Temporary solution to auto-download problems and server-side mods

[bullet-worm]

A solution has been remembered by Daffy for SERVER-SIDE mods that will prevent the whole auto-download fiasco. Remember, this is for SERVER-SIDE mods ONLY! Weapon changes such as damage or cooked nades are NOT server-side mods...

This is a semi-advanced solution. It assumes you are somewhat knowledgable about the Quake3 engine and working with their compressed files and dvars, as well as working knowledge of how to use your particular FTP software. I will assume that you have FTP access to your server's top CoD2 directory (where the CoD2_MP executable is at).

If you understand these instructions, then go for it. If not, I am not sure you should really be messing with it and will not take responsibility for you hosing up the CoD2 install... lol.

1) Make a directory in the ROOT of one of your local hard drives on your computer. Name this directory what you want to call the fs_game folder. I will call it the "C:\[MyMod]" folder.

2) Un-zip the mod's .IWD file on your home PC to the MyMod folder. This should create a directory structure inside your [MyMod] folder. DO NOT LEAVE THE .IWD FILE THERE! COMPETELY REMOVE IT FROM THE [MyMod] FOLDER!!!

note: Winzip will work fine to un-zip .IWD files

3) FTP to your server's CoD2 root directory. You SHOULD see the MAIN folder if you are in the correct directory.

4) Upload the [MyMod] folder to the root CoD2 directory. This should move the [MyMod] folder and ALL sub-folders to the server keeping directory structure in-tact.

5) In your server's command line, add the fs_game command line item. You can also set it in your server's start-up config file as long as it is done BEFORE the first map is called. Set this dvar to the EXACT name you gave your [MyMod] folder.

Any client-required mod IWD files can go in the [MyMod] directory as well, but understand that if the mod touches any of the SAME files that the server-side only mod touches, the two will most likely be NON-COMPATIBLE and cause problems.

6) Restart your server.

Hope that helps some of you, I know I will be using it.

NOTE: If you UPDATE or UPGRADE a mod, you should DELETE everything in the [MyMod] folder and re-upload from scratch just to be safe.

worm

[rudedog]

I would assume this would be an extention of this (http://www.fpsadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10141) post?

[[ELS]WRX Boy]

I just tested this on our server, but with my weapons mod I am testing and my nade mod, as well as my adaptaion of Worm's powerserver mod. I unpacked all thee mods (no conflicts between the three) and put them in the folder I created. I then deleted all the files from my PC and joined the server. It appears that all the mods worked fine and no downloads were forced to my machine. The only thing I found that did not work was the pulsing cursor while cooking the nades.

[bullet-worm]

Sort of... but not really (in reply to Rude Dog). You HAVE to use the fs_game folder to perform this 'trick' on the game engine, but you cannot use the fs_game folder 'as intended.' The purpose of the fs_game folder is to act as a variable, secondary MAIN folder to put custom mods (IWD files) in, especially if you are trying to keep two in-compatible mods in a runnable condition on one server.

This really has NOTHING to do with client issues. The clients will only load the EXACT IWD files that the server has. Assuming mods and maps are using version info in their file names, this should never be a problem. Clients will only load IWDs that THE SERVER ALSO HAS LOADED. You can have 20+ mods in a client folder all screwing with the gametype scripts, but the client will only load the one the server has... (I am talking specificly about SERVER-SIDE mods, not client-side)

Of course, the major selling point about fs_game that I like is that it is idiot-proof on the client end. They can delete all the custom folders on the client side without any fear of removing the stock IWD files. Whereas if you tell the normal, average player to clean out their MAIN directory to stock files only, they do not know which ones are stock and which aren't.

The MAIN problem I get is with custom maps, especially when they re-use texture file names and such. You see this where a mapper re-uses textures on multiple maps, but because of how the game engine detects the files in NAME order it causes parts of both files to load. Here is an example:

1) Mapper creates two maps, one is z_MyMap, the other is z_OtherMap. Both maps use the same texture file-names within their directory structure (maybe even exact duplicates of the same textures).
2) Server loads z_MyMap. As it goes through its IWD files, it sees the texture file names being called for and makes sure it loads the LAST instance it sees of that file name in all of its IWD files, which happens to be inside z_OtherMap.
3) Client connects. Client now has to download z_MyMap AND z_OtherMap because of all the cross-referncing it is doing.

This is a simple example, but I see it happening ALL the time. Once I had to download 6 maps just to get into one...

Anyhow, I am way off topic. The original purpose of my post was to offer a way to keep a server-side mod server-side, and allow players to connect without:

1) Having to download something un-needed at very slow speeds.
2) Having to worry about whether downloads should be on or off to join that particular server.

I am so tired I think I am rambling... but I hope I have explained it a little better. lol.

worm

[bullet-worm]

WRX Boy']I just tested this on our server, but with my weapons mod I am testing and my nade mod, as well as my adaptaion of Worm's powerserver mod. I unpacked all thee mods (no conflicts between the three) and put them in the folder I created. I then deleted all the files from my PC and joined the server. It appears that all the mods worked fine and no downloads were forced to my machine. The only thing I found that did not work was the pulsing cursor while cooking the nades.

Weapons mods are a classic example of client-side mods. The cooking may happen, but the client doesn't know to pulse the nade unless it has the modified weapon file itself.

worm

[gijoe1967]

so if i put your message center in a seperate folder on the server, maybe call it (messages).
what would be the exact command i would add to my config.cfg file using messages as the folder for the mod?

[GrossKopf]

I tried this method but it didn't work. The directions are a little confusing, but I created folders in my server's root cod2 folder for each mod (there's 3 of them). I unzipped each mod on my harddrive and uploaded them, directory structure in-tact, to the new folders I created. I removed the original mod files from the server's MAIN folder. I added "fs_game (name of the folder)" to my server's .cfg file (I don't have access to change the command line), but when I connect, none of the mods work.

Is there some place specific the fs_game command needs to go in the server's .cfg file? Anything you can think of that I might have messed up?

[bullet-worm]

Yes, apparently the fs_game MUST be set in the command line of the server. If you do not have access to the Command Line, then it will not be possible.

MOST items typically put in the command line can be put in the start-up config file as long as it is done before the first map call, but apparently the FS_GAME dvar is an exception to the general rule. Sorry!

worm

[gijoe1967]

ouch, clanservers does not let us have access to the command line, but i think if i ask nicely they will make the changes i need.

[GrossKopf]

ouch, clanservers does not let us have access to the command line, but i think if i ask nicely they will make the changes i need.


They will but ya know what? It just isn't worth the effort.. the mods I have are small and download quickly.. hopefully in a future patch, they'll fix that.

[Herz]

Well i8 have a problem with the above method,Worm.

Ive created a small mod for realism with the weapons,i upload it to the server and extract the iwd file into my fs_game modfolder(on its own) and leave the "main" folder clean.

Then i start the server with with fs_game blahblah set dedicated..etc

The server starts and loads the mod,i then connect and its fine,the mod is doing as inteneded...but soon as i do a map_rotate or restart,the mod stops working??

So i delete the extracted files in my fs_game Mymod folder and this time just placed the pak file their instead...hey presto the mod now works even when rotating etc as it should.

Now,whts the reason between extracting the pak or placing the pak intact instead?

AWE mod has been using the fs_game method for a while now and i dont see his PK3 file extracted,same goes for Merciless i think.

So waht is the point of extraction,cause from this end it doesn't work.

[Sir_Vikin]

Hey,

I forgot where I read this, but if you rename your mods and add _svr_ to the name of the mod it keeps it server side. (yes its _svr_ with the underscores)

I've tried it with 2 mods on my servers and it seems to work fine.

Personally I have 3 servers running, 1 with the +fs_game line and 1 with the mods renamed to include _svr_ in the name (runs 3 mods), and one not modded.

[GrossKopf]

Hey,

I forgot where I read this, but if you rename your mods and add _svr_ to the name of the mod it keeps it server side. (yes its _svr_ with the underscores)

I've tried it with 2 mods on my servers and it seems to work fine.

Personally I have 3 servers running, 1 with the +fs_game line and 1 with the mods renamed to include _svr_ in the name (runs 3 mods), and one not modded.

This doesn't work. I already tried it. Apparently that was the old method with COD... wasn't implimented in COD 2.

[bullet-worm]

So waht is the point of extraction,cause from this end it doesn't work.

The point of this is to prevent the un-NEEDED auto-download of files/mods that only need to be server-side only.

Many weapons mods are required client-side, and as such would NOT be good to use with this method.

worm

[Broad_Sword]

Omg,

This is brilliant stuff.

Nice work here