FGU vs. FGC networking
MAJOR Difference #1: Cloud Mode
FGC: GM FGC= server, players FGC = clients
FGU in "LAN mode": (like FGC) GM FGU = server, players FGU = clients
FGU in "Cloud Mode": GM+Players FGU = clients, server = cloud infrastructure
With FGU in Cloud mode :
Everyone (GM+players) is a client, using outgoing connections to the cloud server infrastructure and there is no requirement to accept incoming connections on the GM's machine at the network transport layer (with the delicate/dreaded NAT boundary crossing).
There is no need for static port forwarding or VPN for FGU in Cloud mode 🙌
However it does add a dependency on the availability and reachability of the Unity cloud platform from the GM and the players...which is generally ok ! ...except for the rare case when it isn't...
Also, Unity networking is IPv6-aware, but we won't open that can of worms explore this aspect...it is sufficient to tell that it should work with "all" Internet Access Providers around Ze world...
With FGU networking, SmiteWorks has reached a great milestone for increased ease of use of Fantasy Grounds, for an overwhelming majority of users ! 👏
...and of course let's not forget the native support of Mac/Linux platforms...and LOS...etc...
Let's hope that within a few years, when FGU remains the only version of FG in use, this blurb will have reached a great milestone towards being totally useless ! 😂 Unfortunately for now, experience shows there are still a number of situations where it can help.
Difference #2: UDP vs TCP protocol
FGC uses the TCP protocol
FGU uses the UDP protocol
This is also true for FGU in LAN mode => we'll have to adapt firewall & port forwarding rules to take UDP into account for that use case
NB: This is for the game session itself; FGU still uses TCP to reach the Unity Lobby, and to manage the update process from SmiteWorks servers.
Difference #3 : Port number selection
FGU Cloud mode : not relevant
FGU LAN mode : entry box available on screen in launcher, persisted to connections history
FGC: command-line flag required for non-default port, when starting FGC "launcher"
For FGU - Cloud mode
You don't need to select a specific port, since the connection to Unity platform is dynamically auto-negociating this for you (both for the GM and for the players).
In Cloud mode, all the network plumbing between the GM and the players is handled within the Unity cloud server infrastructure (of which the GM FGU and the players FGU are clients), and the (UDP) port entry box on GM FGU launcher screen is NOT taken into account (in the following example, the Cloud-mode game will not use UDP 1805, even though I typed this port number) :
NB: The difference between "public" and "private" games in Cloud mode is that players will see all public games listed in the lobby, while they need to "Join By GM Name" to connect to private games. Both public and private games can be protected by a password.
After a player has successfully connected, the players' connection history persists relevant information to easily reconnect for next session (the password stays hidden) :
For FGU - LAN mode
The GM FGU is a server, listening to the (UDP) port number you enter on the lauch screen port entry box (default = UDP 1802). The following example shows an FGU game run in LAN mode on non-default port UDP 1805 :
NB: LAN-mode games are not listed in the lobby.
The players FGU are clients, connecting directly to the GM FGU using its public IP address (or DNS name) and UDP port (default = UDP 1802), entered in the relevant entry boxes :
After a player has successfully connected to a specific LAN-mode game, the connection history will also persist all relevant information to reconnect for next session, including the specific UDP port :
For FG "Classic"
FG "Classic" networking works roughly in the same way (on TCP) as FGU-LAN mode (on UDP) :
the GM FGC is a server => has to listen to incoming connections on a specific (TCP) port
the players FGC are clients, using direct outgoing connections to the GM FGC public IP/Port
FG(C) features the "Server Alias" system, which works reasonably well to both hide the public IP address of the GM, and stay persistent when the GM public IP changes - but it does not mandatorily work for edge-case network situations (especially VPNs).
FGC uses TCP 1802 by default, and has NO entry box to select a TCP port on the launcher screen, either for the GM or players.
It also cannot persist a specific TCP port in the player's connection history.
But FGC supports a "command-line flag" to specify a TCP port number when running the FG launcher : -pNNNN
This will enable us to run multiple concurrent FG Classic games through a single IP address (read: a single VPN server)
The main issue here is that this is NOT 100% transparent, since the players have to use the same -pNNNN port parameter as the GM.
The easiest way to mitigate that extra complication is to create an additional Windows Shortcut to Fantasy Grounds "Classic" (which should be located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Fantasy Grounds) with the relevant -pNNNNparameter for the port you choose, added at the end of the "Target" field.
For example, to run FGC on TCP port 1809, one would :
either start it from a command line prompt with :
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Fantasy Grounds\FantasyGrounds.exe" -p1809or create a Windows shortcut to FG, and edit it's properties to add
-p1809at the end of the "Target" field
On Windows, that gives (French version here, "Target" = "Cible") :
The port parameter needs a space before -p, and NO space between -p and the port number
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