInterface->UpdateSession(NAME_GameSession, *SessionSettings);

Unity

var session = AccelByteSDK.GetClientRegistry().GetApi().GetSession();

var sessionId = "abc123"; // Insert session ID here

var updateGameSessionRequest = new SessionV2GameSessionUpdateRequest()
{
    version = 1 // Change according to latest version from the backend
};
updateGameSessionRequest.attributes.Add("testAttribute", "attributeValue");

session.PatchGameSession(sessionId, updateGameSessionRequest, result =>
{
    {
        if (result.IsError)
        {
            // Do something if PatchGameSession has an error
            Debug.Log($"Error PatchGameSession, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
            return;
        }

        // Do something if PatchGameSession succeeds
    }
});

info

Attributes will also be filled if a session that is using attributes in the match ticket is created from matchmaking.

Handle update conflicts

Requests to update session data will only be accepted if the update request's version is equal to the version in the backend.

OSS

In Unreal OSS, if your update request failed because of a conflicting update, the OSS will refresh the session data and query for the latest backend data. After that, it will trigger a delegate set in AddOnSessionUpdateConflictErrorDelegate_Handle while passing in the session setting that failed to update. Then, you can retry the update session call.

SessionInterface->AddOnSessionUpdateConflictErrorDelegate_Handle(FOnSessionUpdateConflictErrorDelegate::CreateLambda(
[](FName SessionName, FOnlineSessionSettings FailedSessionSettings)
{
    // Do something if the update session fails because of an update conflict
}));

Unity

In Unity, if an update request fails because of old data, it will respond with the error code ErrorCode.SessionVersionMismatch. If you receive this error code, you must query the backend first to get the latest session data, then retry the update with the latest session version.

Read session attribute

Session attributes will be returned when you request game session details.

OSS

FOnlineSubsystemAccelByte* AccelByteOSS = static_cast<FOnlineSubsystemAccelByte*>(IOnlineSubsystem::Get(ACCELBYTE_SUBSYSTEM));
if(AccelByteOSS == nullptr)
{
    // Abort if AccelByteOSS is not found
    return;
}
FOnlineSessionV2AccelBytePtr SessionInterface = StaticCastSharedPtr<FOnlineSessionV2AccelByte>(AccelByteOSS->GetSessionInterface());

// Get the attribute value
FString Attribute{};
SessionInterface->GetSessionSettings(NAME_GameSession)->Get(FName("attributename"), Attribute);

Unity

var session = AccelByteSDK.GetClientRegistry().GetApi().GetSession();

var sessionId = "abc123"; // Insert session ID here

session.GetGameSessionDetailsBySessionId(sessionId, result =>
{
    {
        if (result.IsError)
        {
            // Do something if GetGameSessionDetailsBySessionId has an error
            Debug.Log($"Error GetGameSessionDetailsBySessionId, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
            return;
        }

        // Do something if GetGameSessionDetailsBySessionId succeeds
        Dictionary<string, object> sessionAttributes = result.Value.attributes;
    }
});

Listen to notifications on session data updates

When there is an update to the session, notifications will be sent to each user in the session. You can add a listener for this notification to know if there is an update.

OSS

FOnlineSubsystemAccelByte* AccelByteOSS = static_cast<FOnlineSubsystemAccelByte*>(IOnlineSubsystem::Get(ACCELBYTE_SUBSYSTEM));
if(AccelByteOSS == nullptr)
{
    // Abort if AccelByteOSS is not found
    return;
}
FOnlineSessionV2AccelBytePtr SessionInterface = StaticCastSharedPtr<FOnlineSessionV2AccelByte>(AccelByteOSS->GetSessionInterface());

UpdateNotificationHandle = SessionInterface->AddOnSessionUpdateReceivedDelegate_Handle(FOnSessionUpdateReceivedDelegate::CreateLambda(
    [&UpdateNotificationHandle, &SessionInterface_User2](FName SessionName) {
        // Do something once a session update delegate is received
    }));

Unity

var lobby = AccelByteSDK.GetClientRegistry().GetApi().GetLobby();

lobby.SessionV2GameSessionUpdated += result =>
{
    if (result.IsError)
    {
        // Do something if SessionV2GameSessionUpdated has an error
        Debug.Log($"Error SessionV2GameSessionUpdated, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
        return;
    }

    // Do something if SessionV2GameSessionUpdated is successfully received
    Dictionary<string, object> sessionAttributes = result.Value.attributes;
};