PlayFlow

PlayFlow is a client for PlayFlow Cloud dedicated-server hosting. A game client requests a server, polls until it is running, then Net.connects to its host:port. PlayFlow runs your headless Linux --server build; the server itself needs no PlayFlow SDK.

PlayFlow is a static facade (like Audio/Net), desktop-only. Every method safely returns a falsey value when networking isn’t compiled in or no API key is configured.

The API key is a secret

The client key (pfclient_*) is read from the environment (PLAYFLOW_CLIENT_KEY) — never hard-code it in a script or commit it. It is a different scope from the server/management key (pf_*), which stays server-side. Provisioning the account + keys is a one-time founder task.

PlayFlow

Import from the engine module:

import "engine" for PlayFlow, Net

PlayFlow.isConfigured()

Returns: Bool — true if a client API key is set (via PLAYFLOW_CLIENT_KEY).

PlayFlow.requestServer(region, customData)

Request a dedicated server. Blocking HTTP call — use it at matchmaking time, not per frame.

Returns: String — the server’s instanceId, or "" on failure.

Parameters:

• region (String) — a PlayFlow region id (e.g. "us-east"), or "" for the default.
• customData (String) — opaque data forwarded to the server (e.g. a JSON string), or "".

PlayFlow.serverInfo(instanceId)

Look up a server’s status and endpoint. Poll until status is "running".

Returns: Map — { "ok": Bool, "status": String, "host": String, "port": Num, "error": String }. host/port are populated once status == "running".

Matchmaking flow

import "engine" for PlayFlow, Net, Logger

class Game {
  construct new() { _id = ""; _connected = false }

  init() {
    _id = PlayFlow.requestServer("us-east", "")   // -> instanceId
    if (_id == "") Logger.error("could not request a server")
  }

  update(dt) {
    if (_id != "" && !_connected) {
      var info = PlayFlow.serverInfo(_id)          // poll (throttle this in a real game)
      if (info["status"] == "running") {
        Net.connect(info["host"], info["port"])
        _connected = true
      }
    }
    for (ev in Net.poll()) { /* handle connect / data / disconnect */ }
  }
}

Hosting the server

Package the headless Linux --server build with docker/server.Dockerfile (or a zip) and upload it to PlayFlow. PlayFlow injects the assigned port via the PLUME_SERVER_PORT env var (which overrides [Network].port) and stops the server with SIGTERM. See the Dedicated Server guide and the engine RUNBOOK.md.