[SUGGESTION] Download Maps In Background

I suggest an option to download all available maps from a server while the player is participating in the current map, at a download rate set by the server.

It would also be nice to have a server side option to enable multiple concurrent map downloads to the same user if the server admin wants to allow it, and if enabled in the client options as well.

Players with 56k to 1.5mbps to might see some extra latency, but it would decrease load times drastically for the majority of players.

I think as an optional thing(disabled by default) it is a very nice to download maps in the background to minimize load times.
The first issue is that as I understand it(i read it some time ago, so check this), maps are downloaded into the dlcache directory which acts like a temporary folder: maps in it are unaccessible in local games and they are always re-downloaded and replaced on the local hard disk when an already downloaded map starts on the server(to ensure everyone has the same map)
So the custom-map management has to be redone for this to work (maybe by using checksums or something equal)
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The second thing is that it drastically increases the server bandwidth load on servers with lots of custom maps(even maps that aren't played often are always transferred to everyone).
But this is not a real problem as long as the auto-download feature stays optional.

Actually... you're both rather wrong on some things:

#1: The engine doesn't download the same map twice, even if it is in dlcache. This is ONLY the case if the bsp file for the package is different than the one which the server needs.

#2: Maps are not downloaded directly from the server, they're downloaded from another host. So the maps you download aren't actually from the server you're on, but rather a map directory like maps.nexuizninjaz.com (Although this is an example for Nexuiz, there are others)

But to address your idea: No, this really shouldn't be done by default (And I would greatly discourage it) for a few reasons: It sucks to download 50 maps at once.... it also means that you secretly download hundreds of megabytes of maps without even knowing.

I should point out that, it actually is still possible though... All the server has to do is add the pk3 files they want to the sv_curlpackages "" cvar and put text files in each of the pk3s which correspond to the cvar, then any pk3 which matches the cvar will automatically be downloaded upon connect (if the client doesn't already have it) It takes a little work to set up, but if this is REALLY the result you want then this is what you'd need to do.

This is a decent idea IMO. Perhaps rather than setting it as an option that applies to all servers someone joins, be able to enable it only for specific servers? Ie: Automatically download all the maps from a server added to favorites, as this would assume they'ed be in that server often. Saves disk space for maps you don't play, and players with decent connections who hate waiting for maps to download each round don't have to Or perhaps to take it one step further, and only have the game download the next map in the rotation in the background of the first map (assuming a non-voting server of course).

The idea was to download a max 5 maps at any given time. And it would be OFF by default in server and client options. Clients would have the option to enable it if they want to use the HDD space. The average client would most likely only set his/her max to 1.


It could go over 5 downloads, if anybody really wanted to, but it would not be practical obviously.

What if we had mapvotes appear in the middle of a match, and when the next map was decided the clients would start downloading said map (throttled of course so there's very little extra lag)

What if we had mapvotes appear in the middle of a match, and when the next map was decided the clients would start downloading said map (throttled of course so there's very little extra lag)

The idea is not bad, but I guess many people would not vote like they do with similar usual votes (endmatch etc.).

I think it's a good idea, but it has a big downside: It increases your ping while your are downloading. Its impact in ping increment could differ from one client to another.

I think it's a good idea, but it has a big downside: It increases your ping while your are downloading. Its impact in ping increment could differ from one client to another.

Could automatically adjust the download rate as to not raise the ping (much)? :p

I think it's a good idea, but it has a big downside: It increases your ping while your are downloading. Its impact in ping increment could differ from one client to another.

Could automatically adjust the download rate as to not raise the ping (much)? :p

When my parents are browsing in another computer I have some peak pings of > 300ms. Imagine that for a long donwload (a >3MB map). At least for me it would be unplayable. Then we need to define 2 download rates:

- The normal donwload rate: it's when you are only waiting before enter to any map. This rate should be like everybody now we have it.
- [b]The ingame donwload rate[b/]: it's the rate used when at the same time you are playing (which it should be more little for don't have a big impact in game).