Put friends on the same team (#3994)

Fixes #3911

## Description:

- Server captures `publicId` and `friends` from `getUserMe()` and
includes each player's in-game friend `clientID`s in `PlayerSchema` on
game start
- Team assignment treats friends as a **soft preference** (best-effort):
a non-clan player goes to the team where the most of their friends
already are; if that team is full they spill to the next-emptiest team
rather than getting kicked
- Clans remain strict (kick overflow) since clan membership is an
explicit opt-in; friends are implicit, so a friend-of-friend chain that
doesn't fit shouldn't bench anyone
- Friendship is symmetric — an edge from either direction counts, which
keeps things working when one side's `getUserMe` is stale
- Lobby preview unchanged — friend grouping only takes effect once the
game actually starts (avoids exposing friend lists in the lobby payload)


## Please complete the following:

- [x] I have added screenshots for all UI updates
- [x] I process any text displayed to the user through translateText()
and I've added it to the en.json file
- [x] I have added relevant tests to the test directory
- [x] I confirm I have thoroughly tested these changes and take full
responsibility for any bugs introduced

## Please put your Discord username so you can be contacted if a bug or
regression is found:

evan

src/core/ApiSchemas.ts

@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ export const UserMeResponseSchema = z.object({
         }),
       )
       .optional(),
+    friends: z.array(z.string()),
     subscription: z
       .object({
         tier: z.string(),

src/core/GameRunner.ts

@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export async function createGameRunner(
       random.nextID(),
       p.isLobbyCreator ?? false,
       p.clanTag,
+      p.friends ?? [],
     );
   });
 

src/core/Schemas.ts

@@ -549,6 +549,7 @@ export const PlayerSchema = z.object({
   clanTag: ClanTagSchema,
   cosmetics: PlayerCosmeticsSchema.optional(),
   isLobbyCreator: z.boolean().optional(),
+  friends: z.array(ID).optional(),
 });
 
 export const GameStartInfoSchema = z.object({

src/core/game/Game.ts

@@ -580,6 +580,7 @@ export class PlayerInfo {
     public readonly id: PlayerID,
     public readonly isLobbyCreator: boolean = false,
     public readonly clanTag: string | null = null,
+    public readonly friends: ClientID[] = [],
   ) {
     this.displayName = formatPlayerDisplayName(this.name, this.clanTag);
   }

src/core/game/TeamAssignment.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { PseudoRandom } from "../PseudoRandom";
+import { ClientID } from "../Schemas";
 import { simpleHash } from "../Util";
 import { PlayerInfo, PlayerType, Team } from "./Game";
 
@@ -10,31 +11,24 @@ export function assignTeams(
   const result = new Map<PlayerInfo, Team | "kicked">();
   const teamPlayerCount = new Map<Team, number>();
 
-  // Group players by clan
+  // Clans are strict: a clan goes to one team together, and any overflow
+  // members get kicked. (You opted into the clan, so we honor "all or
+  // nothing" for placement.)
   const clanGroups = new Map<string, PlayerInfo[]>();
-  const noClanPlayers: PlayerInfo[] = [];
+  const nonClanPlayers: PlayerInfo[] = [];
-
+  for (const p of players) {
-  // Sort players into clan groups or no-clan list
+    if (p.clanTag) {
-  for (const player of players) {
+      if (!clanGroups.has(p.clanTag)) clanGroups.set(p.clanTag, []);
-    const clanTag = player.clanTag;
+      clanGroups.get(p.clanTag)!.push(p);
-    if (clanTag) {
-      if (!clanGroups.has(clanTag)) {
-        clanGroups.set(clanTag, []);
-      }
-      clanGroups.get(clanTag)!.push(player);
     } else {
-      noClanPlayers.push(player);
+      nonClanPlayers.push(p);
     }
   }
 
-  // Sort clans by size (largest first)
+  const sortedClans = Array.from(clanGroups.values()).sort(
-  const sortedClanPlayers = Array.from(clanGroups.values()).sort(
     (a, b) => b.length - a.length,
   );
-
+  for (const clan of sortedClans) {
-  // First, assign clan players
-  for (const clanPlayers of sortedClanPlayers) {
-    // Try to keep the clan together on the team with fewer players
     let team: Team | null = null;
     let teamSize = 0;
     for (const t of teams) {
@@ -43,10 +37,8 @@ export function assignTeams(
       teamSize = p;
       team = t;
     }
-
     if (team === null) continue;
-
+    for (const player of clan) {
-    for (const player of clanPlayers) {
       if (teamSize < maxTeamSize) {
         teamSize++;
         result.set(player, team);
@@ -57,31 +49,85 @@ export function assignTeams(
     teamPlayerCount.set(team, teamSize);
   }
 
