Content and you, why this just got so much better

Published: 2013-07-10

Author: Teddi

A key problem we’ve had for a while now which I’ve moaned about a few times has been shipping contents to clients. For the longest time making changes to content has been so infuriating in Garrysmod that we (devs) have just had to take a step back at times because it’s become so frustrating to actually ship and edit content. A major source of pain was the fact that once a file is on the client via the usual shipping methods, we cannot make any further changes to that content. That HUD we want to update? Here,  have HUD_v2.png! There’s a mistake with that one? HUD_v3.png!? This was just so painful and often required backtracking through code to make sure we were working with the right version, or constant checking we had wiped and added the new version manually and so on.

In short: A headache.

With Garry’s recent update to Steampipe and some collaboration, it’s now possible to send clients workshop files directly to the client without actually subscribing them. An even bigger advantage is that we also have the capability to directly edit and update any changes to any of the content we produce. This involves the map, gamemode, any custom assets and so on which is simply lovely. From a development PoV it’s still quite annoying because we still need to ensure all assets are 100% reloaded, however from a release perspective it’s 1000% easier. This is a feature I enjoy so much TTT is currently running the latest version of BBase (which I’ve actually cleaned up now) which includes this feature. So if you join any of Ashman’s maps on [BB]  TTT you’ll automatically be sent the files and have them mounted. Should Ash then make any future changes, you’ll receive the changes automatically!  The same applies to any content changes we make.

For RP this has proven to be simply awesome. With some testing of Killermons maps and some other assets it’s possible to simply make a few changes, ship said changes out and then if we want to, completely throw the map upside down and have things flipped over. All whilst saving you disk space instead of  having map_file_v300. Plus you (seemingly) only download the changes instead of the entire thing over.

What this does mean is that things will start to disappear from the FastDL, for example Ashmans do still exist there, but they’re not even loaded in their raw bsp format on the server. Instead the workshop items are mounted. This is also actually faster than previously and only servers to make things better.  This means that with the upcoming changes and tests to Life (and the upcoming opening with some raw content), any changes we make, you will feel almost immediately.

Which is hopefully a good thing assuming we don’t break things constantly. (Forum Thread: http://bbservers.co.uk/forums/index.php?threads/content-and-you-why-this-just-got-so-much-better.8240//)