Whats possible, that does not require "extra steps" ?

[gamerpaddy]

im asking, What is technically possible while modding 7dtd that does not require the players to "do something" other than "click join" to play on a custom server?

I know, xml modding and harmony cs scripts can go quite far.
Change and add things with assets that are allready in the game etc..
but as soon as you want to implement content that the server cannot send to the client, its over.
like custom item icons.. models.. sounds. buttons in prefabs..

the player has to download a mod to be able to use/see it.
and as long as there is no workshop or content-sending support (like in source engine games), its a extra step i want to avoid.

let alone the necessary steps with SDX (or whatever is used to patch game files, havent modded in years idk.).

Also, what type of modifications makes the game unable to be started with EAC turned on? not great for public servers.

 

[Blue mame]

Mods containing DLLs will not launch under EAC; other mods, such as models, can currently launch normally.

Apart from XML content and server-side scripts, any modifications require players to download them—icons, models, POIs, etc.

 

[Prisma501]

Also, what type of modifications makes the game unable to be started with EAC turned on? not great for public server

Serverside only xml mods and harmony patches (dll's) won't be needing EAC off.

 

[Riamus]

XML mods don't require downloading separately as they are just modifying the files that the user already has in vanilla. Server-side mods that impact how the server handles the game don't need downloaded because they only affect the server. Any other mod will require downloading. This includes anything that has custom models/art/etc. New files do not get sent to the client by the host/server.

There is one caveat to this... custom POI can be used without being downloaded, but there are restrictions to doing so:

• If the custom POI uses custom blocks, those will not be downloaded and the client will see a blue question mark block instead, which isn't a good experience.
• If the POI uses things like key racks and buttons to trigger things, these will not work on the client. In order for the client to trigger those, they'll have to destroy the key rack or button. That does work, but it's not a great experience for the player. If the triggers aren't important (they don't trigger zombie spawns), then it isn't too big of a deal to just bypass the door or whatever that is triggered by it, but if it triggers spawns, a clear quest cannot be completed without destroying the key rack or button so the spawn triggers. Or, if the key rack or button triggers a door that then triggers the spawn, the player can destroy the door **AND THE DOOR FRAME** to trigger the spawn instead of the key rack or button. So it's possible to play those without downloading them, but be sure your players are okay with it. If at least one player in a party has the POI installed, that player can trigger those key racks or buttons for the party.
• A custom POI will not be visible until the clients are close to it because the clients will not have the imposters file for the POI. This isn't critical, but it can look odd when everything else shows up in the distance and one POI suddenly appears when you get close to it.
• Certain admin commands like teleporting to the POI will not work if used on a client that doesn't have the POI installed.

The reason custom POI can be used without downloading (with restrictions) is because the POI are basically just part of the map, so when the map downloads, all vanilla block locations are included in that download. So the POI is on the map but none of the POI files are downloaded.

Just be warned that if you want to have custom POI without requiring that the clients download them, you should make it very clear to the clients that not downloading those custom POI can create an experience that isn't very good. You'll need to decide if it is worth it.

Also, there was a change in 2.5 (I believe) that made custom POI sometimes have problem completing clear quests if the client doesn't have them downloaded. Basically, if a player without the POI completed the quest, instead of saying to go back to the trader, it would just say to stay in the area. Leaving the area wouldn't cancel the quest, but the quest couldn't be turned in. I don't know if that's been fixed yet and they worked fine in previous versions. So I'd test that if you decide to not require clients to download any custom POI.