AWS gameliftservers documentation change
Summary
Complete restructuring of documentation to focus on player experience benefits, adding sections about global performance, matchmaking, connection reliability, analytics integration, and AWS service integrations
Security assessment
The changes add documentation about security-related features like player validation on connection ('Validate players when they connect') and Amazon Cognito integration for authentication. However, there is no evidence these changes address specific security vulnerabilities - they document existing security capabilities.
Diff
diff --git a/gameliftservers/latest/developerguide/game-sessions-intro.md b/gameliftservers/latest/developerguide/game-sessions-intro.md index 7d20f5b7b..ce7daad97 100644 --- a//gameliftservers/latest/developerguide/game-sessions-intro.md +++ b//gameliftservers/latest/developerguide/game-sessions-intro.md @@ -5 +5 @@ -# How players connect to games +Provide fast gameplay to players globallyHelp players join games quicklyBuild creative ways to group players for game sessionsDeliver reliable connections throughout gameplayImprove player experience based on real-world dataIntegrate enhanced game features with other AWS services @@ -7 +7 @@ -A _game session_ is an instance of your game running on Amazon GameLift Servers. To play your game, a player can either find and join an existing game session or create a new game session and join it. A player joins by creating a _player session_ for the game session. If the game session is open for players, then Amazon GameLift Servers reserves a slot for the player and provides connection information. The player can then connect to the game session and claim the reserved slot. +# Amazon GameLift Servers and the player experience @@ -9 +9 @@ A _game session_ is an instance of your game running on Amazon GameLift Servers. -For detailed information about creating and managing game sessions and player sessions with custom game servers, see [Add Amazon GameLift Servers to your game client](./gamelift-sdk-client-api.html). For information about connecting players to Amazon GameLift Servers Realtime, see [Integrating a game client for Amazon GameLift Servers Realtime](./realtime-client.html). +Players expect fast, fair, and reliable multiplayer gaming experiences. Amazon GameLift Servers delivers these experiences by providing game developers with tools that directly enhance how players connect and engage with multiplayer games. This topic outlines the key player benefits Amazon GameLift Servers features provide. @@ -11 +11 @@ For detailed information about creating and managing game sessions and player se -Amazon GameLift Servers provides several features related to game and player sessions. +## Provide fast gameplay to players globally @@ -13 +13 @@ Amazon GameLift Servers provides several features related to game and player ses -**Host game sessions on best available resources across multiple locations** +Players want to connect to nearby servers with minimal lag. Amazon GameLift Servers ensures optimal connection experiences through intelligent placement and global infrastructure: @@ -14,0 +15 @@ Amazon GameLift Servers provides several features related to game and player ses + * **Players experience consistent performance globally** – Host games in AWS Regions and Local Zones available globally to minimize the distance between players and game servers (see [Amazon GameLift Servers service locations](./gamelift-regions.html)). You can choose from a wide range of Amazon EC2 instance types in these locations to find the best computing resources to host your game workloads. @@ -16 +17 @@ Amazon GameLift Servers provides several features related to game and player ses -Choose from multiple options when configuring how Amazon GameLift Servers selects resources to host new game sessions. If you're running fleets in multiple locations, then you can design **game session queues** that place new game sessions on any fleet regardless of location. Use UDP ping beacons to calculate latency data, which the queue automatically uses to prioritize placement locations. + * **Players connect to the best available servers** – Amazon GameLift Servers places players in game sessions with the lowest possible latency by gathering game client network data and searching for available servers across multiple locations. Use UDP ping beacons to collect accurate latency data. Configure latency policies to balance connection quality with acceptable wait times for players. @@ -18 +19 @@ Choose from multiple options when configuring how Amazon GameLift Servers select -**Control player access to game sessions** + * **Players from different regions can play together** – Game session placements can balance game sessions with players from regional player pools while maintaining acceptable latency. Players from less-populated regions can find matches without sacrificing connection quality. @@ -21 +21,0 @@ Choose from multiple options when configuring how Amazon GameLift Servers select -Configure game sessions to allow or deny join requests from new players, regardless of the number of players connected. @@ -23 +22,0 @@ Configure game sessions to allow or deny join requests from new players, regardl -**Use custom game and player data** @@ -24,0 +24 @@ Configure game sessions to allow or deny join requests from new players, regardl +## Help players join games quickly @@ -26 +26 @@ Configure game sessions to allow or deny join requests from new players, regardl -Add custom data to game session objects and player session objects. Amazon GameLift Servers passes game session data to a game server when starting a new game session. Amazon GameLift Servers passes player session data to the game server when a player connects to the game session. +Players want fast access to games regardless of demand. Amazon GameLift Servers provides a range of capacity scaling tools that help you ensure that players can find games during peak and quiet periods: @@ -28 +28 @@ Add custom data to game session objects and player session objects. Amazon GameL -**Filter and sort available game sessions** + * **Players can easily find available servers** – With automatic scaling tools, you can ensure that hosting resources are ready when they're needed. Target tracking manages a flexible buffer of capacity to anticipate player demand patterns for your game and scale proactively. @@ -29,0 +30 @@ Add custom data to game session objects and player session objects. Amazon GameL + * **Players experience smooth performance during special events** – Combine auto-scaling with manual scaling techniques to handle sudden influxes after planned events, such as game