Multiplayer Manager API overview

This topic describes the most important methods in the Multiplayer Manager API.

For detailed API information, see the reference documentation.

For examples of how to use these APIs in an application, see the NetRumble sample (NDA topic)Autorisation obligatoire.

Namespace

Multiplayer Manager is included the following namespace.

You should understand the following major classes.

• Multiplayer Manager API overview
  • Namespace
  • Multiplayer Manager class
  • Multiplayer Event class
  • Multiplayer Member class
  • Multiplayer Lobby Session class
  • Multiplayer Game Session class

Multiplayer Manager class

Multiplayer Manager is a singleton class that contains a single lobby session object and a single game session object.

At a minimum, you must call the XblMultiplayerManagerInitialize and XblMultiplayerManagerDoWork methods on this class for Multiplayer Manager to function.

The following table describes some, but not all, of the more commonly used methods and properties. For a complete, descriptive list of members, see the reference documentation.

Multiplayer Event class

When you call XblMultiplayerManagerDoWork, Multiplayer Manager returns a list of events that represent the changes to the sessions since you last called XblMultiplayerManagerDoWork. These events include changes such as a member has joined a session, a member has left a session, member properties have changed, or the host client has changed.

For a list of all possible event types, see the XblMultiplayerEventType enumeration.

Each returned XblMultiplayerEvent includes an EventArgsHandle. You must use it to get the appropriate args for the event type. For example, if the XblMultiplayerEventType is MemberJoined, you would call XblMultiplayerEventArgsMembersCount and XblMultiplayerEventArgsMembers.

Your game should handle each of the events as necessary after calling XblMultiplayerManagerDoWork.

Multiplayer Member class

This class represents a player in a lobby or game session. It contains properties about the member, such as the Xbox user ID for the player, the network connection address for the player, and custom properties for each player.

Multiplayer Lobby Session class

This class creates a persistent session that's used for managing users that are local to this device and the invited friends who want to play together. A lobby session must contain at least one member for Multiplayer Manager to take any multiplayer actions. You can initially create a new lobby session by calling the XblMultiplayerManagerLobbySessionAddLocalUser method.

The following table describes some, but not all, of the more commonly used methods and properties for this class. For a complete, descriptive list of class members, see the reference documentation.

Multiplayer Game Session class

The game session represents the group of Xbox services members that are participating in an instance of actual game play. This can include players who have been matched up via matchmaking services.

To start a new game session that includes members from the lobby session, call XblMultiplayerManagerJoinGameFromLobby. If you want to use Xbox services matchmaking, call XblMultiplayerManagerFindMatch. If you're using a third-party matchmaking service, call XblMultiplayerManagerJoinGame.

The following table describes some, but not all, of the more commonly used methods and properties for Multiplayer Manager. For a complete, descriptive list of class members, see the API reference for this class.