LocalMP

LocalMP is a mod that allows you to use your locally-hosted Photon Server (using photon-server-sdk_v4-0-29-11263.exe for example) for multiplayer connections, instead of using PEAK's officially allocated Photon Engine servers.

What this achieves:

• Lower ping for everyone - depending on how far you are from your friends, being a client might feel almost like being the host when interacting with items!
• You are no longer reliant on Photon's servers, so if they are temporarily offline you can still play

What this does NOT achieve:

• Unlicensed play
• Full offline experience (authentication from Steam/Epic Online Services is still required)
• Progression hack (your progress and customization options are still downloaded from Steam/Epic Online Services)

Downsides:

• Steam invites don't work anymore: use Room Codes to join each other
• Scrolls at campfires don't work anymore for some reason, they are there but they just disappear once opened
• It's obviously more difficult to host a server rather than just accepting an invite
• ...maybe there are more...

What works for sure:

• The game is 100% beatable in multiplayer
• Achievements
• Progression, customization
• Voice chat
• ...and more...

Installation

Same as all other PEAK mods. Requires BepInEx. Just drop the DLL in BepInEx/plugins.

Usage

First time instructions:

1. Obviously you must host a server, and to host a server you must have a server. Today Photon Server SDK is $250 monthly, but it used to be free, old versions are still free (20 users max) but it's hard to find them online. I used photon-server-sdk_v4-0-29-11263.exe that I got from here.
2. The server SDK that I downloaded was a single .exe file that was a self-extracting archive - I just ran it and specified a folder where I wanted my server to be.
3. Once you unpacked your server, you want to configure it and run it:
   1. First you need to obtain an IP address that is going to be reachable for your friends. For example, install LogMeIn Hamachi/RAdminVPN and copy your IP address. If you have a public IP address, I do not recommend using that and port-forwarding Photon Server SDK ports, because older versions might contain vulnerabilities - you can instead host a Wireguard private network and let your friends connect to you like that instead. If your friends are on your LAN copy your LAN IP address (it might look like 192.168.1.73).
   2. Once you have obtained a reachable IP address, navigate to deploy\Loadbalancing\GameServer\bin\ and edit file Photon.LoadBalancing.dll.config using Notepad.
   3. Ctrl+F and find the string <setting name="PublicIPAddress" serializeAs="String">. There are TWO such strings in the file. Make sure you've found the first one! (Higher up) It's in the section <Photon.LoadBalancing.GameServer.GameServerSettings>, NOT in the section <Photon.LoadBalancing.MasterServer.MasterServerSettings>.
   4. Right below it, there's going to be the <value> tag. Most likely it's going to say <value>127.0.0.1</value>. Change it to <value>PASTE YOUR REACHABLE IP (from step 1) HERE</value>
   5. Navigate to deploy\bin_Win64 and run PhotonControl.exe - it's going to be in your tray (bottom right on your Windows task bar).
   6. Right-click it, hover over "Game Server IP Config" and make sure that the IP address you specified in the config is selected. If it isn't, something is wrong, please go back and correct your mistake.
   7. Hover over "LoadBalancing (MyCloud)" and click "Start as application". You can also "Install service" to keep the server always running but I personally wouldn't want that.
4. Now that the server is hosted, tell all your friends that you are going to play with to follow your steps from now on.
5. Make sure the mod is installed.
6. Start the game once for the config file to generate.
7. Open your game installation folder, navigate to BepInEx\config\ directory, edit file WinglessBirds.LocalMP.cfg in Notepad.
8. Specify your IP address obtained at step 1. ALL of you must put exactly the same IP address!
9. Start the game. If something is wrong, you will be met with an error message that you couldn't connect to Photon, and if that happens you must correct the error. The error could be that you specified the wrong IP address, or that your IP address is not reachable for your friends, or that some or all ports of Photon Server SDK are blocked by some firewall. But there are a LOT of reasons for it to go wrong and it's impossible to list them all here, sorry.
10. One of you must host, it doesn't matter who. This person must send you the room code they see in the pause menu. If it helps, visibility of room codes can be toggled in the settings of the game.
11. The rest of you must click "JOIN GAME" in the main menu, type in the code and click join. (NOTE: If you are using a controller, an empty screen with an empty sign post at the bottom might appear. It's a vanilla bug, please use the mouse to click the main menu Join button instead.)
12. Done! Play to your heart's content :)
13. When you are done playing, right-click Photon Control in your tray, hover over "LoadBalancing (MyCloud)" and click "Stop application", and then Exit Photon Control.

Everyday instructions: (steps 1, 2 and 6 should not be required if you clicked "Install service" at First time instructions step 3.7)

1. Navigate to deploy\bin_Win64 and run PhotonControl.exe - it's going to be in your tray (bottom right on your Windows task bar). Right-click it.
2. Hover over "LoadBalancing (MyCloud)" and click "Start as application".
3. Start the game, somebody must host and tell everyone the Room code located at the top of the pause screen.
4. Everyone must join using that room code. (NOTE: If you are using a controller, an empty screen with an empty sign post at the bottom might appear. It's a vanilla bug, please use the mouse to click the main menu Join button instead.)
5. Done! Play to your heart's content :)
6. When you are done playing, right-click Photon Control in your tray, hover over "LoadBalancing (MyCloud)" and click "Stop application", and then Exit Photon Control.

License

LocalMP is licensed under MIT.