Universal Friend List

A comprehensive multiplayer friend list system for Unity that supports multiple networking backends including Photon PUN, Photon Fusion, Mirror, Unity Netcode for GameObjects, FishNet, and custom server solutions. Includes WebSocket support for real-time updates.

Unity 2021.3 LTS+ Photon PUN / Fusion Mirror · NGO · FishNet Custom Backend Support Node.js · PHP Servers

Network Backends

Realtime

WebSocket

Fallback

HTTP Polling

Platforms

All Unity

What is Universal Friend List?

Universal Friend List is a Unity asset that provides a complete social friend system for multiplayer games. It handles the complex task of managing friends, friend requests, blocking users, online presence, and game invitations across different networking solutions.

Whether you're building a room-based competitive game, an open-world MMO-style experience, or anything in between, Universal Friend List provides the building blocks you need to add social features quickly.

Key Features

Friend Management

Complete friend list functionality including adding friends, removing friends, and managing your social connections. Supports both real-time presence updates and polling-based status checks.

Friend Requests

Send, accept, reject, and cancel friend requests. The system handles incoming requests with proper notification and UI integration.

User Blocking

Block and unblock users to maintain a safe gaming environment. Blocked users cannot send friend requests or see your online status.

Online Presence

Track when friends come online, go offline, or join game rooms. Real-time presence updates via WebSocket or periodic polling.

Room Invitations

Send invitations to friends to join your game room. Supports both room-based games (with fixed room codes) and open-world games (with seamless transitions).

Multiple Network Support

One consistent API across Photon PUN, Photon Fusion, Mirror, Unity Netcode for GameObjects, FishNet, and custom backends. Switch networking solutions without changing your social feature code.

System Architecture

The Universal Friend List system is designed with a clean layered architecture:

Layer	Description	Examples
UI Layer	User interface components that display friend lists, requests, and invitations	FriendListUI, FriendRequestItemUI
Manager Layer	Core business logic and event management	FriendManager, GameTypeManager
Abstraction Layer	Interfaces that define contracts between components	IFriendManager, INetworkFriendSystem
Network Layer	Backend-specific implementations	PhotonPunNativeFriendSystem, MirrorCustomFriendSystem
Server Layer	Backend server implementations	Node.js WebSocket server, PHP REST API

Supported Networking Backends

Backend	Native Friends	Custom Server	Best For
Photon PUN	Yes	Yes	Turn-based, FPS, general multiplayer
Photon Fusion	Yes	Yes	Real-time action, sports, VR
Mirror	No	Yes	MMORPG, open world, dedicated servers
Unity Netcode	Varies	Yes	Co-op, party games, small sessions
FishNet	Varies	Yes	High-performance multiplayer
Custom	N/A	Yes	Your own backend solution

Documentation Structure

This wiki is organized to serve both non-developers and experienced programmers:

Getting Started - Installation, package contents, and quick setup guides
Unity Setup - Detailed guides for each Unity component and prefab
Network Integration - Backend-specific setup instructions
Game Types - Configure for room-based or open-world games
Server Setup - Deploy Node.js or PHP servers
API Reference - Complete technical API documentation
Support - Troubleshooting and performance optimization

Who Is This Asset For?

For Non-Developers

If you're a game designer, producer, or someone who prefers not to code, you can use the preset system and inspector-based configuration to set up friend features without writing code. The editor tools provide visual workflows for most common scenarios.

Use ScriptableObject presets to configure behavior
Connect UI elements through Unity's inspector
Use the Setup Wizard for guided configuration
Follow the Quick Start guide for typical setups

For Developers

If you're an experienced programmer, you'll appreciate the clean architecture, extensible design, and comprehensive API. The system is built around interfaces that make it easy to add custom functionality.

Implement IGameTypeHandler for custom game types
Extend BaseCustomFriendSystem for custom backends
Subscribe to events for reactive programming
Full source code included and modifiable