Automatic Mod Downloading

[PuFu 4600]

That still does not answer my question. ;)

I guess that would be exactly like it is today: community hosted repository (have a look over six network, there are plenty (maybe not as many as servers out there) communities that steeped up and provided the rest of the users with bandwidth.

Ideally a central mod depositry run by BIS would be the way to go as this would elliminate version mismatches but I cant see that happening.

BIS hosting the tens of GB of community addons is out of the question. It is not feasible by any means. I haven't encountered versions mismatch using six btw.

Second after that would be the ability to set up a link in ur game server to a seperate file server so when u connect and are missing mods you connect to the file server first and the mod is downloaded before automatically reconnecting to the game server. Ideally youd be allowed to do that in the background so you can play SP or editor whilst downloading.

BIS have tried to implement in OA a way to tell the user what mods/addons he is missing and needs for a specific server. The next step, as you said, would be to download those addons for him (with approval) without him actually needing to go and search for it. SIX does this to an extent, especially if the server admin has taken the time to config the repository.

A way to have this done from inside the game (or well, needing a game restart after download complete) would be ideally for the average user who is less and less illiterate in the use of a PCs (and NEVER reads the documentation provided).

[sbsmac 0]

BIS hosting the tens of GB of community addons is out of the question. It is not feasible by any means.

Why? 1TB storage is ~$150pm on Azure (I expect S3 costings are similar if not lower). Bandwidth is probably the dominant cost and is also around $150 for 1TB. So I can't see cost as being a showstopper for a commercial organisation such as BIS.

Maybe you mean BIS are just not capable of putting this kind of system together or that they simply can't administer it?

Regardless of whether hosting is done centrally by BIS or distributed by the community, there are a number of real problems with the current system which even the excellent SU can't do much about without further changes to the engine. It's interesting that a lot of people here seem to think only in terms of 'static' server-side addons such as ACE or CBA but there are many missions that require particular smaller addons when run. So I'd like to see some fixes to the following problems as well as the others that have been mentioned...

* lack of strong versioning (a mission cannot currently easily specify a requirement for a particular version of an addon)

* ability to add/remove addons from the configuration space on a per-mission basis

Edited August 29, 2011 by sbsmac

[rstratton 0]

a system like in unreal tournament 2004 would be nice. u can set up a redirect url where the files will be downloaded from. there was a website set up with all the popular maps and mods. http://news.ut-files.com/redirect/ . but the bad thing is the file sizes of a2 addons are much greater than ut2k4 addons. but i guess doing things the old way is just the price we pay for the greatest game ever made

Edited August 29, 2011 by rstratton

[dmarkwick 261]

I remain confident a workable system can be developed. :) If BIS made a small effort to work in some 6U hook, and the server info includes a link to a resource, then joining a server successfully might one day be as simple as joining it, waiting for downloads to finish, auto-restart (to initialise the addons) and into the game.

[rfc 10]

The initial post hits it well: Download & Install them correctly (not easy for a beginner!)

I'm a beginner, still, and still struggle sometimes (I get better at it).

@stratton: you mentioned Unreal. Next to all Unreal engine and Quake/CoD support auto-mod/map downloading. However there's one real difference: I've never seen one such games where a given mod was depending on another one; a completely different issue with Arma 2 (unfortunately? luckily!)

I'm all for auto-downloading, btw; it's just a real hassle.

BIS should just give "us" the ability; I'm sure the community will organize itself about the hosting logistics and such.

[maddogx 13]

I remain confident a workable system can be developed. :) If BIS made a small effort to work in some 6U hook, and the server info includes a link to a resource, then joining a server successfully might one day be as simple as joining it, waiting for downloads to finish, auto-restart (to initialise the addons) and into the game.

Or even switching the addons on the fly, without requiring a restart. According to Suma, it would generally be possible, just a lot of work. (Source) :)

They weren't going to implement it for Arma2. But perhaps for Arma3 it would be feasable. :D

[sickboy 13]

The initial post hits it well: Download & Install them correctly (not easy for a beginner!)

I'm a beginner, still, and still struggle sometimes (I get better at it).

@stratton: you mentioned Unreal. Next to all Unreal engine and Quake/CoD support auto-mod/map downloading. However there's one real difference: I've never seen one such games where a given mod was depending on another one; a completely different issue with Arma 2 (unfortunately? luckily!)

I'm all for auto-downloading, btw; it's just a real hassle.

BIS should just give "us" the ability; I'm sure the community will organize itself about the hosting logistics and such.

Until then, try http://www.six-updater.net/p/about.html

[rfc 10]

Until then, try http://www.six-updater.net/p/about.html

Thanks, that looked absolutely promising, I just installed it and tried it, but had a horrible user experience. It requires elevated rights on W7 (I've UAC enabled), there was an initial immediate update which left me on a blank desktop. When I (re-)started it, I saw the nice UI but I was completely lost :-(

I managed to get to the Mods tab, but there was no information there's one to install (a list, filter, etc.).

Maybe I need some sleep/coffee :)

[sickboy 13]

Try Right clicking a mod etc :) In the meantime i'll try to work out mentioned kinks ;)

Edited August 30, 2011 by Sickboy

[rfc 10]

Try Right clicking a mod etc :) In the meantime i'll try to work out mentioned kinks ;)

Oh, you're the dev! Nice :) About right clicking: it's just that the list *is* empty and not some kind of browser, ach I expected just something else but it's ok, another try now.

