Fix autolobby sending invalid game states to the server

lua/ui/lobby/autolobby.lua

@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ local AutolobbyCommunicationsInstance = false
 ---@param natTraversalProvider any
 ---@return UIAutolobbyCommunications
 function CreateLobby(protocol, localPort, desiredPlayerName, localPlayerUID, natTraversalProvider)
+    -- we intentionally do not log the 'natTraversalProvider' parameter as it can cause issues
     LOG("CreateLobby", protocol, localPort, desiredPlayerName, localPlayerUID)
 
     -- create the interface, needs to be done before the lobby is
@@ -64,8 +65,6 @@ function CreateLobby(protocol, localPort, desiredPlayerName, localPlayerUID, nat
     AutolobbyCommunicationsInstance.LobbyParameters.LocalPlayerPeerId = localPlayerUID
     AutolobbyCommunicationsInstance.LobbyParameters.NatTraversalProvider = natTraversalProvider
 
-    AutolobbyCommunicationsInstance:SendGameStateToServer('Idle')
-
     return AutolobbyCommunicationsInstance
 end
 

lua/ui/lobby/autolobby/AutolobbyController.lua

@@ -746,7 +746,6 @@ AutolobbyCommunications = Class(MohoLobbyMethods, AutolobbyServerCommunicationsC
         self:DebugSpew("LaunchGame")
         self:DebugSpew(reprs(gameConfig, { depth = 10 }))
 
-        self:SendGameStateToServer('Launching')
         return MohoLobbyMethods.LaunchGame(self, gameConfig)
     end,
 
@@ -820,7 +819,6 @@ AutolobbyCommunications = Class(MohoLobbyMethods, AutolobbyServerCommunicationsC
         -- start prefetching the scenario
         self:Prefetch(self.GameOptions, self.GameMods)
 
-        self:SendGameStateToServer('Lobby')
         self:SendLaunchStatusToServer('Hosting')
 
         -- update UI for game options
@@ -855,8 +853,6 @@ AutolobbyCommunications = Class(MohoLobbyMethods, AutolobbyServerCommunicationsC
         self.LocalPeerId = localPeerId
         self.HostID = hostPeerId
 
-        self:SendGameStateToServer('Lobby')
-
         -- occasionally send data over the network to create pings on screen
         self.Trash:Add(ForkThread(self.ShareLaunchStatusThread, self))
         -- self.Trash:Add(ForkThread(self.CheckForRejoinThread, self)) -- disabled, for now

lua/ui/lobby/autolobby/components/AutolobbyServerCommunicationsComponent.lua

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 --#region Game <-> Server communications
-
+-- 
 -- All the following logic is tightly coupled with functionality on either the
 -- lobby server, the ice adapter, the java server and/or the client. For more
 -- context you can search for the various keywords in the following repositories:
@@ -32,6 +32,36 @@
 --
 -- Specifically, the following file processes these messages on the server:
 -- - https://github.com/FAForever/server/blob/98271c421412467fa387f3a6530fe8d24e360fa4/server/gameconnection.py
+-- 
+-- ## How to test game communications
+-- 
+-- You can not test the game <-> server communications using the launch script to
+-- launch local instances of the game. This requires a bit of effort.
+-- 
+-- Prerequisites:
+-- - A Lua development environment
+-- - Two separate instances of the FAF client
+-- 
+-- Procedure:
+-- - Start the FAF client and then logout to view the login screen. 
+-- - Choose the test server. 
+-- - Navigate to the leaderboards. 
+-- - Navigate to the last page of the leaderboards. 
+-- - Both clients should pick a player with almost no games. 
+-- - Back in the FAF client login screen, click on 'login'.
+-- - - Sanity check: it should state somewhere on screen that you are logging into the test server.
+-- - Use the nickname of the player as login. Use `foo` as the password. Not all accounts that exist 
+-- in production also exist in the test server, so you'll have to try a few to find one that works.
+-- 
+-- Once logged in:
+-- - Via the hamburger menu (top left) go to Settings -> Forged Alliance Forever
+-- - Update the command line format to `"%s"  /init init_dev.lua`, it auto saves
+-- - Start searching
+-- 
+-- The procedure applies to both clients. By updating the command line format you override the 
+-- game files that the client is loading. Using this approach you can launch the game from
+-- any pull request. Just make sure that both clients use the same pull request and have gone
+-- through the same procedure.
 
 -- upvalue scope for performance
 local GpgNetSend = GpgNetSend
@@ -107,6 +137,11 @@ AutolobbyServerCommunicationsComponent = ClassSimple {
     ---@param self UIAutolobbyServerCommunicationsComponent | UIAutolobbyCommunications
     ---@param value UILobbyState
     SendGameStateToServer = function(self, value)
+        -- any other value seriously messes with the lobby protocol on the server
+        if value ~= 'Launching' then
+            return
+        end
+
         GpgNetSend('GameState', value)
     end,
 
@@ -124,7 +159,7 @@ AutolobbyServerCommunicationsComponent = ClassSimple {
         GpgNetSend('EstablishedPeer', peerId)
     end,
 
-    --- Sends a message to the server that we disconnected from a peer. Note that a peer may be trying to rejoin. See also the launch status of the given peer. 
+    --- Sends a message to the server that we disconnected from a peer. Note that a peer may be trying to rejoin. See also the launch status of the given peer.
     ---@param self UIAutolobbyServerCommunicationsComponent | UIAutolobbyCommunications
     ---@param peerId UILobbyPeerId
     SendDisconnectedPeer = function(self, peerId)

lua/version.lua

@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ local Commit = 'unknown'    -- The use of `'` instead of `"` is **intentional**
 
 --#endregion
 
-local Version = "3814"
----@alias PATCH "3814"
----@alias VERSION "1.5.3814"
+local Version = "3815"
+---@alias PATCH "3815"
+---@alias VERSION "1.5.3815"
 ---@return PATCH    # Game release
 function GetVersion()
     LOG(string.format('Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance Lua version %s at %s (%s)', Version, GameType, Commit))

mod_info.lua

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 -- - https://github.com/FAForever/fa/blob/deploy/fafdevelop/lua/MODS.LUA
 
 name = "Forged Alliance Forever"
-version = 3814          -- needs to be an integer as it is parsed as a short (16 bit integer)
+version = 3815          -- needs to be an integer as it is parsed as a short (16 bit integer)
 _faf_modname='faf'
 copyright = "Forged Alliance Forever Community"
 description = "Forged Alliance Forever extends Forged Alliance, bringing new patches, game modes, units, ladder, and much more!"