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Tripwire: we need a modlauncher ?

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Monkwarrior

Grizzled Veteran
Nov 21, 2005
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#1
This topic is a request to TW.

TW choose to support the mod teams so they would have their hands free for making a new game.
Now the mods are almost released there's a crucial piece of software missing: a mod-launcher.

Basicly I'm requesting a new ingame browser from which you can launch vanilla RO and it's mods. Obviously this not a simple task, it even might be impossible given the current engine, but nevertheless it's something we should all want (TW and we as players).

With 3 mods we will have 4 small playergroups who are unable to see where all others are playing (I do hope I'm wrong). Splitting this community into 4 chunks will be devastating for playernumbers and mods.

I might be wrong, so TW, how's your point on this ?

Greetingz, Monk.
 
#3
if anything RO doesn't need a modlauncher RO needs something like ut2004 UT2Vote mutator, a moderated voting mutator that allows servers to add mods to the regular votinglist.

So instead of changing mod on the fly in RO, you can just play on a server and vote for DH, then MN and then CC/Stock. All on the same server. And only having to download the mod that is running and the files that it uses.
Aka being able to set different serverpackages on a per mod basis
 
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#4
So the current ingame browser can be used for all mods.
Great news, for me that is :cool:

Zetsumei said:
And only having to download the mod that is running and the files that it uses.
Click to expand...
Yep I know that would be ideal, but not realistic, since mods would require several hunderds of Mb's to be downloaded like that. In the past these files were a fraction of the current size IMO.
 
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#5
well thats the exact reason why.

Absolute best would be if you join a server with the pack you get a popup where to download the mods. But not having to download mods the server aint running at the moment.

So if the server runs basovka nobody needs to download anything ;) thats the main thing of importance.

But ut2vote had all features we want here although i asked them if they wanted to port it and as you might guess they said no :p
 
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#6
Monkwarrior said:
Basicly I'm requesting a new ingame browser from which you can launch vanilla RO and it's mods. Obviously this not a simple task, it even might be impossible given the current engine, but nevertheless it's something we should all want (TW and we as players).
Click to expand...

Thinks like the ASE had the capability to launch UT2k4 with -mod= flags iirc, so a 3rd party service might already be doing what you want.. I haven't played with ASE in a while, I'll give it a go and post how it turns out.

With CC, you don't need to switch -mod= flags, but yes, with MN and DH you will.

Within MN and DH since they are extensions of the stock game, you should be able to play on regular (or even CC enhanced?) servers, but not with each-other (ie. the MN client won't play DH maps, and RO won't play MN/DH maps).
(Please note the 'should'.. I'm not saying it works.. i'm not saying I"m going to make sure it works, I'm just saying it stands a decent chance of working).

Now, the map listing is a different issue. I don't know about how DH is setup, but MN server browser won't list ROTeamGame games (aka Regular RO), HOWEVER!! When you first launch MN, it copies over your existing configuration, including your FAVORITES. SO.. from within the MN client, you should be able to play all your RO favorites, or any server you know the IP for.


As for how having separate launchers will divide the player base.. firstly it's speculation at this point. We'll find out soon enough however.. and 2nd, there are some design choices we thought best to do by working on the 'clean slate' a -mod= flag provides, not saying it's better or the CC method is wrong.. just saying it was a choice and we decided to opt for the TC-Mod style. Just how it goes.
 
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#8
Of course w'll see how it goes, but my bet is it will split up too much of this small community.

It would be nice if both mod-teams join forces on this one since they will both benefit from it. ASE might be your best bet since it can display all mods at the same time. Try it out with both mods and let's make a FAQ how to set it up before the mods are launched.

That's the quick workaround.
Porting a part of UT2vote would be the best in the long run (if possible at all).
If I wasn't occupied with other things I would code it myself ;)

Monk.
 
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#11
Zetsumei said:
What i fear is not really that the community splits up but more that the mods wont have many players etc. If you can have all at the same time a lot more servers will have it.
Click to expand...
Well that's what I mean with split-up.
ASE was bought by Yahoo and Red Orchestra is not on their supported list.
Even if we are able to offer a solution for ASE I doubt the majority of players will use it. They will fire up RO and look at the small set of servers which that mod offers them.

Monk.
 
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#13
Zetsufish said:
What i fear is not really that the community splits up but more that the mods wont have many players etc.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly.

If say, Mare Nostrum released in early March was the only Mod for the next 3 to 5 months, then everybody would be playing MN and you would be more likely to have full servers. But the fact that all three are releasing at more or less the same time (DH possibly much later).. I'm afraid we'll see our small population spread out over three games. Also, the Winter Cup is in swing now which might spread out players as well (practice, actual matches etc).

In the immediate months to follow, communication between groups (clans, Steam friends groups etc) will be key to filling servers. I think it would be beneficial for players to have a 'horde' mentality and move as a group as much as possible when playing the Mods.
 
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#16
UncleDrax said:
As for how having separate launchers will divide the player base.. firstly it's speculation at this point. We'll find out soon enough however.. and 2nd, there are some design choices we thought best to do by working on the 'clean slate' a -mod= flag provides, not saying it's better or the CC method is wrong.. just saying it was a choice and we decided to opt for the TC-Mod style. Just how it goes.
Click to expand...

IMO the past few weeks have shown that mods cann't survive on their own. Integration with the normal RO community is and will be crucial.

MN has only 1 server alive each night (in europe) and even that server is not full. I'm guessing DH will have the same fait after a few weeks.

I see only 2 solutions.

1) get together with TW and discuss integration with standard RO
2) merge the DH and MN teams to get a larger playerbase

I think your hard work deserves a larger audience.

Greetingz, Monk.
 
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#17
I was thinking about this myself since I've heard of the mods out there. Maybe you could just change the server browser to find games running on the RO Engine. I know I may have worded it easier than it can be done, but that's one option, I suppose.

I mean, switching between mods isn't hard, or time consuming, it's a simple click, but as mentioned by Monk, TWI's hard work, as well as the 3 new mods developing teams deserve a larger audience.

Hopefully, the mods are as popular as RO was when it first released, but we all have to wait it out to see this fact.

Good thought Monk.
 
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