This guide covers how to install Universal Friend List into your Unity project. The process is straightforward, but there are some prerequisites depending on which networking backend you plan to use.

Unity Version

Universal Friend List requires Unity 2021.3 LTS or newer. The asset uses features available in this version and later, including improved C# support and networking APIs.

Networking SDK (Choose One)

Before importing the asset, you should have at least one of the following networking solutions installed in your project:

• Photon PUN 2 - For Photon-based multiplayer
• Photon Fusion - For real-time Photon experiences
• Mirror - For open-world and MMO-style games
• Unity Netcode for GameObjects (NGO) - Unity's official netcode solution
• FishNet - For high-performance networking
• Custom Backend - Your own server solution (no SDK needed)

Project Requirements

• Your project must compile without errors before importing the asset
• Ensure you have a clean import folder structure
• Back up your project or use version control before major imports

Step 1: Purchase and Download

Purchase Universal Friend List from the Unity Asset Store and download the package to your Unity account. You can then import it into any of your projects.

Step 2: Import into Unity

1. Open your Unity project
2. Go to Window → Package Manager
3. Click My Assets in the left sidebar
4. Find "Universal Friend List" in the list
5. Click Download then Import
6. In the Import Unity Package dialog, click Import to accept all assets

Step 3: Wait for Compilation

After importing, Unity will compile all the C# scripts. This may take a few minutes depending on your project size. Wait for compilation to complete before proceeding.

Step 4: Verify Import

After compilation completes, verify the import was successful by checking for the following in your Project window:

• Assets/ElderWorldStudio/FriendList/ folder exists
• Scenes/Demo.unity scene is available
• Scripts/Managers/FriendManager.cs is present

Photon PUN 2

1. Download PUN 2 from the Asset Store or Photon's website
2. Import the PUN 2 package into your project
3. Enter Play Mode - Unity will prompt you to create a Photon App ID
4. Follow the setup wizard to register your project (free tier available)
5. Universal Friend List will automatically detect PUN 2 and enable native support

Photon Fusion

1. Download Photon Fusion from the Asset Store
2. Import Fusion into your project
3. Configure your Fusion App ID in the Photon Dashboard
4. The asset will automatically enable Fusion-specific features

Mirror

1. Download Mirror from the Unity Asset Store or GitHub
2. Import Mirror into your project
3. Universal Friend List will detect Mirror automatically
4. You can use the custom server option with Mirror for full friend functionality

Unity Netcode for GameObjects

1. Install via Unity Package Manager (com.unity.netcode.gameobjects)
2. Import the package from the Unity Registry
3. Follow Unity's documentation for initial Netcode setup
4. The friend list system will integrate with NGO automatically

FishNet

1. Download FishNet from the Unity Asset Store
2. Import FishNet into your project
3. The friend list system supports FishNet through its custom backend option

Test the Demo Scene

The best way to verify everything is working is to test the included demo scene:

1. Open Assets/ElderWorldStudio/FriendList/Scenes/Demo.unity
2. Select the FriendManager object in the hierarchy
3. Ensure a FriendManagerSettings asset is assigned in the Inspector
4. Enter Play Mode
5. Check the Console for any error messages

Expected Behavior

• No error messages in the Console (warnings are acceptable)
• The FriendManager initializes without issues
• UI elements appear correctly in Game View