Author Topic: Player images download in a server  (Read 1248 times)

Images for a player are only able to be seen by other players that have those images in their client. This, I find to be a problem.
This is the reason why I never get player images. Other people will usually be unable to see the images on my player, and with the amount of people who don't use player images (new players) is growing. The majority of the people I meet won't be able to see what I see.

So, here, I request a solution.
A client mod that will probably become widely used as RTB once was, such as Blockland Glass or oRBS, could send the player images to the client so the client can see other people's.  What I think should happen for this though, is that the server wouldn't be directly sending the images or information to the joining client, but rather the server would tell the client to go download certain things from the service (BG/oRBS), so people can actually use player images that other people can see. When a client joins and the client has images that some people in the server might not have, the server would tell the clients that don't have the images to go download them. Also, what I mean by telling the clients to download is not like telling the player to download them from the service, but the client itself will go and download it.

What could happen here, could also be used for GUIs, and possibly just client add-ons in general.

Would there a better way to do this? Is there anything that should be added? Should this happen at all?
sorry if my writing sounds redundant, I don't normally post on the Blockland Forum, so I don't have practice.

the system is fine as it is imo. if the client had to download every decal and face, they would be downloading so many images that they would never use it would just be impractical. RP servers or anything like that can simply post the download in the welcome message and kick/ban players without the clothing.

the system is fine as it is imo. if the client had to download every decal and face, they would be downloading so many images that they would never use it would just be impractical. RP servers or anything like that can simply post the download in the welcome message and kick/ban players without the clothing.
What if the clients would be downloading temporary images that will be removed after server disconnect, and maybe only the certain images that are currently being used in the server would be downloaded? The client would download the images, apply them to the avatars currently in the game, and then delete the images on disconnect. If a player were to equip an image not already loaded, then the client that doesn't have it would load it. When the player removes the image, the client with it will remove the temporary files. Also, this wouldn't affect the image add-ons that the clients already have.

A client mod can't really send images anywhere. It would need to be integrated in the engine to be useful.

I think it is a bit of a bummer that players can't download the faces/decals of the host server. To me it makes faces/decals pretty useless.

the problem with this idea is research

the problem with this idea is research
Aren't there already ways for users to display research in their servers anyway?

Aren't there already ways for users to display research in their servers anyway?
Not as easily as this would be.

You could always add prefs to disable the download on the client side and a way for admins to block people from uploading decals on the server side. There's no reason to cripple a system just because some people insist on being stupid.

Not as easily as this would be.
research prints aren't as easy as this would be?

research prints aren't as easy as this would be?
yes, because this doesn't require the person with research to be hosting the server

You could always add prefs to disable the download on the client side and a way for admins to block people from uploading decals on the server side. There's no reason to cripple a system just because some people insist on being stupid.
that would be pref bloat, and inexperienced computer users (read: children 8-12 y/o and computer-illiterate adults) wouldn't know to check the options/where to look in options to find a way to disable this

look at things from the "bob is an english major and has no clue how they work past folders and double-clicking .exe's" perspective. understand that your experience with coding and computers is clouding your ability to see things as if you didn't know how they work.

yes, because this doesn't require the person with research to be hosting the server
Well yeah that's dumb, but I don't see any reason why badspot couldn't just make it so the players download faces/decals from the host.

Well yeah that's dumb, but I don't see any reason why badspot couldn't just make it so the players download faces/decals from the host.
cus in that case it mostly defeats the purpose, because the host is unlikely to have all the decals and faces that its players have. it would be only a small change from the current state of things

cus in that case it mostly defeats the purpose, because the host is unlikely to have all the decals and faces that its players have. it would be only a small change from the current state of things
The purpose being what?

I'm thinking of it more from the host's POV, not the players. If I host a star wars server, I want to be able to dictate which chest/face decals should be used. If players downloaded my decals when they joined, it adds value to the experience. Currently that's not possible, so that's a worthwhile change from the current state.

Instead, I have to create custom playertypes with a UV mapped chest and face.