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AppsFlyer Unreal Steam SDK integration

AppsFlyer empowers gaming marketers to make better decisions by providing powerful tools to perform cross-platform attribution.

Game attribution requires the game to integrate the AppsFlyer SDK that records first opens, consecutive sessions, and in-app events. For example, purchase events.
We recommend you use this sample app as a reference for integrating the AppsFlyer SDK into your Unreal Steam game.

Note: The sample code that follows is currently only supported in a Windows environment.

Prerequisites

  • Unreal Engine 4.2x
  • Steamworks SDK integrated within your UE4 (usually it’s included within the UE4 third-parties and there’s no need to download it).
  • Steam client installed with an active user.

AppsflyerSteamModule - Interface

AppsflyerSteamModule.h, included in the appsflyer-unreal-steam-sample-app/AppsflyerSteamIntegrationFiles/AppsflyerSteamModule folder, contains the required code and logic to connect to AppsFlyer servers and report events.

Init

This method receives your API key and app ID and initializes the AppsFlyer Module.

Method signature

void Init(const char* devkey, const char* appID, bool collectSteamUid = true)

Arguments:

  • string DEV_KEY: Get from the marketer or AppsFlyer HQ.
  • string STEAM_APP_ID: Found in the SteamDB.
  • bool collectSteamUid: Whether to collect Steam UID or not. True by default.

Usage:

// for regular init
AppsflyerSteamModule()->Init(<< DEV_KEY >>, << STEAM_APP_ID >>);

// for init without reporting steam_uid
AppsflyerSteamModule()->Init(<< DEV_KEY >>, << STEAM_APP_ID >>, false);

`

Start

This method sends first open and /session requests to AppsFlyer.

Method signature

void Start(bool skipFirst = false)

Arguments

  • bool skipFirst: Determines whether or not to skip first open events and send session events. The value is false by default. If true , first open events are skipped and session events are sent. See example

Usage:

// without the flag
AppsflyerSteamModule()->Start();

// with the flag
bool skipFirst = [SOME_CONDITION];
AppsflyerSteamModule()->Start(skipFirst);

Stop

This method stops the SDK from functioning and communicating with AppsFlyer servers. It's used when implementing user opt-in/opt-out.

Method signature

void Stop()

Usage:

// Starting the SDK
AppsflyerSteamModule()->Start();
// ...
// Stopping the SDK, preventing further communication with AppsFlyer
AppsflyerSteamModule()->Stop();

LogEvent

This method receives an event name and JSON object and sends in-app events to AppsFlyer.

Method signature

void LogEvent(std::string event_name, std::string event_values, std::string custom_event_values = "")

Arguments

  • std::string event_name-
  • std::string event_parameters: dictionary object which contains the predefined event parameters.
  • std::string event_custom_parameters (non-mandatory): dictionary object which contains the any custom event parameters. For non-English values, please use UTF-8 encoding.

Usage:

// Setting the event parameters json string and event name
std::string event_name = "af_purchase";
std::string event_parameters = "{\"af_currency\":\"USD\",\"af_revenue\":24.12}";
// Send the InApp event request
AppsflyerPCModule()->LogEvent(event_name, event_parameters);

// Set non-English values for testing UTF-8 support
std::wstring ws = L"車B1234 こんにちは";
std::wstring ws2 = L"新人邀约购物日";
std::string event_custom_parameters = "{\"goodsName\":\"" + AppsflyerPCModule()->to_utf8(ws) + "\",\"goodsName2\":\"" + AppsflyerPCModule()->to_utf8(ws2) + "\"}";
// Send inapp event with custom params
AppsflyerPCModule()->LogEvent(event_name, event_parameters, event_custom_parameters);

SetCustomerUserId

This method sets a customer ID that enables you to cross-reference your unique ID with the AppsFlyer unique ID and other device IDs. Note: You can only use this method before calling Start().
The customer ID is available in raw data reports and in the postbacks sent via API.

Method signature

void SetCustomerUserId(std::string cuid)

Arguments:

  • std::string cuid: Custom user id.

Usage:

AppsflyerSteamModule()->Init(DEV_KEY, STEAM_APP_ID);
AppsflyerSteamModule()->SetCustomerUserId("Test-18-9-23");
AppsflyerSteamModule()->Start();

To_utf8

This method receives a reference of a std::wstring and returns UTF-8 encoded std::string

Method signature

std::string to_utf8(std::wstring& wide_string);

Usage:

// Set non-English values for testing UTF-8 support
std::wstring ws = L"車B1234 こんにちは";
std::wstring ws2 = L"新人邀约购物日";
std::string event_custom_parameters = "{\"goodsName\":\"" + AppsflyerPCModule()->to_utf8(ws) + "\",\"goodsName2\":\"" + AppsflyerPCModule()->to_utf8(ws2) + "\"}";

OnCallbackSuccess, OnCallbackFailure

The above methods are placeholders for the desired actions upon success/failure.
It is possible to handle different types of events with the switch case of the context within each function (“FIRST_OPEN_REQUEST”, ”SESSION_REQUEST”, ”INAPP_EVENT_REQUEST”).

Method signature

void OnCallbackSuccess(long responseCode, uint64 context)
void OnCallbackFailure(long responseCode, uint64 context)

GetAppsFlyerUID

Get AppsFlyer's unique device ID. The SDK generates an AppsFlyer unique device ID upon app installation. When the SDK is started, this ID is recorded as the ID of the first app install.

