Managing Content for rFactor 2

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Gjon Camaj, Dec 13, 2011.

  1. Gjon Camaj

    Gjon Camaj Registered

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    This diagrams gives an overview of how content comes into the rFactor2 system for single and multiplayer races.

    Components are completed cars, tracks, sounds, UIs, HUDs, Skins or Showrooms. An individual race circuit is an example of a component. Using the All Cars and Track race series in single player mode, you can take any car you have for a drive on this newly downloaded circuit.

    Race series (or Mods) are a group of components with at least one car and track. Each has a unique ModID and can be tested online within the mod testing group while in development. Once it is complete, a Submit ID is generated and sent to the matchmaker. This submitted Mod now becomes available to the entire online community and is version controlled to eliminate mismatch problems.

    Mods can be created from scratch or by combining existing components created by other content creators. A Mod can contain virtual components, meaning it points to existing content but doesn’t physically include it. This reduces redundant copies of the same components. A user who downloads a Mod containing virtual components will not be allowed to install it if those components don’t already exist on their system. An error log will inform the user of any missing components.
    rF2 Content Mgmt.jpg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 13, 2011
  2. Domi

    Domi Registered

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    Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator
     
  3. Marek Lesniak

    Marek Lesniak Car Team Staff Member

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    Yup, same here.
     
  4. 88mphTim

    88mphTim racesimcentral.net

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    Someone please confirm it's fixed. Thanks.
     
  5. Arnao

    Arnao Registered

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    it's ok for me ... thx
     
  6. Satangoss

    Satangoss Registered

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  7. 88mphTim

    88mphTim racesimcentral.net

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    Thanks.
     
  8. Satangoss

    Satangoss Registered

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    By the way, looks much simplier than rf1...
     
  9. mschreiner

    mschreiner Registered

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    I have a question.
    Can MOD groups protect their work?
    Like will there be encryption so others can not read our physics files or 3D models?
    I have seen too many times one MOD groups years of work get taken by some other Group and claimed as their own.
    I personally hate doing the hard work for others.
     
  10. Mario Morais

    Mario Morais Registered

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    Yes good question, we can have a unique encryption key for each author?
     
  11. pirolla

    pirolla Registered

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    I think this should be the first post in the documentation wiki! :D

    Kind regards,
    Pirolla.
     
  12. Jim Beam

    Jim Beam Registered

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    so a private league mod you would keep at the ModID stage...a public mod you would take to a SubmitID stage?
     
  13. ArnoldWong

    ArnoldWong Registered

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    Exactly, if the mod groups cannot protect their own works and the others can simply use that from the mod management system, then I might just turn to my own platform or GTR3 since it is kinda meaningless when the hard work being ripped, used and re-release by the others randomly.
     
  14. Jim Beam

    Jim Beam Registered

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    as proven countless times...encryption only works till someone breaks it...which they would/will
     
  15. Vince Klortho

    Vince Klortho Registered

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    Here's a hypothetical situation. Let's say a mod team releases a course for RF1. Then RF2 is released and some random person converts the course and releases it without authorization for RF2 and is given a ModID for it. Then the original team completes their conversion of the course and wants to release it. Here are some questions :

    - Is there going to be any mechanism to stop unauthorized releases in the first place ?
    - How will this situation be handled if the names are identical between both versions of the course ?
    - Will the legitimate authors be required to change the name of the course to receive a ModID ?
     
  16. Gjon Camaj

    Gjon Camaj Registered

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    A ModID should be obtained when someone wishes to create a mod (at least one car AND one track) that will be hosted online for others to race. This is not needed if you create content just for yourself or others in single player.

    A ModID is created by someone with a valid online account and is assigned to that person. Once a mod is ready to be released on the public matchmaker, it must be assigned a version and a SubmitID. These three pieces then identify it so name conflicts do not occur.

    If there are issues with mods, the ModID owner can be contacted in an attempt to resolve problems. Encryption that was provided for rF1 will still be available, a feature we hope to advance during the course of rF2
     
  17. Lazza

    Lazza Registered

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    I'm not sure you grasp the irony of what you've said there. Using a 'closed' platform to do your modding is not only still not protected (if you can get into the files to change them, someone else can get in and copy stuff if they feel inclined...), but by using a closed platform in such a way you're capitalising on others' work (the game engine) to produce your mod and make it playable, all in breach of the user agreement for that platform.

    After 6 years rF1 has some fantastic third-party content, a lot of 'decent' stuff (how many people still regularly race on tracks converted from older titles?), and the rest is pretty poor. Unfortunately a fair portion of the really top quality stuff is private - gets used in private leagues and no one else sees it. Considering 99% of it is provided without charge, you have to wonder what would be lost if that content were released publicly for more people to enjoy.

    As for copying... well, show me a platform you can make secure and I'll show you a platform you're keeping on your own machine, because nothing's secure. Even if it were, unless it took the rFactor approach it'd do you no good because you wouldn't be able to mod it either. The problem you're referring to is really one of people copying work and re-releasing it as their own. Unfortunately people then say, well, make the game detect it and stop it being used, or make it known it's copied... but that's not possible either, when you think about it.
     
  18. Aaron Carlisle

    Aaron Carlisle Registered

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    Arnold... You are a very smart individual, but to even begin to think that your "platform" (That is UNITY based, might I add) could even begin to compare physically to what the professional engineers at ISI have created... Has left me speechless.

     
  19. ArnoldWong

    ArnoldWong Registered

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    The problem is that, it seems the release media is a standardized public server which directly let the others to use components from different mods to create their own and distribute it again freely(making contents for the server?), this is what I am most concerned.

    Or does that mean they still need to download the original mod to go for that process and that process is for online race only with no cloud file hosting? Like I host the original WSGT2 installer on our website, then the players download it, and only allow them to include the pointers point to the files when they submit it to the matchmaker for races.

    Plus, there is nothing wrong in creating my own platform, whatever from Unity or C++.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 14, 2011
  20. Jim Beam

    Jim Beam Registered

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    cool...whens the release date? :p
     

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