com.unity.netcode.gameobjects@2.0.0-pre.4

The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/) and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).

Additional documentation and release notes are available at [Multiplayer Documentation](https://docs-multiplayer.unity3d.com).

## [2.0.0-pre.4] - 2024-08-21

### Added

- Added `NetworkVariable.CheckDirtyState` that is to be used in tandem with collections in order to detect whether the collection or an item within the collection has changed. (#3004)

### Fixed

- Fixed issue where nested `NetworkTransform` components were not getting updated. (#3016)
- Fixed issue by adding null checks in `NetworkVariableBase.CanClientRead` and `NetworkVariableBase.CanClientWrite` methods to ensure safe access to `NetworkBehaviour`. (#3012)
- Fixed issue where `FixedStringSerializer<T>` was using `NetworkVariableSerialization<byte>.AreEqual` to determine if two bytes were equal causes an exception to be thrown due to no byte serializer having been defined. (#3009)
- Fixed Issue where a state with dual triggers, inbound and outbound, could cause a false layer to layer state transition message to be sent to non-authority `NetworkAnimator` instances and cause a warning message to be logged. (#3008)
- Fixed issue using collections within `NetworkVariable` where the collection would not detect changes to items or nested items. (#3004)
- Fixed issue where `List`, `Dictionary`, and `HashSet` collections would not uniquely duplicate nested collections. (#3004)
- Fixed issue where `NotAuthorityTarget` would include the service observer in the list of targets to send the RPC to as opposed to excluding the service observer as it should. (#3000)
- Fixed issue where `ProxyRpcTargetGroup` could attempt to send a message if there were no targets to send to. (#3000)

### Changed

- Changed `NetworkAnimator` to automatically switch to owner authoritative mode when using a distributed authority network topology. (#3021)
- Changed permissions exception thrown in `NetworkList` to exiting early with a logged error that is now a unified permissions message within `NetworkVariableBase`. (#3004)
- Changed permissions exception thrown in `NetworkVariable.Value` to exiting early with a logged error that is now a unified permissions message within `NetworkVariableBase`. (#3004)

Runtime/Core/NetworkBehaviour.cs

@@ -806,7 +806,8 @@ namespace Unity.Netcode
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Gets called when the local client gains ownership of this object.
+        /// In client-server contexts, this method is invoked on both the server and the local client of the owner when <see cref="Netcode.NetworkObject"/> ownership is assigned.
+        /// <para>In distributed authority contexts, this method is only invoked on the local client that has been assigned ownership of the associated <see cref="Netcode.NetworkObject"/>.</para>
         /// </summary>
         public virtual void OnGainedOwnership() { }
 
@@ -834,7 +835,9 @@ namespace Unity.Netcode
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Gets called when ownership of this object is lost.
+        /// In client-server contexts, this method is invoked on the local client when it loses ownership of the associated <see cref="Netcode.NetworkObject"/>
+        /// and on the server when any client loses ownership.
+        /// <para>In distributed authority contexts, this method is only invoked on the local client that has lost ownership of the associated <see cref="Netcode.NetworkObject"/>.</para>
         /// </summary>
         public virtual void OnLostOwnership() { }
 
@@ -1138,7 +1141,7 @@ namespace Unity.Netcode
                 // Distributed Authority: All clients have read permissions, always try to write the value.
                 if (NetworkVariableFields[j].CanClientRead(targetClientId))
                 {
-                    // Write additional NetworkVariable information when length safety is enabled or when in distributed authority mode 
+                    // Write additional NetworkVariable information when length safety is enabled or when in distributed authority mode
                     if (ensureLengthSafety || distributedAuthority)
                     {
                         // Write the type being serialized for distributed authority (only for comb-server)