Jethro
MUSty Complainer
- Nov 2, 2009
- 287
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...What games actually do this? Because this is a very good way to fuck over people with bad internet.
Community input needed: Removal of HL2 assets from TF2
- Thread starter TF2CutContent
- Start date
...What games actually do this? Because this is a very good way to fuck over people with bad internet.
A good example would be starcraft 2. you can play the game anywhere from 1/4th the total download, you have the option to download all of the content to ensure optimal load times but you don't have to (and frankly, I often don't because that's a pain in the butt). The system is pretty good at prioritizing files that you need. For example, out of the hundreds of maps, the game will prioritize the dozen or so that are currently active in the ladder season. if you don't want to play the campaign, that's completely fine, those files are not a priority either. When you encounter the need for content that you don't have, the game will simply download it during the loading and over time, you'll be amassing files and get closer to a full download (except you might never actually get there since a lot of files are simply never going to be needed).
now ofc, that's not really how steam handles things, which is probably why blizzard opted to make their own platform. But looking at the workshop makes me hopeful that tf2 could one day have a more modern content delivery system.
- Mar 11, 2013
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Disagree, if it's on a per-map basis then the change is negligible if it's being downloaded directly from Valve. Also it's not adding more overhead, moreso just moving the overhead elsewhere.
Jethro
MUSty Complainer
- Nov 2, 2009
- 287
- 281
Personally, when I had bad internet I much preferred downloading a complete game as opposed to starting it up after I thought I had finished downloading, and having to spend 40 minutes downloading a 100MB map file.
- Mar 11, 2013
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Then give the option for people to download all extra stuff as a package
I think it's kinda pointless doing it now, it's been 10 years since TF2 first came out, and removing things that might be needed would be an annoyance to people who do use those files for custom content/mods.
I think instead they should leave the stuff out on the next iteration, whether that'll be Team Fortress 3 or TF2 ported to Source 2 (like DOTA2 was). Then everyone will be with the same stuff from the getgo.
I think instead they should leave the stuff out on the next iteration, whether that'll be Team Fortress 3 or TF2 ported to Source 2 (like DOTA2 was). Then everyone will be with the same stuff from the getgo.
There are so many things in tf2 that would benefit from this... so many redundant features like statcounters and strange, skins and festives, tiered cosmetics and unique cosmetics, and downright redundant cosmetics. A fresh restart would be so nice
Jethro
MUSty Complainer
- Nov 2, 2009
- 287
- 281
It's a discussion probably worthy of another thread, but I think the biggest part of a Source 2 or CS:GO equivalent port/update would be the ability to throw out years old concepts that don't work. Cut the fat, so to speak. Trim the amount of unlocks available so the ones that are there are actual meaningful alternatives instead of "i hit harder but slower". While you're at it, make it so all weapons are available to everyone without having to trade, get achievements, or buy it.
A lot of MMO's give you this option when DL'ing patch. GW1 and 2 did, Wildstar. But they all recommend for best/quicker performance, you DL everything at the start.
For a game like TF2, it'd be terribad.
Plus hiding stuff under extra downloads discourages people from exploring other gamemodes. Or whatever is hidden behind the download wall. And while it might work well for starcraft, heros-of-the-storm is borderline unplayable on my machine due to its dynamic content delivery system. I played it a bit for the genji skin and it is by far the worst game I have ever played from a technical standpoint.
As for fresh start TF2, idk, that would be a good opportunity to try something interesting, like make modular weapon system with randomized weapons in drops, so that for grenade launchers, not only is the scratch layer and color scheme unique, but also the size, count, roundness, and elemental effect of the grenades it launches are unique to the weapon. Thus making every weapon drop precious even after thousands of hours of play.
But of course fire micro grenade quad launcher variants become meta within the first week and if you want to break out of meat tier for competitive mannpower you must shell out 15 manncoins to scalpers on the market due to their scarcity.
As for fresh start TF2, idk, that would be a good opportunity to try something interesting, like make modular weapon system with randomized weapons in drops, so that for grenade launchers, not only is the scratch layer and color scheme unique, but also the size, count, roundness, and elemental effect of the grenades it launches are unique to the weapon. Thus making every weapon drop precious even after thousands of hours of play.
But of course fire micro grenade quad launcher variants become meta within the first week and if you want to break out of meat tier for competitive mannpower you must shell out 15 manncoins to scalpers on the market due to their scarcity.
bullhammer59
L1: Registered
- Jul 27, 2016
- 24
- 4
I'd rather not remove the content, especially the hl2 physics and train sounds, they are quite useful (the necro masher uses hl2 explosion sounds for it's impact effects).
My guess is infinite
I thought this was about the vast majority of HL2 assets that aren't being used.
Ones that are like the resupply locker noise or the metal textures on 2Fort would stay.
And while this would break old server plugins. I think the value of reducing the download size and HD burden of the game outweighs the issues caused by breaking forgotten server plugins.
Ones that are like the resupply locker noise or the metal textures on 2Fort would stay.
And while this would break old server plugins. I think the value of reducing the download size and HD burden of the game outweighs the issues caused by breaking forgotten server plugins.
It just occurred to me that any maps or plugins that call sound files directly by name would have already broken when Valve converted them all to MP3. So (A) there's precedent for this, and (B) any number of things might not actually be affected anyway because they're already dead.
To be fair, I don't think HL2 even had soundscripts. They were invented specifically for TF2, weren't they? The whole "response rules" thing they mentioned in the commentary? And also I bet server plugins can only reference sound files directly.
Half-Life 2 had soundscripts, soundscapes and response rules. Or at least it have response rules nowadays. I don't know if it was hardcoded when it was first released.
HL2 uses soundscripts and context/response rules. The resistance fighters use them. I think I've read somewhere that SM plugins can use game sound names, but I only recall them using raw filenames.
There is some precedence, though I can't think of any maps or plugins that use TF VO lines (excluding custom game modes during play tests here).
There is some precedence, though I can't think of any maps or plugins that use TF VO lines (excluding custom game modes during play tests here).
This was written in 2006 so they at least had them then. I remember using them in mods, but that would have been after 2006.