A packaging overview & tutorial video...

Discussion in 'Component and Mod Packaging' started by Michael Juliano, Dec 23, 2011.

  1. Michael Juliano

    Michael Juliano Track Team

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2010
    Messages:
    371
    Likes Received:
    5
    I'd like to "quickly" give you an overview of the packaging system as it currently stands:

    Those familiar with rF1 and adding mods to it will be familiar with the \gamedata sub-folder of the rF1 install. You should also be familiar with the pounding-your-head-against-a-wall inducing effect of getting booted for mismatches :) The packaging system is our effort to reign in the mismatch madness, as well as an attempt to control content cheating.

    For those that make rF2 mods, please note that \gamedata has changed to \ModDev (Mod Development). The structure within remains the same, as does the file structure for cars and tracks. This is where you will create mods for rF2 and test them locally offline using the "Developer" version of rF2 (which is part of the beta release). In this area things will be just about exactly as you remember from rF1.

    When you are ready to start testing your mod online you will need to apply for a ModID number from us for your mod (it's EASY to do and free of course). Only mods that have a ModID will show up on the matchmaker. Components (single cars or tracks) do not need ModID's...

    When testing is over and you're ready to release your mod to the community you will need to submit a SigID to us (signature ID) that links the contents of your mod to your ModID. This is how we can verify that people have the proper mod installed so they can join servers running it, and that no one is joining a server with altered components. Again, single components do not require this process.

    Sounds a bit confusing, I know, but it's really not. Let's take a track and break it down a bit:

    --Loose files for a single track in a "locations\track" folder. This is as you should remember from rF1.
    --Loose files are packed into .mas files. Again, .mas files should be familiar to you if you modded rF1.
    --.mas files are packed into a .rfcmp component file. This is where things get new. Each .mas file is given a unique signature, and any change to the files within change the signature. When you pack those mas files into a component, the component also gets a unique signature ID, and any change to the mas files within changes that. This is how we can guarantee a component you have matches a component on a server you want to join.
    --At this point you can either release the track component on its own, or pack that along with other tracks and cars into a complete .rfmod package file.

    While offline you can use All Cars & Tracks to race any combination you like, currently only content in a .rfmod file can be used online. So, let's say you wanted to race F1's on a series of kart tracks (why anyone would--who knows :) ). You could take the components you wanted to use, package them up in a mod file, and release that as a mod. This is basically what we've all been doing all along, but now it's just more organized. We have some ideas to loosen this up a bit down the road, but this is the current state...

    You could also release a "virtual mod" with the components you wanted to use. What this does is reference certain cars and tracks you have installed, but doesn't actually include the components, so the download is VERY small. It is up to the other users to make sure they have the proper components. This is VERY close to what we had in rF1, but again we're validating you have everything you need to join the server by hosting it on a mod basis.

    And don't worry, if a .rfmod contains a component you already have installed it is not installed a second time. And, if you uninstall a mod and and another mod uses a component from it the component is retained so the other mod isn't suddenly broken...

    So, let's say you are a league admin, and you want to get your drivers what they need for the upcoming season. You could either provide them the components to download, and then a virtual mod for the series that uses those. Or you could package everything up and they can get them in one go. Also, if you had to make a change you could release an update that would take your "super great racing series 1.0" to 1.1, or whatever.

    By the way, modders, don't be afraid to let people use your components in their own mod packages. We have in mind a way to allow you to encrypt your components so the data within can't be extracted. So, you could, for example, put some "credits" on the loading screen of a track and whenever that component is used everyone will be able to see who made it. This isn't working yet, but shouldn't be too hard to do once we get to it.

    It's a lot to digest, and I'm sure a bit confusing at the moment. It's okay--it took me a couple weeks to get the hang of it myself. Now, I can't imagine releasing content any other way. It even makes uninstalling components and mods as easy as a single click, rather than hunting and searching through the gamedata folder to delete what you THINK you no longer need.

    Trust me, once you get the hang of it, and learn to use the system, I think you'll find you can do just about everything you could before. And of course, we will be listening to you all, and will try to find ways to deal with special case situations. As with the rest of rF2, the packaging system will grow and mature as we get more and more feedback...

