The ultimate thing would be to join any server you like. Then the server says you don't have this car (or cars or track), would you like to download it? You then click yes, it then downloads the car (or cars for that mod, or track) needed, a downloaded % progress bar comes up, 100%, installing, completed successfully. You now have the car/car mod pack/track, you click "ok" or "race" and the game loads you into the server like normal. All simple, quick, almost automatic, 1 click, in-game downloading and installing of cars/tracks/mods. But wait!! I heard that this CAN be done. I remember someone on this forum saying that he wanted to try the Senna 88 mod, so he saw it online, clicked on the server, AND ALL HE DID WAS JUST CLICK "GET MOD" and a few moments later he was in the server playing with a new car/mod!!!! If this amazingly easy and fast in-game, 1-click install using the "Get Mod" button, method is true..... THEN WHY ISN'T IT ALWAYS LIKE THIS??? WHY ISN'T THIS FORCED, OR AT LEAST STANDARD PROCEDURE??? On a separate but related note. If you have a mod/car pack that is more than 1 car, ex. GP79, HistorX, etc., then is that considered 1 giant rfcmp (component)? 1 giant rfmod? A bunch of separate rfcmp (components) all connected by 1 rfmod? A bunch of separate rfcmp (components) all connected by 1 virtual mod (vmod). Do components replace the need for vmod and rfmod? I still don't get it.
We're limited by server bandwidth. If there are a bunch of drivers on track then 2 people join who do not have the mod and they try to d/l all the components, the server will lag. It'd be nice if we could only d/l the missing pieces instead of the entire rfmod. As I understand it now, if you have the car, but not the track and the server is set up so you can get the rfmod directly from the server lobby, you have to d/l the entire package- so this means car and track need to d/l not just the missing track.
Can you set up your server to not host the files, but rather have them downloaded from certain websites/links etc?? Now that rfmod are going away and being taken over by rfcmp components (I think, still not sure how it all works lol) can only the individual stuff you don't have be downloaded?
I think this could (eventually should ) be included in ISI updater system. All that is needed is to have unique identity for every single component (rfmod, rfcmp, whatever) and link where it's located so that it could be automatically downloaded and installed. They already got almost all needed technology implemented but as Tim said on some other related thread there are far more important things to do at the moment so it seems this feature (or even planning of it) has to wait.
It would be a good start if there was at least a link out of game you could follow from the server if you need the content, no need for the game servers themselves to be hosting all the dl links. If there is a link or even just a website link to where you can get all content needed for that server it would be a good start. Ideally having direct links via the matchmakers to dl sites would be the best option.
this ability already exists, don't over complicate the basic intent of vmods. 1) when you "get mod", you download the vmod, but it will not install if you do not have all the components. 2) navigate to your mod manager and look at the vmod properties, here, the vmod creator should provide the links to the necessary content. simple as pie. View attachment 7531
well I meant downloading the track/car/cars/etc right from the "get mod" button, so that everything can be done quick, easy, on the spot, not dealing with different versions, etc. As others have pointed out, this can be done in a basic form where it is downloaded straight from the server itself, however, this could cause way too much load on the server and possibly affect gameplay. Also, I think it'll massively eat into the server's bandwidth usage, greatly increasing costs?? I guess multiplayer gaming servers receive much less allowed monthly bandwidth limits than regular website servers get??? An awesome option would be to have the server, if the server chooses to, store links/sites/repositories that the car/cars/track/tracks/mod/components whatever etc get automatically downloaded from, rather than downloading from the very server itself. Finding out u dont have the right car/track/etc, if you can't easily get what's needed by the click of a button ("get mod" button), just encourages people to choose a different server, or say "screw it" altogether and play either A. offline or B. a different game. Not to mention, this would also be greatly useful in a situation where you have playing online in a server all night with people, then all of a sudden the next track loads and it's one you don't have. Now you get, in a way, kicked out of the server that you've been playing in all night, gotta exit the game, and go online to look for and download the track, making sure it's also a compatible version #, etc. Where as with an auto download option, you'd just get a box pop up saying that you don't have this track, would u like to auto download and install it, u click yes/get mod, progress % bar comes up, download complete, install complete, so and so car or track or whatever mod/components downloaded and installed successfully, "you now have all items to successfully join the current session, would you like to join?" click "yes" and BAM loads up normally and you're back in with everyone ready to roll. No exiting, no searching online, no worrying that the version u download might be a newly updated version not compatible with the one currently being played with, 1 click, done.
