Faster downloading?

[OmnificienT]

One thing that really bothers me in Q2, so also in Paintball, is the slow downloading of new maps. I know a regular Q2 bsp is about 300 kb or more. but a download takes more than a few minutes to complete! I suppose higher speeds are possible with broadband.. So an advice: Change the downloading protecol.

I'm happy to give any help you need, I'm not a good programmer dough, still learning VB .NET.


Thank you and Greetings,

OmnificienT

[JR]

A few minutes ain't so bad,  It's a good time to puff one down before the acrion begins.

[StriFe]

If there's a map I don't have I just exit dpb and get it from http://dpball.com/files/maps/

[bitmate]

But not every map is on that website.
Well, on the other side, every map which is worthy to have, is on that website

[jitspoe]

It's on the todo list.  I actually started implementing it, but never finished.

[toM|vendettA]

Jits, here is a possibility maybe...

Have a dedicated server stricltly for downloading maps and make the download speed not capped.. When you dont have a map the game switches from your normal server to the dl server, dls the map at normal speeds, then reconnects you to the normal server. From what I understand, the only reason there so slow is so that it doesnt lag the players that are playing on the server, but if there is no one playing on the d/l server, then theres no lagging them.

Would that work?

[OmnificienT]

I mean, like R1Q2 actually. (I think) It supports a newer faster proctocol than the standard Q2 protocol (I think HTTP or something).
Perhaps a look at the R1Q2 source code?

[jitspoe]

The problem with HTTP downloads from a download server is that the server has to have all the content.  That's a lot to manage in this mod.  Another problem is that some people have difficulties connecting to certain servers, or certain ports are blocked, or the download server may be down.  What if it's a lan-only game with no Internet connection?  Also, who is going to pay for the bandwidth on the download server to keep it up?

I think improving the in-game downloads is the way to go.  That way people are guaranteed to be able to obtain the files.