[help] Dissonance Only Working if Host Runs Game from Unity Editor

[NetKing2464]

Context

Multiplayer game using NFGO + Steam as transport. Game runs perfect with Dissonance as long as the host runs the game within the Editor.

When run outside the editor in a game build (same pc) audio does not work, client shows Connection Status as Degraded.

Have you seen this issue before?

• Dissonance version used: e.g. v9.0.6 (2024-10-21) (check Assets/Dissonance/changelog)

• Unity version: e.g. 2021.3.11f1 Personal (check Help > About Unity)

• Windows 11
  Windows, x86_64 + Windows, x86_64 Development Build

[martindevans]

I haven't seen anything like this before!

client shows Connection Status as Degraded.

Degraded basically means the client is sending messages to the server, but is not receiving any replies. That could mean it's outgoing messages are dropped, or the replies are dropped. Does the rest of your game networking function properly in this test setup?

Steam as transport ... same pc

Does Steam allow you to use 2 copies of the game on the same machine? As far as I'm aware packets are sent to a specific SteamID, so if both clients are using the same SteamID that would presumably cause issues. (I've never used the Steam backend with NFGO, so I might be completely wrong with this!).

[NetKing2464]

Rest of the game ok, players can connect to host etc.

Testing connectivity between two devices, same result if on same network at home or over the internet. Device1 > Client, Device 2 > Host (Works if runs in editor, not in game build). Same results if I switch that around.

Yeah that's correct, clients connect to a Steam ID. Players start in Scene1 where they locate each other using Steam lobby system. They then load into the second scene which has the Dissonance prefab, players spawn in using a prefab ID which they assigned in scene 1.

I've pulled some logs, working vs not working (editor vs build), I dont think Dissonance is starting as host:

Editor:
DEBUG [Dissonance:Recording] (09:15:23.753) VoiceSettings: Loaded Pref Dissonance_Audio_Quality = High
DEBUG [Dissonance:Recording] (09:15:23.756) VoiceSettings: Loaded Pref Dissonance_Audio_FrameSize = Small
[Dissonance:Core] (09:15:23.756) DissonanceComms: Loading default playback prefab
DEBUG [Dissonance:Recording] (09:15:23.773) CapturePipelineManager: Not changing microphone device from '' to '' (equivalent devices)
[Dissonance:Core] (09:15:23.775) DissonanceComms: Starting Dissonance Voice Comms (9.0.6)
DEBUG [Dissonance:Network] (09:15:23.870) NfgoPlayer: Tracking NetworkStart for local player. Name=17564616-ddba-45de-bb43-41e307e83267
DEBUG [Dissonance:Core] (09:15:23.872) PlayerTrackerManager: Associated position tracking for '17564616-ddba-45de-bb43-41e307e83267'
DEBUG [Dissonance:Core] (09:15:23.917) VoiceBroadcastTrigger: Collider entered (1)
DEBUG [Dissonance:Core] (09:15:23.917) VoiceReceiptTrigger: Collider entered (1)
DEBUG [Dissonance:Network] (09:15:24.408) NfgoCommsNetwork: Starting network session as Host
[Dissonance:Network] (09:15:24.409) NfgoServer: Created server with SessionId:1700403822
[Dissonance:Network] (09:15:24.412) NfgoServer: Connected

Build:
DEBUG [Dissonance:Network] (09:22:56.191) NfgoPlayer: Tracking NetworkStart for local player. Name=
[Dissonance:Core] (09:22:56.220) DissonanceComms: Loading default playback prefab
DEBUG [Dissonance:Core] (09:22:56.222) PlayerTrackerManager: Got a player tracker for player 'ada294b2-da8e-492c-b48c-696045245a9e' but that player doesn't exist yet
DissonanceException: Voice Error: Attempting to start player tracking, but tracking is already started! Error ID: 4C2E74AA-CA09-4F98-B820-F2518A4E87D2
DEBUG [Dissonance:Core] (09:22:56.794) VoiceBroadcastTrigger: Collider entered (1)
DEBUG [Dissonance:Core] (09:22:56.794) VoiceReceiptTrigger: Collider entered (1)

Does the above help?

Cheers,

[martindevans]

Can I get you to make a few changes and then send me the full log. I'll have a trawl through it to see if I can spot anything:

1. In Assets/Dissonance/Integrations/Unity_NFGO/NfgoCommsNetwork.cs you'll find RunAsHost, RunAsDedicatedServer and RunAsClient (around line 60). In each of these cases add a message like this:

Log.Warning("Chrisbell123: RunAsX");

(making sure to change RunAsX to the correct one for that branch).

2. In Window > Dissonance > Diagnostics change Core and Network to Debug

[Sorumoru]

Hi! I was dealing with a similar issue with the build's audio/mic not working, here's the solution that worked for me.

On the first line of your build's logs the line is missing a name:
DEBUG [Dissonance:Network] (09:22:56.191) NfgoPlayer: Tracking NetworkStart for local player. Name=

This isn't the case for the editor:
DEBUG [Dissonance:Network] (09:15:23.870) NfgoPlayer: Tracking NetworkStart for local player. Name=17564616-ddba-45de-bb43-41e307e83267

From what I understand the order of execution ideally should be something like this:

1. Begin with DissonanceComms.Start()
   • Sets LocalPlayerName
2. Your network manager spawns in the players with the NfgoPlayer.cs component
   • The component reads the DissonanceComms.LocalPlayerName to identify itself
3. NfgoPlayer tracks the player in Dissonance using the LocalPlayerName
   • This links the player to the broadcast/receiver triggers
   • Rest of Dissonance stuff happens

I think what's happening is some kind Unity editor/build execution order quirk where step 2 is happening before step 1, so all I had to do was add the DissonanceComms script higher in the execution order like this:

Honestly, there might be some tweaks I could make to my network manager setup to prevent this issue, but the Script Execution Order fix works perfectly for me (for now 🙏) so I'm just gonna roll with it haha.