Mods containing models and icons...

[The_Great_Sephiroth]

I am advancing my mod by adding a few 3D models and some icons for them. As such, I assume Unity isn't up-to-par with Unreal in that it won't send this stuff to the client (The original Unreal and even original UT could send the entire mod) so I need to host the mod for players. The thing is that I would like to host only what is needed. I know I do to need to hand off the XML files, so would it be safe, for the client-side mod, to contain the mod with all XML stuff removed and only the 3D models, icons, and sound files remaining?

[doughphunghus]

I am interested in this answer, as I was thinking of making some

of my mods into 2 parts:

part 1: the server side safe mod. Icons are just recoloring of existing items, etc

part 2: the “client side” icons.

 

as I understand it, the “xml for the game” will come from the game server, meaning *any* client side mods will not be loaded/activated if you are connected to a separate game server. To me this means that even if you had the #2 mod loaded only on the client, it would not be processed when joining a server. I believe this is because if the client can change the xml definitions a server sends, it could make all sorts of changes, like making a hat worth 10,000 duke’s or a gun have 10,000 damage. 
 

you asked about icons, but, it’s the same issue as the XML mod will not have its icons referenced in the server side xml. And if the server side XMl does reference the icons, then if the client doesn’t have them the ricin’s will be blank…

 

but… a curiosity: what if the icons/models in the client side mod are named identical to the vanilla game?  Like “resourceWood” in a client mod that was not loaded on the server side was the image of a clown? Would it take effect then (meaning the client side mod does load some things, but will not overwrite server sent XML). I would love any answers to this and I think this may be very similar/identical to what you’re also asking?

 

I have not tested this, so I’m not 100% sure. 

[The_Great_Sephiroth]

The mod I am working on might be adding a German Tiger II tank to the game for giggles on bloodmoon night. I can distribute the unity3d stuff for sounds, icons, and models, but can I keep the XML server-side?

[Cranberry Monster]

You should be able to do this, as XML is pushed from the server, whereas the models and icons wouldn't be. A situation where you would want to NOT give clients some XML would be when making server-side UMA zombies. If the client has the Archetypes.xml for the new zombies on their local machine, they have all those new zombie types clogging up their character select screen (and can potentially choose one of those UMA zombies for their character--which I've done by accident).

[The_Great_Sephiroth]

Cool, thanks!

[doughphunghus]

Will the mod load on the server side if it cannot find a reference for the tank model?  The xml will be pointing to it, no?  If it can load the mod but errors out on the tank model, then I could see it working.

[The_Great_Sephiroth]

It works for me this way. I made the mod on my end, testing it in single player. Once it was tweaked where I liked it, I copied my mod folder to the server. Then to make a "client" version of the mod I deleted the "Config" folder from the main mod on my client, leaving only the "Resources" folder (contains three unity3d files), "UIAtlases" folder (vehicle icons), and the "ModInfo.xml" file (needed so the client loads the models and such). So the server has those folders PLUS the "Config" folder, which has all of the XML and such in it. This way I can give my players (already have, actually) the models, sounds, and icons without sharing the XML. I will be releasing the mods at version 1.0.0 in the future and there will be a server-side folder and client-side folder in there so server admins know who gets what.

 

*EDIT*

 

Let me clarify this. The server gets the entire mod. Clients get only the models, sounds, an icons.

 

Server Mods folder:

DHTA_Vehicles
|
+ - Config (all XML files here)
|
+ - Resources (3D models, sounds, textures here)
|
+ - UIAtlases (Icons here)
|
+ - ModInfo.xml (required)

 

Client Mods folder:

DHTA_Vehicles
|
+ - Resources (3D models, sounds, textures here)
|
+ - UIAtlases (Icons here)
|
+ - ModInfo.xml (required)

The server needs the 3D models and such to figure out collision I imagine.

Edited July 13, 2021 by The_Great_Sephiroth
Code was formatted bad (see edit history)