     
  2. MS7XWDC

    MS7XWDC Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2011
    Messages:
    297
    Likes Received:
    1
    how will we open .rfmod files ?
     
  3. Michael Juliano

    Michael Juliano Track Team

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2010
    Messages:
    371
    Likes Received:
    5
    You can either use our external mod manager program to install/uninstall/update mods. Or, you can do the same directly from within rF2. Likewise, you'll be able to install/uninstall/update .rfcmp files (single components) in the same way...
     
  4. MS7XWDC

    MS7XWDC Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2011
    Messages:
    297
    Likes Received:
    1
    thank you very much
     
  5. Jim Beam

    Jim Beam Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    824
    Likes Received:
    10
    sooo whats the chance of getting this external mod manager program so we can start pulling apart these rfmod files? :D
     
  6. MS7XWDC

    MS7XWDC Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2011
    Messages:
    297
    Likes Received:
    1
    was just about to ask that ... after hunting around for it ... lol
     
  7. 88mphTim

    88mphTim racesimcentral.net

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2010
    Messages:
    10,840
    Likes Received:
    314
    Probably not likely on that one :) I believe all tools will come at the same time as the executable installer is given out.
     
  8. Michael Juliano

    Michael Juliano Track Team

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2010
    Messages:
    371
    Likes Received:
    5
    Considering it comes with the beta install--I'd say chances are good you'll get it with that ;)
     
  9. Jim Beam

    Jim Beam Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    824
    Likes Received:
    10
    argh... what a tease lol
     
  10. IT-Trader

    IT-Trader Registered

    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2010
    Messages:
    47
    Likes Received:
    0
    So, if I understand this right...
    Car only builders will likely release a .rfcmp file.
    Track only builders will likely release a rfcmp file.

    League admins would likely pick those bits to create a series using an rfmod package.

    I'm not saying car and/or track builders can't or won't release complete packages with both cars AND tracks, just that historically people tend to do one or the other. Personally, as a car builder, I don't care which track you want to use, so its not for me to say what tracks should be in an rfmod file.

    Here's the problem as I see it...
    I often get together with my mates just to blast around whatever track in whatever mod takes our fancy. So we may run F1 at Silverstone then decide to go to Spa, then run a Lotus Elise at Road America.
    Currently we just need to make sure we have the mod and that track installed.

    If somebody has Silverstone and not Spa they will simply get booted when we move. The new system will force us to create a mod id file with a predertermined set of tracks that we then have to distribute and drivers must have ALL the tracks in that rfmod file to join, even if they have no intention of driving Spa.

    This will remove the spontinaity and we're going to end up with hundreds or even thousands of rfmod files as everytime we want to drive a new car/track combination, we'll need to make an rfmod file first.

    While I see the merit it the new approach, I'm wondering if it may be better to separate the tracks from the rest?
    Of course I haven't seen the product so I've no idea my understanding is correct.
     
  11. Lazza

    Lazza Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    12,346
    Likes Received:
    6,572
    Hmm.

    Seems to me, based on what we're seeing, you could just have a rF2\Mods and a rF2\Tracks folder... download cars or tracks (as single files, so you avoid putting files in wrong places or not knowing which ones to delete...), throw them in the correct folder, and the game could make a quick list of what's installed (even for thousands it won't take long) and use that to check which servers can be connected to - because when a server starts up it knows which car is being used and what tracks are selected. Even if a server needs to have a reasonable track limit to keep the MM info down to a few KB, the client can work out whether it's compatible without needing to actually connect.

    But, maybe in practice this system has some advantages, so I suppose we wait and see :)
     
  12. jfodor

    jfodor Registered

    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2011
    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    so were downloading these .rfmod files and no way to look at them! :(

    well at least this will save me some download time.
     
  13. Lenniepen

    Lenniepen Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    225
    Likes Received:
    38
    So I guess there is no way to look at some files (car/track folders, textures etc.)?
    What a tease! :)

    How will this system work with offline series?
    How will championships (against AI) with multiple races, possibly multiple race sessions per weekend, work?
    Can I create my own championship, like with the CTDP championship manager?
     
