> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.summerengine.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Let friends play together
> Friends form a party in Summer, pick a mode together, and the leader brings everyone into the same match.
A party is a group of friends who want to play together. Players make parties
in the Summer app: they invite friends, chat, and pick a leader. Your game sees
who is in the party, lets them choose things together, and brings the whole
party into the same match when the leader presses **Play**.
## Games like this
A group of friends queues together and lands on one team.
Party up, and the leader searches for the whole party.
A squad of four heads into a mission together.
Team up with friends for a 3v3 match.
If your game has matchmaking and players will want to bring their friends,
this is the page for you.
## What your players get
Players invite friends to a party. Your game can open Summer's invite
screen from its own menu, so nobody has to leave the game.
The leader picks things for the whole party, such as the mode or the map.
Each member picks their own, such as a character or "ready". Everyone in
the party sees the same choices.
The leader presses Play. Everyone in the party who has your game open
follows into the same search and the same match. On a
[team queue](/build/matchmaking#fixed-teams-2v2-3v3-5v5), the party always
lands on the same team.
Summer runs the party itself, and your game builds the experience around it.
## Pick your setup
### Play together from the menu
The leader's **Play** button starts one search for the whole party, and every
member follows it automatically. Members see who leads and that they're
waiting for them. A player who isn't in a party plays solo with the same Play
button.
In my Summer project, let players who are in a Summer party play together. Use
the Summer `summer-parties` skill, and the `summer-matchmaking` skill for my
queue; if you don't have them installed, find them in the Summer library.
* The party leader's Play button searches for the whole party, and every
member follows into the same match.
* Members see who leads the party and that they're waiting for them.
* A player who isn't in a party still plays solo with the same Play button.
Read my project first and fit this into my existing menus. Then test the solo
path with Local Play, and tell me what I can only check once the game is
hosted.
### Choose things together before the match
Give the party a small shared screen before they play. The leader's choices,
such as the mode or the map, show up for everyone. Each member's own choices,
such as their character or a Ready check, show up next to their name.
In my Summer project, add a party screen to my menu. Use the Summer
`summer-parties` skill; if you don't have it installed, find it in the Summer
library.
* Show everyone in the party, who leads, and who has the game open.
* The leader picks \[WHAT THE LEADER PICKS, for example "the mode and the
map"], and every member sees it.
* Each member picks \[WHAT EACH MEMBER PICKS, for example "a character"] and
can mark themselves ready.
* When the match starts, the server checks the choices that matter for the
match.
Read my project first and show me where this screen fits before you change
anything.
### Invite friends from your game
Add an **Invite friends** button that opens Summer's own invite screen, and a
**Party** button for leaving, changing the leader or removing a member. Summer
handles the invites and the party chat, so your game doesn't have to.
In my Summer project, add an Invite friends button and a Party button to my
menu. Use the Summer `summer-parties` skill; if you don't have it installed,
find it in the Summer library.
* Invite friends opens Summer's invite screen.
* Party opens Summer's party screen for leaving, changing the leader and
removing members.
* Show the buttons only where parties are offered, and keep the menu tidy
when they aren't.
Read my project first and match the style of my existing buttons.
## Not sure which fits?
Read my Summer project and help me plan how friends play together in it. Use
the Summer `summer-parties` skill; if you don't have it installed, find it in
the Summer library. Don't change any files yet.
Tell me:
1. how a party gets from my main menu into a match, step by step;
2. what the leader picks, what each member picks, and what the server must
check when the match starts;
3. anything my design needs that parties don't cover yet, and how we can build
around it.
## Testing it on your machine
Parties belong to players' Summer accounts, so Local Play has no parties:
every test window plays solo through the normal Play button. Build and test
that solo path first. The party flow, with the leader searching and members
following, shows up once the game is hosted and you play with real friends.
Guest players, and younger players who aren't offered social features, also
play solo, so the solo path matters for them too.
***
Does this not help you? [Reach out on Discord!](https://discord.gg/summerengine)
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