updates, marketing campaigns, or tournaments. @@ -31 +32 @@ Add custom data to game session objects and player session objects. Amazon GameL -Use session search and sort to find the best possible match for a prospective player, or let player choose from a list of available game sessions. Use session search and sort to find game sessions based on session characteristics . You can also search and sort based on your own custom game data. + * **Players don't have to wait for servers to start up** – On every game hosting resource, game servers are pre-warmed so that they're always ready to host new sessions as soon as players join. @@ -33 +33,0 @@ Use session search and sort to find the best possible match for a prospective pl -**Track game and player usage data** @@ -36 +35,0 @@ Use session search and sort to find the best possible match for a prospective pl -Automatically have logs stored for completed game sessions. You can set up log storage when integrating Amazon GameLift Servers into your game servers. For more information, see [Logging server messages in Amazon GameLift Servers](./logging-server-messages.html). @@ -38 +37,59 @@ Automatically have logs stored for completed game sessions. You can set up log s -Use the Amazon GameLift Servers console to view detailed information about game sessions, including session metadata, settings, and player session data. For more information, see [Game and player sessions in the Amazon GameLift Servers console](./gamelift-console-game-player-sessions-metrics.html) and [Metrics](./gamelift-console-fleets-metrics.html#fleets-metrics-tab). +## Build creative ways to group players for game sessions + +Players want to compete or collaborate with others in fair, balanced ways. Amazon GameLift Servers offers a number of options for grouping players into game sessions: + + * **Players are grouped to optimize player experience** – You can manage player grouping to best suit your game using a range of features. Let players search or browse game sessions or group player requests when they arrive based on skill level, latency, and other attributes. You can manage player grouping on your own or you can implement FlexMatch matchmaking with customizable match rules. + + * **Players can join active matches** – Build player groups to start new game sessions, or use player sessions to track available slots in existing sessions and add new players. With FlexMatch, automatically backfill sessions with well-matched players. + + * **Friends can play together as a team** – Player party support lets groups of friends play together. Game sessions can fill remaining slots with other players or restrict access. With FlexMatch, friends can form teams. + + * **Players can bring custom data to game sessions** – Include game and player information in requests for game sessions and player sessions. The information gets passed on to the game server for use in a game session. + + * **Players don't wait indefinitely for perfect matches** – With FlexMatch, you can relax match requirements over time to prevent player frustration from excessive queuing. Create progressive relaxation rules that prioritize the most important aspects of match quality. + + * **Players can choose to accept or decline matches** – With FlexMatch, you can customize workflows for letting players accept or reject prospective matches. + + + + +## Deliver reliable connections throughout gameplay + +Players expect consistent gameplay without interruptions or disconnections. Amazon GameLift Servers provides comprehensive session management and protection: + + * **Players enjoy high-quality performance on AWS Cloud** – With hosting managed by Amazon GameLift Servers, players get fast, reliable game servers that run on AWS computing infrastructure. + + * **Validate players when they connect** – When you enable player sessions for your game, you can have Amazon GameLift Serversreserve player slots in game sessions and validate players on connection. + + * **Players can reconnect and maintain game progress** – Amazon GameLift Servers supports reconnection for both server-side and client-side interruptions. + + * **Players' games are protected from termination** – Optional game session protection feature prevents active sessions from being terminated during scaling events or other interruptions. + + + + +## Improve player experience based on real-world data + +Players expect games to work consistently and get better over time. Amazon GameLift Servers provides comprehensive monitoring and analytics that help optimize the player experience: + + * **Players experience fewer disruptions** – Real-time monitoring of fleet performance, game sessions, and player activity can identify issues before they significantly impact gameplay Customize graceful game session shutdowns and migrations. + + * **Players benefit from proactive server health monitoring** – Amazon GameLift Servers provides continuous server health monitoring and automatically replaces unhealthy game servers to minimize hardware or software failure impact. Configure health check parameters to support different game requirements. + + * **Players get data-driven improvements in gameplay** – Take advantage of game session logs and detailed analytics to reveal patterns in player behavior and server performance. Add custom logging support for game-specific events. + + + + +## Integrate enhanced game features with other AWS services + +Players want integrated features like voice chat, secure authentication, and persistent progress. Amazon GameLift Servers can be integrated with other AWS services to provide comprehensive gaming experiences: + + * **Players get streamlined authentication** – Amazon Cognito integration supports various identity providers and authentication methods while maintaining secure player identities across game sessions, with streamlined login processes for returning players. + + * **Players can persist their game progress across sessions** – Amazon DynamoDB integration can be used to store player progression, inventories, and persistent data with high-performance access that ensures minimal gameplay impact while supporting cross-session continuity. + + * **Players benefit from analytic insights** – Amazon Kinesis and Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) integration processes game analytics to gather insights on player behavior and preferences, enabling real-time analytics that help developers adapt to changing player patterns and keep games fresh and engaging. + + + @@ -46 +103 @@ To use the Amazon Web Services Documentation, Javascript must be enabled. Please -How containers work +How it works @@ -48 +105 @@ How containers work -Service locations +Game hosting in production