  14. Michael Juliano

    Michael Juliano Track Team

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2010
    Messages:
    371
    Likes Received:
    5
    IT-Trader, yes, we expect car-modders and track modders to simply ship single components. And yes, in its current incarnation you would need a new ModID to race a certain combination of tracks with a certain car. We understand this to be a limitation. The mod system is really in its infancy ATM. One idea we had is to have the dedicated server create a mod on the fly based on what was installed and selected. We have other ideas as well. But we can't do more advanced features like this until the basic system has been fully developed.

    As a stop-gap on the way to that, we came up with the virtual mod idea. Typically, when you set up a dedicated server, you pick a car and a list of tracks to race on. You would do the same thing here, but you'd create a virtual mod .rfmod file and select that for the dedicated server. The mod manager currently tells you what components a virtual mod needs in order to be used, and what you are missing from that.

    The next step would be to allow auto-downloading of mods. Then, if someone wanted to join a server they could AD the virtual mod, which is small. Once this happens then we can look at more automated ways of doing things like this that are more transparent.

    But, we're taking this system in stages. Our biggest critique of rF1, and we heard it a LOT, was from players, both average and experienced, always getting mismatches and then getting booted because of some slight modification they didn't have. Developing a system that prevented this, but still allows the modding flexibility that's come to be expected from rF has been difficult, and we didn't want to make it more complicated by piling on too many features all at once. So yes, we understand it may be a bit restrictive at first and a critique of the beta release...

    Personally, what I expect in the interim is this: when someone makes a new car they, or someone, will make a virtual mod that uses the car and whatever tracks are available at the time. As new tracks come available they can be added to that same mod by way of an update (so you could have Lotus Elise v 1.0 that uses some tracks, and then a 1.1 update can be made that adds new tracks). Again, not as liberal as before, but will do the job while we continue to expand the system.

    So yes, we know the system isn't perfect in its current state. And we know we're going to have to expand it to make it more usable. But we have to take it in stages. This is part of the reason for the open beta--we need to see what modders and users needs are, how they differ from what we currently have, and then add to/modify the system to meet those needs...
     
  15. Michael Juliano

    Michael Juliano Track Team

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2010
    Messages:
    371
    Likes Received:
    5
    This is kind of what we have working already. You download a new car, or track, or full mod and install that. The sim keeps a tally of everything you have installed and what needs what in order to be joined. This is the basis of our system. In the post I just made a little above, if you haven't read it, I explain that we have to expand on this in stages so that we can keep control of it and keep it working as intended. It will just take some time and feedback...
     
  16. Michael Juliano

    Michael Juliano Track Team

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2010
    Messages:
    371
    Likes Received:
    5
    That's why we put these up early, so you guys could get the heavier downloads out of the way and be able to jump in and start playing as soon as the beta install is released...
     
  17. Michael Juliano

    Michael Juliano Track Team

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2010
    Messages:
    371
    Likes Received:
    5
    Well, with the system as it is right now, you could pick a car component and a selection of tracks and pack those together into a mod, which would become your series. The player file is still open, so you could add more than one practice session, etc, as before. Things like multiple race sessions and more specialized scoring are planned, but haven't been done yet.
     
  18. Lenniepen

    Lenniepen Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    225
    Likes Received:
    38
    Thanks Scott,

    Does this mod-file also include settings for weather, fuel consumption, tire wear, compulsory pitstops (if available), etc.?
    Probably a bit off-topic:
    I addition to the weather settings, is it possible to have to track-specific weather settings. I.e. for Spa, have a rain-probability of 70%, for Bahrain 1%, or are these track-specific parameters stored in the track-files?
     
  19. Vistaro

    Vistaro Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    41
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thanks very much for this very practical solution!
    I'm sure the resulting RFactor 2 will be well worth the wait.
     
  20. Kev Higgins

    Kev Higgins Registered

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2011
    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thanks for all your Answers Scott, this is started to make more sense now!
     

Share This Page