-  // Then, assign non-clan players to balance teams
+  // Friend edges are a soft preference: when placing a player, prefer the
-  let nationPlayers = noClanPlayers.filter(
+  // team where the most of their friends already are. If that team is full
-    (player) => player.playerType === PlayerType.Nation,
+  // we spill onto the next-emptiest non-full team rather than kicking — you
+  // didn't opt into being grouped with friend-of-friend, so a chain that
+  // doesn't fit shouldn't bench anyone.
+  const presentClientIDs = new Set<ClientID>();
+  for (const p of players) {
+    if (p.clientID !== null) presentClientIDs.add(p.clientID);
+  }
+  const friendGraph = new Map<ClientID, Set<ClientID>>();
+  const addEdge = (a: ClientID, b: ClientID) => {
+    let s = friendGraph.get(a);
+    if (s === undefined) {
+      s = new Set();
+      friendGraph.set(a, s);
+    }
+    s.add(b);
+  };
+  for (const p of players) {
+    if (p.clientID === null) continue;
+    for (const friendID of p.friends) {
+      if (!presentClientIDs.has(friendID)) continue;
+      addEdge(p.clientID, friendID);
+      addEdge(friendID, p.clientID);
+    }
+  }
+
+  const teamByClientID = new Map<ClientID, Team>();
+  for (const [player, team] of result.entries()) {
+    if (player.clientID !== null && team !== "kicked") {
+      teamByClientID.set(player.clientID, team);
+    }
+  }
+
+  const placePlayer = (p: PlayerInfo) => {
+    const myFriends =
+      p.clientID !== null ? friendGraph.get(p.clientID) : undefined;
+    let bestTeam: Team | null = null;
+    let bestFriendCount = -1;
+    let bestSize = Infinity;
+    for (const t of teams) {
+      const size = teamPlayerCount.get(t) ?? 0;
+      if (size >= maxTeamSize) continue;
+      let friendsOnTeam = 0;
+      if (myFriends !== undefined) {
+        for (const friendID of myFriends) {
+          if (teamByClientID.get(friendID) === t) friendsOnTeam++;
+        }
+      }
+      if (
+        friendsOnTeam > bestFriendCount ||
+        (friendsOnTeam === bestFriendCount && size < bestSize)
+      ) {
+        bestFriendCount = friendsOnTeam;
+        bestSize = size;
+        bestTeam = t;
+      }
+    }
+    if (bestTeam === null) {
+      result.set(p, "kicked");
+      return;
+    }
+    teamPlayerCount.set(bestTeam, (teamPlayerCount.get(bestTeam) ?? 0) + 1);
+    result.set(p, bestTeam);
+    if (p.clientID !== null) teamByClientID.set(p.clientID, bestTeam);
+  };
+
+  let nationPlayers = nonClanPlayers.filter(
+    (p) => p.playerType === PlayerType.Nation,
   );
   if (nationPlayers.length > 0) {
-    // Shuffle only nations to randomize their team assignment
     const random = new PseudoRandom(simpleHash(nationPlayers[0].id));
     nationPlayers = random.shuffleArray(nationPlayers);
   }
-  const otherPlayers = noClanPlayers.filter(
+  const otherPlayers = nonClanPlayers.filter(
-    (player) => player.playerType !== PlayerType.Nation,
+    (p) => p.playerType !== PlayerType.Nation,
   );
-
+  for (const p of otherPlayers.concat(nationPlayers)) {
-  for (const player of otherPlayers.concat(nationPlayers)) {
+    placePlayer(p);
-    let team: Team | null = null;
-    let teamSize = 0;
-    for (const t of teams) {
-      const p = teamPlayerCount.get(t) ?? 0;
-      if (team !== null && teamSize <= p) continue;
-      teamSize = p;
-      team = t;
-    }
-    if (team === null) continue;
-    teamPlayerCount.set(team, teamSize + 1);
-    result.set(player, team);
   }
 
   return result;

src/server/Client.ts

@@ -21,5 +21,7 @@ export class Client {
     public clanTag: string | null,
     public ws: WebSocket,
     public readonly cosmetics: PlayerCosmetics | undefined,
+    public readonly publicId: string | undefined,
+    public readonly friends: string[],
   ) {}
 }

src/server/GameServer.ts

@@ -731,18 +731,29 @@ export class GameServer {
     // if no client connects/pings.
     this.lastPingUpdate = Date.now();
 
