Humm... maybe can be code a "packageinstaller" for steam mods. We suggest to use .tar.gz with a new extension, maybe ".smod" This tool can unzip/untar the files, copy to the appropiate location and generate desktop icons.
pros: - windows will nicely accept to register .smod extension with "packageinstaller.exe" tool - tool is not terribly hard to write - tool will be owned by community, not valve - .tar.gz is a good compresion for lots of files and tga files - .tar.gz is unix friendly cos: - .smod files will need a extra tool to install - the community (or valve) need to write this tiny tool - icon will be NOT blue - my shirt is boring As you see 50% of cos not have sense! :D What do you think? That somewhat like unreal ".umod" files :D Other option is a "custom for developers" mode or patch or whatever for that is not usefull for players. Other fix for "content in multiple folder" is to hash files (tga files?) and subst files with the same hash in other folder. But engine will need support for "links" (files with a text line with the real path of the file). Prior of installing/uninstalling something, the hash tool can run resorting and fixing stuff, unlinking some files, etc.. Maybe files can be downloaded from repositorys with the hash visible, this way players will not need to download files with a hash value already exist in is computer. I have notice some mods (Example: Counter-Strike) have repetitive content from HL singleplayer. If 80MB from 100MB is already in your HardDisk, with that technique you will only need to download 20MB. Example: /samengine/mymod1/textures/mapx/luzy.tga (2MB) hash dsfjlj354ggfdsgfg /samengine/mymod1/textures/mapx32/luzy.tga (2MB) hash dsfjlj354ggfdsgfg /samengine/nomymodbar/textures/luzy.tga (2MB) hash dsfjlj354ggfdsgfg /samengine/nomymodfoo/textures/luzy.tga (1MB) hash gsfgj67686986dffg That become: /samengine/texturecache/lyzy_dsfjlj354ggfdsgfg.tga (2MB) hash dsfjlj354ggfdsgfg /samengine/mymod1/textures/mapx/luzy.link ( 49 Bytes ) /samengine/mymod1/textures/mapx32/luzy.link ( 49 Bytes ) /samengine/nomymodbar/textures/luzy.link ( 49 Bytes ) /samengine/nomymodfoo/textures/luzy.tga (1MB) hash gsfgj67686986dffg My english is crap. P> Another consideration is whether mods for standalone HL2 would need to be P> installed differently than mods for HL2 downloaded over Steam. P> Presuter P> At 01:00 PM 9/7/2003 -0400, you wrote: >>This is a multi-part message in MIME format. >>-- >>[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ] >>First off, I know this is the hl coding list; part of this concerns >>that, but it is generally about steam and mod functionality. I don't >>know of where else to ask this, where that anybody could respond to my >>concerns without everyone asking the same things down the line. I also >>know that several valve members are on this list still. >> >>I have some concerns regarding steam and mod functionality. Especially >>from a coding/debugging standpoint. >>I've experimented with steam (placing mod in it) and it's a pain. I >>didn't bother trying to debug it, since I found no way of running it via >>the command line, this poses somewhat of an issue as well. How will a >>user run other mods? Will EVERYTHING go in the steam "available games" >>menu? This itself is a concern for me the way that steam works; how that >>everything is cached multiple times. CS + TFC + DMC + HL itself inside >>steam use 600mb+ more than they do with standalone "old" non-steam hl! >>Because content is duplicated, and there is a cache! >> [..] _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please visit: http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlcoders
