Navigating the Dashboard Interface
The Dashboard is designed to be intuitive and informative. Let’s explore how to navigate it effectively.
Tab navigation:
Click any tab name at the top to switch between sections. The active tab is highlighted in cyan.
Welcome tab contents:
- Product description — A brief overview of what GameCatalyst does
- Image carousel — Auto-rotating screenshots showing key features (cross-fades every few seconds)
- Feature grid — Three columns highlighting Multi-Engine support, Cross-Platform compatibility, and AI Integration
- Quick Start section — Step-by-step instructions for first-time setup
Software Info tab contents:
- Version information — Current GameCatalyst version with remote update check
- Platform details — Your operating system, architecture, and Python version
- Compatibility — Supported engines and AI clients
Controls tab contents:
- Install/Uninstall buttons — One-click installation and removal
- Instance Launchpad — Start, Stop All, Disconnect, Emergency Stop buttons
- Triangle Trifecta — Visual status for UIS, UIC, UAB
- Activity Log — Scrolling log of system events with timestamps
Status tab contents:
- Discovery Server card — Status, host, port, health indicator
- MCP Bridge card — Transport mode, session count
- AI Client card — Connection status (green = active, yellow = away, red = offline)
- Web Relay card — Provider, status, public URL, Start/Stop buttons
Each tab provides specific information and controls. Spend a few minutes clicking through them to get familiar with the layout.
Quick access tips:
You can dock the Dashboard anywhere in your Unity Editor layout. Most developers keep it as a tab next to the Inspector or Game view. To dock it, drag the Dashboard window’s tab to the desired location. You can also open it at any time from the menu: Tools > Vexstorm Studios > GameCatalyst > Dashboard.
Reading the Activity Log:
The Activity Log in the Controls tab is a ring-buffered, auto-scrolling log with timestamps. Every significant event is recorded: server starts, connections, disconnections, errors, and status changes. When something is not working, the Activity Log is the first place to look. Error messages appear in red with clear descriptions of what went wrong and suggestions for how to fix it.
Understanding the AI Client status colors:
The AI Client card in the Status tab uses three colors: green means the AI is actively working on this project, yellow means the AI is connected but working on a different project (this is called the “Away” state), and red means no AI client is connected. The yellow state is useful when you have multiple Unity projects open — you can see which project the AI is currently focused on.