+    const publicIdToClientID = new Map<string, ClientID>();
+    for (const c of this.activeClients) {
+      if (c.publicId) publicIdToClientID.set(c.publicId, c.clientID);
+    }
+
     const result = GameStartInfoSchema.safeParse({
       gameID: this.id,
       lobbyCreatedAt: this.createdAt,
       visibleAt: this.visibleAt,
       config: this.gameConfig,
-      players: this.activeClients.map((c) => ({
+      players: this.activeClients.map((c) => {
-        username: c.username,
+        const friendClientIDs = c.friends
-        clanTag: c.clanTag ?? null,
+          .map((pid) => publicIdToClientID.get(pid))
-        clientID: c.clientID,
+          .filter((id): id is ClientID => id !== undefined);
-        cosmetics: c.cosmetics,
+        return {
-        isLobbyCreator: this.lobbyCreatorID === c.clientID,
+          username: c.username,
-      })),
+          clanTag: c.clanTag ?? null,
+          clientID: c.clientID,
+          cosmetics: c.cosmetics,
+          isLobbyCreator: this.lobbyCreatorID === c.clientID,
+          friends: friendClientIDs.length > 0 ? friendClientIDs : undefined,
+        };
+      }),
     });
     if (!result.success) {
       const error = z.prettifyError(result.error);

src/server/Worker.ts

@@ -376,6 +376,8 @@ export async function startWorker() {
         }
 
         let flares: string[] | undefined;
+        let publicId: string | undefined;
+        let friends: string[] = [];
 
         const allowedFlares = ServerEnv.allowedFlares();
         if (claims === null) {
@@ -396,6 +398,8 @@ export async function startWorker() {
             return;
           }
           flares = result.response.player.flares;
+          publicId = result.response.player.publicId;
+          friends = result.response.player.friends;
 
           if (allowedFlares !== undefined) {
             const allowed =
@@ -462,6 +466,8 @@ export async function startWorker() {
           censoredClanTag,
           ws,
           cosmeticResult.cosmetics,
+          publicId,
+          friends,
         );
 
         const joinResult = gm.joinClient(client, clientMsg.gameID);

tests/ResolveCosmetics.test.ts

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ function makeUserMe(flares: string[] = []): UserMeResponse {
       adfree: false,
       flares,
       achievements: { singleplayerMap: [] },
+      friends: [],
       subscription: null,
     },
   } as UserMeResponse;

tests/TeamAssignment.test.ts

@@ -15,6 +15,26 @@ describe("assignTeams", () => {
     );
   };
 
