Integrate Friends service with the client SDK

Last updated on January 19, 2024

Overview

The Friends service can be used to connect players with each other so they can perform social activities in the game such as chatting, seeing presence statuses and inviting each other to join a party. To manage friends, you will use the Lobby interface which uses WebSocket to ensure real-time updates.

Integration with this service will allow you to manage friend requests, retrieve a player's list of friends, and synchronize a player's friends from third-party platforms automatically so that they don't have to send a new friend request. The game client will need to register to listen for friend notifications with the Lobby service in order to know when another player is requesting an interaction.

Implement friend interactions

Search for players

You can search for a player's account information using their Display Name or Username as the query. You can configure the type of search by setting the enum of SearchType for Unity and EAccelByteSearchType for Unreal to DisplayName or Username.

Unreal Engine
Unity

FString Query = FString("UsersDisplayName");
EAccelByteSearchType By = EAccelByteSearchType::DISPLAYNAME;

FRegistry::User.SearchUsers(Query, By, THandler < FPagedPublicUsersInfo > ::CreateLambda([](const FPagedPublicUsersInfo & Result) {
  // Do something if SearchUsers has been successful
}), FErrorHandler::CreateLambda([](int32 ErrorCode,
  const FString & ErrorMessage) {
  // Do something if SearchUsers has an error
  UE_LOG(LogTemp, Log, TEXT("Error SearchUsers, Error Code: %d Error Message: %s"), ErrorCode, * ErrorMessage);
}));

string query = "UsersDisplayName";
SearchType by = SearchType.DISPLAYNAME;

AccelBytePlugin.GetUser().SearchUsers(query, by, result => {
  if (result.IsError) {
    // Do something if SearchUsers has an error
    Debug.Log($"Error SearchUsers, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
  } else {
    // Do something if SearchUsers has been successful
  }
});

Retrieve the Friends List

Use the following function to retrieve a friends list.

Unreal Engine
Unity

FRegistry::Lobby.Connect();
FRegistry::Lobby.SetLoadFriendListResponseDelegate(AccelByte::Api::Lobby::FLoadFriendListResponse::CreateLambda([](const FAccelByteModelsLoadFriendListResponse & Result) {
  // Do something if LoadFriendListResponseDelegate has been successful
}), FErrorHandler::CreateLambda([](int32 ErrorCode,
  const FString & ErrorMessage) {
  // Do something if LoadFriendListResponseDelegate has an error
  UE_LOG(LogTemp, Log, TEXT("Error LoadFriendListResponseDelegate, Error Code: %d Error Message: %s"), ErrorCode, * ErrorMessage);
}));

FRegistry::Lobby.LoadFriendsList();

AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().Connect();
AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().LoadFriendsList(result => {
  if (result.IsError) {
    // Do something if LoadFriendsList has an error
    Debug.Log($"Error LoadFriendsList, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
  } else {
    // Do something if LoadFriendsList has been successful
  }
})

Send a Friend request using a user ID

The first step in making a friend is sending a friend request to another player. Use this code to send a friend request using a User ID.

Unreal Engine
Unity

FRegistry::Lobby.Connect();
FRegistry::Lobby.SetRequestFriendsResponseDelegate(AccelByte::Api::Lobby::FRequestFriendsResponse::CreateLambda([](const FAccelByteModelsRequestFriendsResponse & Result) {
  // Do something if RequestFriendsResponseDelegate has been successful
}), FErrorHandler::CreateLambda([](int32 ErrorCode,
  const FString & ErrorMessage) {
  // Do something if RequestFriendsResponseDelegate has an error
  UE_LOG(LogTemp, Log, TEXT("Error RequestFriendsResponseDelegate, Error Code: %d Error Message: %s"), ErrorCode, * ErrorMessage);
}));

FString UserId = FString("SomeUserId");
FRegistry::Lobby.RequestFriend(UserId);

string userId = "SomeTargetFriendUserId";


AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().Connect();
AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().RequestFriend(userId, result => {
  if (result.IsError) {
    // Do something if RequestFriend has an error
    Debug.Log($"Error RequestFriend, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
  } else {
    // Do something if RequestFriend has been successful
  }
});

Retrieve the list of incoming Friend requests

Use this function to retrieve all the information about incoming friend requests. This function retrieves user ID which you can use to accept or reject each request.

Unreal Engine
Unity

FRegistry::Lobby.Connect();
FRegistry::Lobby.SetListIncomingFriendsResponseDelegate(AccelByte::Api::Lobby::FListIncomingFriendsResponse::CreateLambda([](const FAccelByteModelsListIncomingFriendsResponse & Result) {
  if (Result.Code == "0") {
    // Do something if ListIncomingFriendsResponseDelegate has been successful
  } else {
    // Do something if ListIncomingFriendsResponseDelegate has an error
  }
}));

FRegistry::Lobby.ListIncomingFriends();

FRegistry::Lobby.LoadFriendsList();

AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().Connect();
AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().ListIncomingFriends(result => {
  if (result.IsError) {
    // Do something if ListIncomingFriends has an error
    Debug.Log($"Error ListIncomingFriends, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
  } else {
    // Do something if ListIncomingFriends has been successful
  }
});

Accept incoming friend requests

After a friend request has been sent, the player who received the request can either accept or reject it. Use the following function to accept a friend request.

