Solution to custom skins, delete if already noted.

[-i.Tanner]

I have come up with a solution to custom skins that is quite "radical" but is non the less quite good, also note that this is a prime solution to mod support. so here we go...

Normally when u think of mod support you think of all the clients waiting to download a mod from the person joining, but this solution eliminates any waiting time, stop me if i sound stupid, but since custom skins are *.bmp image files they could be uploaded to an external server, like you could host a ftp site where you could upload your custom skin, give it a special name, and then tell the mta client to use your custom skin, by its specific name, that way the mta client only sends a text string, and then looks for the image file on the external server. hard to explain, and probably a really stupid idea, but it gives you sumthin to think about.

[StAnToN]

this has been requested before please use the SEARCH button!

[Luigi]

Its not a request its a possible solution

[Si|ent]

Something along these lines was discussed but has a few problems, the server has to be provided for instance. Bandwidth is going to be prohibitive if it is relied upon to host everythign required for all mods. Also what happens years down the line if/when mta:blue is history and people wish to play it, its unlikely that server would still be active.

It's far more likely that a simple URL redirect or notice could be included. i.e. you connect and get a message saying what you need on that server, and where to get it.

[orappa]

I think it should pop up but not make it compulsory to download the skins. I hate it when you have to spend ages downloading 3MB of stuff (slowly, might I add) from the server before actually joining the game.

[Guest]

StAnToN u still making your own MTA ?

[Scorp]

StAnToN u still making your own MTA ?

I think he calls it GTA:C

remember MTA is copyrighted.

[eAi]

That'd be possible, but size is still and issue. Its one of the things I'm planing on looking into when I get time (i'm currently "on holiday"). The main issue is setting actor's skins to an arbitary bitmap, its possible I just haven't quite worked out how yet.

eAi

[-i.Tanner]

In reply to the bandwidth issue, it seems it would be better if a player was to host a skin on their own webspace, and on entry to the game they would send a text string to all clients, telling the exact address of the skin.

[eAi]

Its the issue of bandwidth for players, not the server. If everyone who joins has to download 100KB of skin for each player, that could add up to quite a few megabytes, which could take like 15 minutes for 56k users.

eAi

[Guest]

i agree with mrBump, that works fine, for example with sof2 maps n stuff. if you dont have the proper mod, then you can't enter the server.

i also think you shouldn't have to download skins, just thinks like physics settings and map mods. skins aren't that important

[Gtatari]

Some easy solutions:

gif and jpeg download in a flash on 56k.. sure the game supports bmp, but a client side conversion wouldnt add lag and be a snap, also, the game could just show the default skin until the (gif \ jpeg) has downloaded in the BACK GROUND, so you might not see EVERYONES skins until ten minutes into the game, but this way there be almost no lag added from the downloading of them in the background

[eAi]

Yeah we could do jpeg conversion, but we've got enough on our hands as it is. Once I've looked into how possible this is, we'll see.

eAi

[Si|ent]

Dont talk about jpeg. Certain people get all over-excited and think they've found some big scandal. It's such a shame to dissapoint them.