Ten short clips from the current build

Ten clips, recorded this week on build 0.9.0 with two players on a local server. Each one shows a single feature the way it matters in multiplayer: from the other player's screen. Where a clip leaves something out, the paragraph says so.

Joining a server

The multiplayer loading screen, the connection, and the spawn into a world where someone is already online. The server here runs on the same PC, so the address reads 127.0.0.1; a public server is picked from the launcher's list — favourites, history and direct connect are in the same window — and works the same way. Nothing in the game folder changes and single-player saves are never touched.

Combat engagement

Two players squaring up, circling and breaking off. Walking up to someone does not start a fight: it starts with /fight <name> and ends with /peace, and the combat stance, the lock-on and every step in between are shown on the other player as they happen.

Sword fight

A duel with the game's own combat: swings shown in the direction they were thrown, blocks, hits. Health, stamina, injuries and bleeding live on the server, which decides every hit from the game's own tables — the attacker's weapon against the armour on the body part struck, head hits counting more, limb hits less — so the outcome is the same on both screens. A killed player falls for everyone and respawns. There is also a proper duel mode: /duel queues you, two at a time are placed face to face in the arena with a countdown and a score.

Crossbows

A light crossbow, then a heavy one, seen from the other side: reloading, aiming, firing, the bolt loaded as the reload ends. Not in the clip, but working the same way: bows, with the arrow seen flying on every screen and a half draw doing less, and guns, new in 0.9.0. Ranged damage matches single player, head shots count as head shots.

Riding

Mounting up and riding past another player. The horse, the rider and the mount and dismount are synced; /horse <name> picks a breed and /horses lists them.

Head tracking

Other players' heads follow their camera. Small, and it does more for presence than it should.

Dropped items, and a dog

An item dropped from one player's inventory appears on the ground for everyone. The server keeps its own count of what each player legitimately received, so conjured weapons, armour or ammunition are caught and a server owner decides whether that logs, kicks or bans. Then /dog: a dog that follows its owner and is seen by everyone — one per player, and it leaves when its owner does.

Doors

A door opened by one player is open for everyone and swings the same way on every screen. Chests are synced too, and not only their lids: contents are shared, so what one player takes the next player does not find.

Props, for server owners

Objects placed in the world from chat — /props with part of a path lists the game's meshes, a unique name places one — or from a game mode with CreateProp, static or physical. Everyone sees them. Placement by name is the first version; a 3D placement system, where an admin puts an object down and moves it by hand in the world, is planned.

Time and weather, for server owners

/time and /weather set the hour and a weather preset for the whole server, and the change lands on every connected client at once: noon to night, then fog.

Also in the build, not on film

NPC characters a game mode can create, dress, walk and pose, that take hits and fight back (/actor demo in free roam); potions, food and drink handled by the server, drunkenness included; the chat, the scoreboard, name tags that hide behind walls. Next on the list: new nameplates with health bars, and the 3D prop placement above.

The build is on the download page, every change is in the changelog, and each clip has its own thread in The Tavern on the forum.