Unreal Engine
Unity

FRegistry::Lobby.Connect();
FRegistry::Lobby.SetAcceptFriendsResponseDelegate(AccelByte::Api::Lobby::FAcceptFriendsResponse::CreateLambda([](const FAccelByteModelsAcceptFriendsResponse & Result) {
  if (Result.Code == "0") {
    // Do something if AcceptFriendsResponseDelegate has been successful
  } else {
    // Do something if AcceptFriendsResponseDelegate has an error
  }
}));

FString UserId = FString("SomeUserId");
FRegistry::Lobby.AcceptFriend(UserId);

string userId = "SomeTargetedAcceptedFriendUserId";


AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().Connect();
AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().AcceptFriend(userId, result => {
  if (result.IsError) {
    // Do something if AcceptFriend has an error
    Debug.Log($"Error AcceptFriend, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
  } else {
    // Do something if AcceptFriend has been successful
  }
});

Reject incoming Friend requests

You can reject the incoming friend request by their User ID. To get the user ID, you need to retrieve a list of incoming friend requests, copy the User ID, and store it somewhere safe for use in the following function.

Unreal Engine
Unity

FRegistry::Lobby.Connect();
FRegistry::Lobby.SetRejectFriendsResponseDelegate(AccelByte::Api::Lobby::FRejectFriendsResponse::CreateLambda([](const FAccelByteModelsRejectFriendsResponse & Result) {
  if (Result.Code == "0") {
    // Do something if RejectFriendsResponseDelegate has been successful
  } else {
    // Do something if RejectFriendsResponseDelegate has an error
  }
}));

FString UserId = FString("SomeTargetRejectFriendUserId");
FRegistry::Lobby.RejectFriend(UserId);

string userId = "SomeTargetRejectedFriendUserId";

AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().Connect();
AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().RejectFriend(userId, result => {
  if (result.IsError) {
    // Do something if RejectFriend has an error
    Debug.Log($"Error RejectFriend, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
  } else {
    // Do something if RejectFriend has been successful
  }
});

Unfriend players

Use the following function to unfriend another player.

Unreal Engine
Unity

FRegistry::Lobby.Connect();
FRegistry::Lobby.SetUnfriendResponseDelegate(AccelByte::Api::Lobby::FUnfriendResponse::CreateLambda([](const FAccelByteModelsUnfriendResponse & Result) {
  if (Result.Code == "0") {
    // Do something if UnfriendResponseDelegate has been successful
  } else {
    // Do something if UnfriendResponseDelegate has an error
  }
}));

FString UserId = FString("SomeTargetFriendUserId");
FRegistry::Lobby.Unfriend(UserId);

string userId = "SomeTargetFriendUserId";


AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().Connect();
AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().Unfriend(userId, result => {
 if (result.IsError) {
   // Do something if Unfriend has an error
   Debug.Log($"Error Unfriend, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
 } else {
   // Do something if Unfriend has been successful
 }
});

Retrieve the list of outgoing friend requests

Use the following function to retrieve a list of outgoing friend requests.

Unreal Engine
Unity

FRegistry::Lobby.Connect();
FRegistry::Lobby.SetListOutgoingFriendsResponseDelegate(AccelByte::Api::Lobby::FListOutgoingFriendsResponse::CreateLambda([](const FAccelByteModelsListOutgoingFriendsResponse & Result) {
  if (Result.Code == "0") {
    // Do something if ListOutgoingFriendsResponseDelegate has an error
  } else {
    // Do something if ListOutgoingFriendsResponseDelegate has been successful
  }
}));

FRegistry::Lobby.ListOutgoingFriends();

AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().Connect();
AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().ListOutgoingFriends(result => {
  if (result.IsError) {
    // Do something if ListOutgoingFriends has an error
    Debug.Log($"Error ListOutgoingFriends, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
  } else {
    // Do something if ListOutgoingFriends has been successful
  }
});

Cancel outgoing Friend requests

You can cancel outgoing friend requests using User ID. To get the user ID, you need to retrieve a list of outgoing friend requests, copy the User ID, and store it somewhere safe for the following function.

