Don't Starve Together: CrossPlay and Cross-Progression?

[zVince]

Would it be a good time to have the CrossPlay system or even Cross-Progression?  Recently I'm seeing several games implementing this system, and I think Don't Starve Together would fit perfectly into that. The game works on basically any computer and plataforms and it is very practical to create servers. It's a great way to bring the community even together. We would have some limitations and restrictions due to platforms. For example:  worlds could not have mods and some platforms would not allow Cross-Progression. But either way it would be a big breakthrough for the game. 

 

[Thomas_klei]

That would be cool but already the console servers are unstable and it would take a lot of effort to fix and make compatible ( i think)

[zVince]

1 minute ago, thomas4846 said:

That would be cool but already the console servers are unstable and it would take a lot of effort to fix and make compatible ( i think)

I don't know if it's true. But I'm told the DST has memory leak issues. Maybe the cause could be worlds that the person hosts and plays at the same time? The console is much more limited in performance issues than computers. Hosting and playing at the same time doesn't seem easy. 

[CarlZalph]

This was a feature that Klei wanted to do as far as I remember, but the red tape and such with the different consoles at the time were more strict.

The only thing currently limiting things from a technology standpoint is differences in the RakNet versions/handling and game asset versions.  I believe the Xbox version is in its own isolated ecosystem.  The Ps4 one, however, you can technically try connecting to from a PC already; it'll just fail from the versioning gotchas.

[zVince]

4 minutes ago, CarlZalph said:

This was a feature that Klei wanted to do as far as I remember, but the red tape and such with the different consoles at the time were more strict.

The only thing currently limiting things from a technology standpoint is differences in the RakNet versions/handling and game asset versions.  I believe the Xbox version is in its own isolated ecosystem.  The Ps4 one, however, you can technically try connecting to from a PC already; it'll just fail from the versioning gotchas.

I remember that at the time Sony was much more restricted on this issue. But currently has been allowing for several games, for example: Paladins, Smite... How cool, did not know this curiosity about PS4 servers. Would many resources be used to target the technology used on the other platforms on xbox?

[Mike23Ua]

Paladins, Smite, Warface, Minecraft, Now That Sony has been less strict on their little self contained bubble.. there can finally be cross-platform play!  

However the dev’s did say rather sadly that even with Cross-Play PC Mods will likely have to be Disabled.  

So it’s sort of a Play with your friends on any console you want, but at the cost of all you fun mods trade off.

(When Of If Cross-Play ever happens for DST)

[CarlZalph]

Just now, zVince said:

How cool, did not know this curiosity about PS4 servers. Would many resources be used to target the technology used on the other platforms on xbox?

Yeah the Ps4 servers act like any other server and you can probe them from the 'net.

Not sure on the details on the Xbox, but I do see that their servers are reported to the Klei master listings.  So perhaps connecting to one would be feasible, I haven't tried.

Going off of memory from the Xbox 360 days where games were forbidden to advertise that they exist anywhere outside of Microsoft's control.

[nome]

@CarlZalph is largely correct. When we first were writing PS4 the plan was for full crossplay, but it was forbidden at that time so we had to add restrictions to keep crossplay from happening. Xbox is the same story as PS4 except they have a requirement for MS-approved on-the-wire encryption for all network communication.

Now the rules are relaxed, but it's really hard to undo the restrictions. We're working on tech that would make crossplay possible but it's too early for me to say when or even if it'll be possible for people. Steps along the way are shipping though, the next piece (some improvements to dedicated server handling from the Forge) should be available for users running their own dedis soon.