Method signature

std::string GetAppsFlyerUID()

Usage:

AppsflyerSteamModule()->GetAppsFlyerUID();

IsInstallOlderThanDate

This method receives a date string and returns true if the game folder modification date is older than the date string. The date string format is: "2023-January-01 23:12:34"

Method signature

bool IsInstallOlderThanDate(std::string datestring)

Arguments:

  • std::string datestring: Date string in yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss+hh:mm format.

Usage:

// the modification date in this example is "2023-January-23 08:30:00"

// will return false
bool dateBefore = AppsflyerSteamModule()->IsInstallOlderThanDate("2023-January-01 23:12:34");

// will return true
bool dateAfter = AppsflyerSteamModule()->IsInstallOlderThanDate("2023-April-10 23:12:34");

// example usage with skipFirst -
// skipping if the install date is NOT older than the given date
bool isInstallOlderThanDate = AppsflyerSteamModule()->IsInstallOlderThanDate("2023-January-10 23:12:34");
AppsflyerSteamModule()->Start(!isInstallOlderThanDate);

Running the sample app

  1. Open the UE4 engine.
  2. Choose New Project > Games > First Person.
  3. Choose C++ (instead of Blueprints).
  4. Name the project AppsFlyerSample and click Create project.
  5. Follow the instructions to implement AppsFlyer in your Steam game.
  6. Launch the sample app from the UE4 engine editor.
  7. After 24 hours, the dashboard updates and shows organic and non-organic installs and in-app events.

Implementing AppsFlyer in your Steam game

Setup

  1. Make sure that Steam is in your UE4 third parties. Learn more
  2. Add the following definitions to Config/DefaultEngine.ini. For reference, see the appsflyer-unreal-steam-sample-app/AppsflyerSteamIntegrationFiles/DefaultEngine.ini file.
+NetDriverDefinitions=(DefName="GameNetDriver",DriverClassName="OnlineSubsystemSteam.SteamNetDriver",DriverClassNameFallback="OnlineSubsystemUtils.IpNetDriver")

DefaultPlatformService=Steam

bEnabled=true
SteamDevAppId=480 //replace "480" with your steam app id.

NetConnectionClassName="OnlineSubsystemSteam.SteamNetConnection"
  1. In your Unreal editor, go to Plugins, activate Online Subsystem Steam, and restart the editor.
  2. Open the project in your preferred C++ editor and in [YOUR-APP-NAME].Build.cs file, add OpenSSL, OnlineSubsystem, and OnlineSubsystemSteam to your dependencies and HTTP as a private dependency:
PublicDependencyModuleNames.AddRange(new string[] { "Core", "CoreUObject", "Engine", "InputCore", "HeadMountedDisplay", "OpenSSL", "OnlineSubsystem", "OnlineSubsystemSteam" });
PrivateDependencyModuleNames.Add("HTTP");
  1. In your Unreal Project files, under the Source directory, create a new directory named AppsflyerSteamModule.
  2. Copy the following files from appsflyer-unreal-steam-sample-app/AppsflyerSteamIntegrationFiles/AppsflyerSteamModule to the new folder:
  • AppsflyerModule.cpp
  • AppsflyerSteamModule.cpp
  • AppsflyerSteamModule.h
  • DeviceID.h
  • RequestData.h
  1. Generate project files to add OpenSSL. Learn more.
  2. In the GameMode.h file, add the StartPlay() function:
UCLASS(minimalapi)
class AAppsFlyerSampleGameMode : public AGameModeBase
{
 GENERATED_BODY()

public:
 AAppsFlyerSampleGameMode();
 virtual void StartPlay() override;
};
  1. Open the Source/AppsFlyerSample/AppsFlyerSampleGameMode.cpp file and add the following include to your GameMode.cpp file:
#include "AppsflyerSteamModule/AppsflyerSteamModule.cpp"
  1. Add the following function, making sure to replace DEV_KEY and STEAM_APP_ID in the init function with your app details:
void AAppsFlyerSampleGameMode::StartPlay()
{
 Super::StartPlay();
 if (SteamAPI_Init()) {
    // init the AF module
    AppsflyerSteamModule()->Start();
    // set event name
    std::string event_name = "af_purchase";
    // set json string
    std::string event_parameters = "{\"af_currency\":\"USD\",\"af_revenue\":24.12}";
    // af send inapp event
    AppsflyerSteamModule()->LogEvent(event_name, event_parameters);

    // set non-English values for testing UTF-8 support 
    std::wstring ws = L"車B1234 こんにちは";
    std::wstring ws2 = L"新人邀约购物日";
    std::string event_custom_parameters = "{\"goodsName\":\"" + AppsflyerSteamModule()->to_utf8(ws) + "\",\"goodsName2\":\"" + AppsflyerSteamModule()->to_utf8(ws2) + "\"}";
    // af send inapp event with custom params
    AppsflyerSteamModule()->LogEvent(event_name, event_parameters, event_custom_parameters);
 }
}
  1. Initialize and start the AppsFlyer integration.
  2. Report in-app events.

Adding SteamVR Support

Please use the following guide in order to integrate your steam game with MetaXR

Deleting Steam cloud saves (resetting the attribution)

  1. Disable steam cloud.
  2. Delete the local files and the appsflyer_info file:

Delete the

Updated over 1 year ago