Unreal Engine
Unity

FRegistry::Lobby.Connect();
FRegistry::Lobby.SetCancelFriendsResponseDelegate(AccelByte::Api::Lobby::FCancelFriendsResponse::CreateLambda([](const FAccelByteModelsCancelFriendsResponse & Result) {
  if (Result.Code == "0") {
    // Do something if CancelFriendsResponseDelegate has been successful
  } else {
    // Do something if CancelFriendsResponseDelegate has an error
  }
}));

FString UserId = FString("SomeTargetCancelFriendUserId");
FRegistry::Lobby.CancelFriendRequest(UserId);

string userId = "SomeTargetOutgoingFriendUserId";
AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().Connect();
AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().CancelFriendRequest(userId, result => {
  if (result.IsError) {
    // Do something if CancelFriendRequest has an error
    Debug.Log($"Error CancelFriendRequest, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
  } else {
    // Do something if CancelFriendRequest has been successful
  }
});

Listening for Friend notifications

Based on the different friend interactions players take, they will receive notifications from the Lobby service to inform them of a pending action. You will need to register delegates to listen for each of these notifications:

You have received friend request from another player
A player has accepted your friend request
A player has rejected your friend request
A player has canceled their pending friend request they sent you
A friend has unfriended you

Incoming Friend notifications

Unreal Engine
Unity

FRegistry::Lobby.Connect();
FRegistry::Lobby.SetOnIncomingRequestFriendsNotifDelegate(AccelByte::Api::Lobby::FRequestFriendsNotif::CreateLambda([](const FAccelByteModelsRequestFriendsNotif & Result) {
  // Do something if OnIncomingRequestFriendsNotifDelegate has been successful
}));

AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().Connect();
AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().OnIncomingFriendRequest += result => {
  if (result.IsError) {
    // Do something if OnIncomingFriendRequest has an error
    Debug.Log($"Error OnIncomingFriendRequest, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
  } else {
    // Do something if OnIncomingFriendRequest has been successful
  }
};

Accepted Friend request notification

Unreal Engine
Unity

FRegistry::Lobby.Connect();
FRegistry::Lobby.SetOnFriendRequestAcceptedNotifDelegate(AccelByte::Api::Lobby::FAcceptFriendsNotif::CreateLambda([](const FAccelByteModelsAcceptFriendsNotif & Result) {
  // Do something if OnFriendRequestAcceptedNotifDelegate has been successful
}));

AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().Connect();
AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().FriendRequestAccepted += result => {
  if (result.IsError) {
    // Do something if FriendRequestAccepted has an error
    Debug.Log($"Error FriendRequestAccepted, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
  } else {
    // Do something if FriendRequestAccepted has been successful
  }
};

Rejected Friend request notification

Unreal Engine
Unity

FRegistry::Lobby.Connect();
FRegistry::Lobby.SetOnRejectFriendsNotifDelegate(AccelByte::Api::Lobby::FRejectFriendsNotif::CreateLambda([](const FAccelByteModelsRejectFriendsNotif & Result) {
  // Do something if OnRejectFriendsNotifDelegate has been successful
}));

AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().Connect();
AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().FriendRequestRejected += result => {
  if (result.IsError) {
    // Do something if FriendRequestRejected has an error
    Debug.Log($"Error FriendRequestRejected, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
  } else {
    // Do something if FriendRequestRejected has been successful
  }
};

Canceled outgoing Friend request notification

Unreal Engine
Unity

FRegistry::Lobby.Connect();
FRegistry::Lobby.SetOnCancelFriendsNotifDelegate(AccelByte::Api::Lobby::FCancelFriendsNotif::CreateLambda([](const FAccelByteModelsCancelFriendsNotif & Result) {
  // Do something if OnCancelFriendsNotifDelegate has been successful
}));

AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().Connect();
AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().FriendRequestCanceled += result => {
  if (result.IsError) {
    // Do something if FriendRequestCanceled has an error
    Debug.Log($"Error FriendRequestCanceled, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
  } else {
    // Do something if FriendRequestCanceled has been successful
  }
};

Unfriend notification

Unreal Engine
Unity

FRegistry::Lobby.SetOnUnfriendNotifDelegate(AccelByte::Api::Lobby::FUnfriendNotif::CreateLambda([](const FAccelByteModelsUnfriendNotif & Result) {
  // Do something if OnUnfriendNotifDelegate has been successful
}));

AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().Connect();
AccelBytePlugin.GetLobby().OnUnfriend += result => {
  if (result.IsError) {
    // Do something if OnUnfriend has an error
    Debug.Log($"Error OnUnfriend, Error Code: {result.Error.Code} Error Message: {result.Error.Message}");
  } else {
    // Do something if OnUnfriend has been successful
  }
};

Overview​

Implement friend interactions​

Search for players​

Retrieve the Friends List​

Send a Friend request using a user ID​

Retrieve the list of incoming Friend requests​

Accept incoming friend requests​

Reject incoming Friend requests​

Unfriend players​

Retrieve the list of outgoing friend requests​

Cancel outgoing Friend requests​

Listening for Friend notifications​

Incoming Friend notifications​

Accepted Friend request notification​

Rejected Friend request notification​

Canceled outgoing Friend request notification​

Unfriend notification​

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