coherence – Multiplayer Networking

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coherence is the simplest way to build and host multiplayer games in Unity.

It includes an SDK for Unity, network engine, and a scalable hosting platform that make building online multiplayer games easy - even if you don’t have a networking background.

Our latest release brings production-proven feature updates, expanded hosting capabilities, and a brand new pricing model that fits any game, studio, or business.

Hosting with coherence is completely flexible and interchangeable:

• Host your game on our manaed coherence Cloud servers
• Deploy serverless games with coherence Client Hosting (uses 3rd party relays: Steam, Epic, Microsoft)
• Self-host on a server of your choosing
• Mix and match hosting options to optimize for your game and your costs

Features

• Fast network engine with cloud scaling, state replication, persistence and load balancing.
• Easy to develop, iterate and operate connected games and experiences.
• Make multiplayer games using Windows, Linux or Mac, targeting desktop, console, mobile, VR or the web.
• Visual tools in the SDK help even non-coders create and quickly iterate on a connected game idea.
• Scalable from small games to large virtual worlds running on hundreds of servers.
• Game-service features like player accounts and data storage.
• Easily share WebGL builds for quick testing or game jams, on a coherence-hosted webpage.
• Voice networking, leveraging proven solutions like Dissonance Voice Chat.

Network engine

At the core of coherence lies a fast network engine based on bitstreams and a data-oriented architecture, with numerous optimization techniques like delta compression, quantization and network LOD-ing ("Level of Detail") to minimize bandwidth and maximize performance.

Authority models

The network engine supports multiple authority models:

• Client authority
• Server authority
• Server authority with client prediction
• Authority handover (request, steal)
• Distributed server authority (multiple Simulators with seamless transition)
• Client prediction with rollback
• GGPO-style networking - Experimental

Different authority models can be mixed in the same game!

Persistence

coherence supports persistence out of the box. This means that the state of the world is preserved no matter if clients or simulators are connected to it or not. This way, you can create shared worlds where visitors have a lasting impact.