suggestion: being able to mark a wad/pk3 "optional" when setting up a server

[Ænima]

Pardon me if this has already been suggested, but ...

It pisses me off when I want to join a server and have to download a 80MB music PK3 when i don't even use it anyways because i listen to my own music via Winamp, iTunes or WMP. Or noobs who load up their servers with like 10 skin wads. Yeah. I have DSL, that shit takes forever.

I recall somebody saying that ZDaemon had a feature like this, although I wouldn't know because I haven't touched ZDaemon in forever.

If the developers feel that this is an idea worth considering, then I'll make a tracker submission for it. Otherwise, I won't clutter the tracker with it. :P

EDIT:
Maybe you can also add this feature to DoomSeeker's GetWad program, so that it will say something like "I see this wad/pk3 is optional. Do you still want to download it?".

[Empyre]

This has already been requested and no'd. They said that's what the skins folder is for, which ZDaemon does not have.

[Blzut3]

Otherwise, I won't clutter the tracker with it. :P

Basically non-sense. The only tracker clutter you should really be concerned about are "backport feature x" and bumping tickets. (The former is mostly a joke since I get a little annoyed by how people immediately post a backport request every time ZDoom gets a new feature even though for the most part we're trying to avoid feature backports. :P)

The tracker is pretty much the only way we'll be able properly keep track of support for a feature, and of course everyone has a tracker account right? ;)

Maybe you can also add this feature to DoomSeeker's GetWad program, so that it will say something like "I see this wad/pk3 is optional. Do you still want to download it?".

Doomseeker already has this feature, but of course Zandronum doesn't support it.

[Ænima]

Awwwww. :/

[Luke]

There are wads as pk_weapons.pk3 that doesn't let you play online if you put them in the skin folder...

[Reach Term]

Honestly, I am major advocate for anti-music or multiple skin wads; however, I'll commonly referred these types as "clutter wads." So I am agreeing with this thread completely. Because why do we need all this clutter when we don't have to have it? Are we seriously at the point where, servers are like "IF YOU WANT TO PLAY THIS SERVER; YOU NEED TO DOWNLOAD 120MB OF MUSIC & 10 DIFFERENT SKINS WADS!" I hate it, it's annoying and it only caters for the few. So what if you think it's fun or interesting; it's not for me or for those who don't want it or can't download and store those wads.

[Ænima]

There are wads as pk_weapons.pk3 that doesn't let you play online if you put them in the skin folder...

Because they have DECORATE and other protected lumps. But that's a completely different subject.

[Blzut3]

Because they have DECORATE and other protected lumps. But that's a completely different subject.

I think it would be rare for a wad with DECORATE to work as optional. Just about any change in actor code could result in a desync.

[Ænima]

I know. That's why a wad with any protected lumps should never be listed as "optional". It's the host's discretion. They can create a massively desync'd server if they want to, but it wouldn't go well for them.

[Synert]

Most hosts just stick the music up anyway which is a pain for everyone (I mean sure you could just create an empty music wad but you shouldn't have to do that)

[Ænima]

Most hosts just stick the music up anyway which is a pain for everyone (I mean sure you could just create an empty music wad but you shouldn't have to do that)

Unless Zandronum authenticates PWADs using checksum like it does for IWADS. Then you couldn't even create an empty wad because it would be significantly different in filesize from the 100MB music wad.

[Qent]

I know. That's why a wad with any protected lumps should never be listed as "optional". It's the host's discretion. They can create a massively desync'd server if they want to, but it wouldn't go well for them.

I'm reasonably sure that purely decorative addons won't desync, even if they're in protected lumps. Like if you wanted optional bullet ricochets, for example.

[Synert]

Most hosts just stick the music up anyway which is a pain for everyone (I mean sure you could just create an empty music wad but you shouldn't have to do that)

Unless Zandronum authenticates PWADs using checksum like it does for IWADS. Then you couldn't even create an empty wad because it would be significantly different in filesize from the 100MB music wad.

I've connected to servers requiring music before using a blank wad- it seems to work as long as there's nothing else in it.

[Llewellyn]

I'm reasonably sure that purely decorative addons won't desync, even if they're in protected lumps. Like if you wanted optional bullet ricochets, for example.

Wouldn't that pollute the RNG? Not exactly sure how that is synchronized.

[Ænima]

Most hosts just stick the music up anyway which is a pain for everyone (I mean sure you could just create an empty music wad but you shouldn't have to do that)

Unless Zandronum authenticates PWADs using checksum like it does for IWADS. Then you couldn't even create an empty wad because it would be significantly different in filesize from the 100MB music wad.

I've connected to servers requiring music before using a blank wad- it seems to work as long as there's nothing else in it.

Alrighty then, then I guess it doesn't checksum the PWADS.

[Empyre]

I believe it checksums only the protected lumps.

[Llewellyn]

I believe it checksums only the protected lumps.

I think this is the case because I know that PWADS do matter, from my experience in modding (starting a local server, changing decorate, not being able to rejoin.) But you can also modify things like sounds and sprites in the wad and get away with it...

[The Toxic Avenger]

From experience with replacing music in idl2012-.wad, changing the music or even sprites (PUN1SH3R would know more on this) would still let you connect, as long as things like the mapinfo are not touched in any way. I'd support this so I don't have to download "throwaway" wads to join something that looks fun.

[Qent]

Me too. In my experience of playing Ragnarok and Zodiac for CTF, there are music packs that add quite a lot to the maps over the default music, but the downloads are huge. Forums/IRC just don't cut it to get the word out about the music. And then there's Alpha/Delta Invasion, which has no music at all without the enormous, separate music pk3.

So yeah, tracker ticket someone.

[Torr Samaho]

I believe it checksums only the protected lumps.

Yes, it checks the protected lumps (I posted a full list of all the protected lumps recently) and the lumps of the currently played map.