+  // Friend grouping is keyed on clientID. By default we pass clientID = id
+  // for brevity, but tests can override clientID to verify the lookup uses
+  // clientID rather than PlayerInfo.id.
+  const createPlayerWithFriends = (
+    id: string,
+    friends: string[],
+    clan?: string,
+    clientID: string = id,
+  ): PlayerInfo => {
+    return new PlayerInfo(
+      `Player ${id}`,
+      PlayerType.Human,
+      clientID,
+      id, // PlayerInfo.id
+      false,
+      clan,
+      friends,
+    );
+  };
+
   it("should assign players to teams when no clans are present", () => {
     const players = [
       createPlayer("1"),
@@ -164,4 +184,129 @@ describe("assignTeams", () => {
     expect(result.get(players[12])).toEqual(ColoredTeams.Purple);
     expect(result.get(players[13])).toEqual(ColoredTeams.Orange);
   });
+
+  it("should keep two friends on the same team", () => {
+    const players = [
+      createPlayerWithFriends("1", ["2"]),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("2", ["1"]),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("3", []),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("4", []),
+    ];
+
+    const result = assignTeams(players, teams);
+
+    expect(result.get(players[0])).toEqual(result.get(players[1]));
+    expect(result.get(players[2])).not.toEqual(result.get(players[0]));
+    expect(result.get(players[3])).not.toEqual(result.get(players[0]));
+  });
+
+  it("should group a chain of friends transitively", () => {
+    // 6 players, 2 teams → maxTeamSize = 3 (enough room for a 3-friend chain)
+    const players = [
+      createPlayerWithFriends("1", ["2"]),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("2", ["3"]),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("3", []),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("4", []),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("5", []),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("6", []),
+    ];
+
+    const result = assignTeams(players, teams);
+
+    const teamOf1 = result.get(players[0]);
+    expect(result.get(players[1])).toEqual(teamOf1);
+    expect(result.get(players[2])).toEqual(teamOf1);
+  });
+
+  it("should treat one-directional friendship as a group", () => {
+    const players = [
+      createPlayerWithFriends("1", ["2"]),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("2", []), // doesn't list 1 back
+      createPlayerWithFriends("3", []),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("4", []),
+    ];
+
+    const result = assignTeams(players, teams);
+
+    expect(result.get(players[0])).toEqual(result.get(players[1]));
+  });
+
+  it("should merge friend and clan groups when they overlap", () => {
+    // 1 and 2 share clan CLANA, 2 is friends with 3 (no clan)
+    // → all three end up on the same team. 6 players, maxTeamSize = 3.
+    const players = [
+      createPlayerWithFriends("1", [], "CLANA"),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("2", ["3"], "CLANA"),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("3", [], undefined),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("4", [], undefined),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("5", [], undefined),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("6", [], undefined),
+    ];
+
+    const result = assignTeams(players, teams);
+
+    const teamOf1 = result.get(players[0]);
+    expect(result.get(players[1])).toEqual(teamOf1);
+    expect(result.get(players[2])).toEqual(teamOf1);
+  });
+
+  it("should spill friend-group overflow to other teams (no kicks)", () => {
+    // 4-player friend group + 2 strangers, maxTeamSize = ceil(6/2) = 3.
+    // Friend overflow spills to the other team rather than getting kicked.
+    const players = [
+      createPlayerWithFriends("1", ["2", "3", "4"]),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("2", []),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("3", []),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("4", []),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("5", []),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("6", []),
+    ];
+
+    const result = assignTeams(players, teams);
+
+    expect(result.get(players[0])).toEqual(ColoredTeams.Red);
+    expect(result.get(players[1])).toEqual(ColoredTeams.Red);
+    expect(result.get(players[2])).toEqual(ColoredTeams.Red);
+    expect(result.get(players[3])).toEqual(ColoredTeams.Blue);
+    expect(result.get(players[4])).toEqual(ColoredTeams.Blue);
+    expect(result.get(players[5])).toEqual(ColoredTeams.Blue);
+  });
+
+  it("should key friend grouping on clientID, not PlayerInfo.id", () => {
+    // clientID and PlayerInfo.id are distinct. The friends list references
+    // clientIDs ("client-2", "client-1"). If grouping ever regressed to
+    // keying on PlayerInfo.id ("player-1"/"player-2"), no edges would form
+    // and these two would land on opposite teams.
+    const players = [
+      createPlayerWithFriends("player-1", ["client-2"], undefined, "client-1"),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("player-2", ["client-1"], undefined, "client-2"),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("player-3", [], undefined, "client-3"),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("player-4", [], undefined, "client-4"),
+    ];
+
+    const result = assignTeams(players, teams);
+
+    expect(result.get(players[0])).toEqual(result.get(players[1]));
+    expect(result.get(players[2])).not.toEqual(result.get(players[0]));
+    expect(result.get(players[3])).not.toEqual(result.get(players[0]));
+  });
+
+  it("should still kick when every team is at capacity", () => {
+    // 5 friends in a clique, 2 teams, maxTeamSize = ceil(5/2) = 3.
+    // Total capacity is 6, so we have slack — nobody should get kicked.
+    // But if we force capacity below player count, kicks resume.
+    const players = [
+      createPlayerWithFriends("1", ["2", "3", "4", "5"]),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("2", []),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("3", []),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("4", []),
+      createPlayerWithFriends("5", []),
+    ];
+
+    const result = assignTeams(players, teams, 2);
+
+    // maxTeamSize=2, 2 teams → capacity 4, 5 players → 1 must be kicked.
+    const kicked = players.filter((p) => result.get(p) === "kicked");
+    expect(kicked.length).toBe(1);
+  });
 });

tests/server/KickPlayerAuthorization.test.ts

@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ function makeClient(
     null,
     ws as any,
     undefined,
+    undefined,
+    [],
   );
   return { client, ws };
 }