Suggestion more flexibility about levels.

jililop

Hi, I want to suggest things i've been waiting since beta :


-When i'm joining a server i want to download/update levels/mods ONLY when it is currently PLAYED.
I mean when i'm joining a server playing ns2_biodome i don't want to download/update ns2_customlevels mods installed, only when it's played.
Admins do not want to install custom levels on servers because this is too heavy to downloads for players. Make this more flexible.
( problem cause it's not motivating for level designer to create new levels on this game because it's not gonna be played.)

-Make easier mods "uninstall" for client from "mods" section in game.
-Make easier mods "install/uninstall" for servers.

-Add extra entities ( trigger door/timer), button, also func_tracktrain( brush and models) with path_track.( drivable train/elevator)
Level editor need more triggers, cinematic editor isn't made for this.

-no admins want to add custom levels so only official levels are played, only competitive players could stay.
This is important to make a game infinitely renewable to keep players.


Thank you.

HeatSurge

My truly unpopular opinion: Revert to flagging/coloring of servers running mods because they really are inferior :-D .

jililop

What's the relationship with the subject ?

AurOn2

Well this is a problem with the server.
They can set it so that they only download mods when certain maps are played.

Can't remember how, but it's to do with the map cycle lua i believe. It's also a way to set map-specific mods.

jililop

I've never created an ns2 server but,
on every server i've connected with custom maps, i must download all maps.
If i want to add 100 maps on a server this is going too heavy and nobody gonna connect on the server.

I guess you mean this is possible to make a lua script to do inteligent mods download, but this is maybe too much complex for admins to create/to put in ?
manipulation as it should be easier.

I'm not programmer but maybe let choice to level designer to add "level" tag in the mod,
and something "automatic" for server to inteligent download when players joinings.

GhoulofGSG9

jililop wrote: »

I've never created an ns2 server but,
on every server i've connected with custom maps, i must download all maps.
If i want to add 100 maps on a server this is going too heavy and nobody gonna connect on the server.

I guess you mean this is possible to make a lua script to do inteligent mods download, but this is maybe too much complex for admins to create/to put in ?
manipulation as it should be easier.

I'm not programmer but maybe let choice to level designer to add "level" tag in the mod,
and something "automatic" for server to inteligent download when players joinings.

Join my server and look at the mapvote menu, it has kodiak, jambi, fusion, goliath and some more and you don't have to download them at every join just if they got voted and loaded up.

Those "inteligent download" can be done allready but sadly most admins don't read the server docs ....

Here is how it's done:

For example my MapCycle.json :

https://gist.github.com/BrightPaul/01a90412eff275ca39fa

The mods outside maps are loaded up with all maps, the mods inside the maps block will only load up with the given map. Not that difficult

If you want to change anything about the current situation contact the server admins and link them to this post

BTW about this:

-Add extra entities ( trigger door/timer), button, also func_tracktrain( brush and models) with path_track.( drivable train/elevator)
Level editor need more triggers, cinematic editor isn't made for this.

Allready exists as mod: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=107977815

jililop

I guess uwe should put this example file with server docs.
This error is often made so newbies admins refuses to install custom maps.
This kind of information is very important and should be highlighted in the server configuration.

I cannot try your server currently but i will.

about extra entities mod i'm gonna try this later but, why uwe didn't add this mod to the game/editor ?

-still need easier mods uninstall from mods section in game for newbies players, can't ask to newbies to delete this manually.

-also "x64 uwe plugin" for max would be a nice thing

Thank you GhoulofGSG9 !.

GhoulofGSG9

Quote from the Dedicated_Server_Usage.txt included into every copy of ns2:

Map cycle

---

The server can be configured to cycle through a list of maps by creating a file
called MapCycle.json in your server config directory.

This file defines the amount of time (in minutes) to wait before switching maps.
It will only switch maps after a round completes.
It also defines a mode which can be either "order" or "random".
It then defines a list of maps to cycle.

Avoid listing the same map twice in "order" mode.

Here is an example map cycle file:

{
"time": 30,
"mode": "order",
"mods" : [ "explore" ],
"maps":
[
"ns2_summit",
"ns2_mineshaft",
"ns2_tram"
{ "map": "ns2_tanith_beta", "mods": [ "4b430cc" ] }
]
}

On the server, the cyclemap console command can be used to force the server to
switch to the next map in the map cycle.

I used my mapcycle as example because the one in the docs is a bit outdated. Again the current situation is not really caused by uwe but by lazy admins not informing themself enought.


About the EEM (Extra Entities Mod):

You have to know that UWE is a pretty small team and isn't doing the mapping themself ( maps are done by a UK company and free mappers )

So UWEs main focused after the beta was to fix bugs, improve performance and balance.

UWE had high hopes up into the modding scene to add all that extra stuff as the ns2 code is 100% open source (due to the fact it is completly written in lua ).

The EEM was developed together with the Combat Mod and is use at many Combat Maps. Also there are siege maps using it.

So UWE themself only added stuff the official mappers requested for their maps (e.g. teleport func for eclipse ).

Everthing else can be created by the community with the provided tools.


That mods don't work out that great atm is caused by the fact that some ppl at UWE and in this community seem to forgot what high piority modding had during the beta.