[sickboy 13]

The list should be full of mods, 200+, See video and screenshots; http://www.six-updater.net/p/screenshots.html

If there aren't perhaps confirm security software allowances, otherwise if you create a ticket with the log files, we should be able to quickly determine what's up; www.six-updater.net/p/support.html

Edited August 30, 2011 by Sickboy

[rfc 10]

The list should be full of mods, 200+, See video and screenshots; http://www.six-updater.net/p/screenshots.html

If there aren't perhaps confirm security software allowances, otherwise if you create a ticket with the log files, we should be able to quickly determine what's up; www.six-updater.net/p/support.html

I gave it a try again, the first time I ran it, this kind of log window at the bottom was saying "Auto initializing", but it didn't mean anything to me but actually it just wasn't yet done and there was no indicator for me that something is done (now I realize that the 30% in the lower left was meant to be to tell me that).

Initializing... please wait
23:59:44: Auto Synchronizing
00:01:26: TIMEOUT while trying to synchronize!
...

and my internet connection isn't the best so I was sitting there for minutes until something happened :-)

Anyway, shall I report the UAC elevation or is it required (if so, why?)

PS: I think http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=118605 is more appropriate to ask further questions, no?

Edited August 30, 2011 by rfc

[Mr_Tea 0]

That could be an Firewall problem, once the Program gets permission to run, the UAC should not block it.

I´m on Win7 Prof. 64 BIT, UAC enabled, and all i need to do is one click when the UAC message pops up, from there everything works without a hassle.:)

[subs17 9]

Auto updater sounds cool.

[firefly2442 6]

Six updater is a fantastic tool. I think it covers everything that is needed and hopefully it can be used for Arma 3. I think there are many other more pressing matters that could be worked on to improve the game such as graphics, AI, and path-finding.

[tacticalnuggets 24]

Six updater is a fantastic tool. I think it covers everything that is needed and hopefully it can be used for Arma 3. I think there are many other more pressing matters that could be worked on to improve the game such as graphics, AI, and path-finding.

Disagree 100%. If there is anything thats guaranteed to boost online numbers its having automatic addon downloading. By whatever means necessary.

Everything else is just the quality of the game. But not being able to play it is the worse bottleneck of all...

[kremator 1065]

^^ totally agree. Client wants to connect to a server running a mod. He waits ( even if it is huge!) then plays......simple.

[*LK1* 10]

Maybe BIS could work on some sort of ArmA3 launcher, similar to the various ArmA2 launchers around, that specifically look after this side of things? Some sort of central addon repository would be beneficial too :) wherever that ends up being located, I think a seperate launcher would probably be the best method.

*;);)

[krazikilla 5]

BIS should just hire the six updater guys, let them make a central addon share, give them some training about usability, GUIs and user friendlyness in design and thats it :)

[rfc 10]

BIS should just hire the six updater guys, let them make a central addon share, give them some training about usability, GUIs and user friendlyness in design and thats it :)

LOL, I laughed so hard at that. +1, btw. :bounce3: Sickboy does really a very well job.

[PuFu 4600]

BIS should just hire the six updater guys, let them make a central addon share, give them some training about usability, GUIs and user friendlyness in design and thats it :)

:rolleyes: there is a simpler way BIS might be thinking off...one that doesn't need reinvented a working wheel

Edited September 6, 2011 by PuFu

[*LK1* 10]

it's toke years to implement it...:j:

[rory_pamphilon 16]

:rolleyes: there is a simpler way BIS might be thinking off...one that doesn't need reinvented a working wheel

Whats the simple method you had in mind?

The implementation doesnt have to be simple, BIS are masters at coding complex solutions, just so long as the end user experience is simple and can be easily followed by anybody.

I cant wait to see what the end experience will be like, to see full servers all using their own mods would be amazing

[RSF TheCapulet 59]

I mentioned NWN2 before. So I'll explain in detail how their method worked.

In NWN2, each server ran a "mod". A nwn2 mod can be equated to an Arma 2 'Mission'.

In each 'mission', the header information carried two specific bits of information for the client: modification files required and their version information, and the server that the modification files could be found on.

After a player connected to a server, it synced the file version information from the server to the client. If there was a mismatch, the player was shown a GUI information screen that showed server information such as rules, 'mission' information, forum location, admin information etc. It switched between all of these with tabs, outputing this info to roughly 80 percent of the screen. The other 20 percent of the screen had a dialogue box with a couple buttons; the main focus was the option to download or update the modification files.

When the download or update files button was pressed, a progress bar at the bottom of the screen showed the download progress, but didn't disable the information portions of the screen, so it gave the player time to read about the server.

When the download was finished, in the download dialogue box the download or update button was greyed out, and it then lit up the 'Join server' Button. And when this button was clicked, the client simply joined the server.

This entire method was developed by a single guy that the Obsidian Entertainment team and Atari contracted out from the community, and it was developed in a 3 month span of time, in time for the next patch in their release schedule.

This would be the ideal method for autodownloading for A3, IMO.

Edited September 9, 2011 by TheCapulet

[rory_pamphilon 16]

Agree 100%, that sounds like the ideal method of deploying mods that are required by the server.

If BIS could implenent something like that, which always gives players the choice of what to do.. Download and join or not download. Time remaining to download. Some information on what your downloading.

Always giv the player a choice and always give some information and I dont think clients would mind waiting to download a new tank or soundmod or effects, or anything, the possibilitie are endless.

Im not trying to start an argument but we have seen with arma 2 how far external 3rd party launchers can take us and the servers that I played on still had big problems pointing clients to the correct downloads, atleast 80-90% of people were turned away when tryin to join because the hadnt succesfully navigated the correct method.

Now with Arma 3, new start, new chances, please lets have something different, lets have a BIS solution.

Edited September 12, 2011 by rory_pamphilon