Help with Custom Player Models online

[UnrealGrrl]

help! I'm trying to install a custom player model on my server and not having any luck.

I installed all the files for the model on my (hosted) server by FTPing them to the proper folders and then also put them on my redirect.
I have alot of custom maps redirecting on my server with no problems, and AllowDownloads in utengine.ini set to true.

but the model files dont send to the player like it does for maps. they never get pushed.

Anyone running custom models out there that can give any help or suggestions to help make this work? or did i miss a meeting?

Thanks!

ps. i tired both compressed and uncompressed files and tried deleting the customchar.ini and editing it to include the custom character info. but neither seemed to make a difference...

im pretty sure i have had other player models pushed to me before on servers so im guessing this works, but any help how is appreciated

[UnrealGrrl]

can anyone who is running custom models on their server pls let me know how you installed them to get them to push to the player?

or will someone from Epic pls pickup up and provide the details on how this should work...

thanks!

[UnrealGrrl]

Update: made some progress but still not working right.

If I create a "Published" folder under the server install \UTGame\Published\CookedPC\CustomChars\ and place the model files in there (instead of under the default \UTGame\CookedPC\CustomChars) then the Faction .u Script and Sound files download to the player (but not .upk Model files). So the game actually sees the faction, and will add a bot from the faction to start the game, but it just shows up as "demoguy" with the Xeno model name (even when included at the start of the match).

So once again, is anyone running a custom model and know what the right setup should be to get the model to dl to the player? (as above, i know if the players already have it they will see eachother) the issue is for those that don't have the model already.)

Thanks for any ideas, suggestions etc.

[{DvT}JonahHex]

You aren't the only one interested in this, UnrealGrrl. So far I have also been unsuccessful getting the game server or the redirect server to push custom characters to the clients.

Could you be a little more specific about your partial success? ie, did you put all of the .upk and .u files in \UTGame\Published\CookedPC\CustomChars\Published\? It seems kind of strange that it would push the Sound .upk files but not the Model .upk files...unless maybe the 207MB size of the UT3_Model_Xeno.upk file has something to do with it.

If the ...\CustomChars\Published location partially works, have you tried continuing the folder structure? IOW, using
\UTGame\Published\CookedPC\CustomChars\Published\C ookedPC\CustomChars
\UTGame\Published\CookedPC\CustomChars\Published\C ookedPC\Script
and
\UTGame\Published\CookedPC\CustomChars\Published\C ookedPC\Sounds\INT

*****
As an aside, speaking of the file size, according to my (theoretical) calculations, it should take about 12.5 min to d/l the raw (uncompressed) