I like this idea, but the only problem I see is that it takes control of the servers, instead of the server admins controlling the server. If this system were to be implemented, it needs to have at least a variable, or startup parameter, so that if a server admin does NOT want their server automatically updating (for whatever reason), it won't.
Ronny Schedel wrote: > The autoupdate does not work for L4D. > > > >> Linux Has an autoupdate feature. >> >> When will the windows guys get -autoupdate and -fork for l4d? >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Cousins >> Sent: Saturday, January 24, 2009 2:39 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: [hlds] Server/client updating and L4D matchmaking >> >> *ahem* This is a bit long, so TL;DR: Matchmaking breaks for hours after >> every update because of the automatic nature of client updates and the >> manual nature of Server updates. It needs fixing by making the hldsupdate >> automatic too, but with some intelligence.. >> >> ------ >> >> Non-TLDR version: >> >> Everyone knows the drill by now. Whenever an update is released, >> matchmaking >> suddenly becomes useless when trying to find a server. It's also a problem >> for other games, but at least with a server browser you can see and choose >> servers that have been updated. >> >> People already playing when the update drops are fine, but anyone they >> invite gets the new update and can't play with them, and if a group logs >> out >> and back in to grab the update, because of how servers are updated they >> wouldn't be able to find many freshly updated servers to actually play on. >> >> What needs to happen is for steam to be a heck of a lot more intelligent >> about updating clients and servers need to self update. >> >> When an update is released, it should start off by being distributed to >> servers only, but not applied, and trickled down slowly so as not to >> disrupt >> the gameplay of people on that server currently. For major updates with a >> large filesize they would have to be released a couple of hours before >> pushing the client update, but for most patches it could be done an hour >> or >> so before. >> >> When a server has downloaded all of the update, it should then tell the >> master server it has done so and is ready to update itself, but it >> continues >> to run until given the go-ahead to update. When a certain percentage of >> servers have reported to the master server that they are ready, then the >> master server should tell them to update. >> >> When the servers are told to restart, they don't instantly shutdown (this >> would be annoying for anyone playing and potentially cause a massive load >> on >> the content servers with players from thousands of servers all updating >> their client). Instead, servers wait until they are empty, change maps, or >> end a campaign (depending on the game). This helps spread the load of >> clients grabbing updates, as well as allowing people to finish their game. >> Shortly before the server shuts down, it sends the players a message >> telling >> them a game update is available and that they can grab it at the end of >> the >> map/campaign when the server updates itself. >> >> At the same time as the master server tells servers to update, the steam >> content servers begin to release the update to clients in the normal way. >> >> This way, anyone in a game can continue playing and anyone looking for a >> game can continue playing without having an update forced on them and then >> needing to hunt for an updated server. When the client update is pushed >> out, >> anyone in a game can continue without worry that the server will boot >> them, >> but anyone launching a game will get the update and will have servers to >> use >> (any that were empty will update instantly, and gradually as games finish >> and maps change servers will update themselves). Anyone invited to join a >> game in progress will be fine for the most part, and only inconvenienced >> for >> a short time while the game they were invited to is completed. >> >> It's probably a hard system to implement, but the current system just >> renders matchmaking unusable and really needs fixing. And even in games >> without matchmaking, it can be frustrating when you want a game but can't >> find any empty local servers because everyone who has updated only has a >> few >> updated servers to choose from. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, >> please visit: >> http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlds >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, >> please visit: >> http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlds >> >> > > > _______________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please > visit: > http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlds > _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please visit: http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlds
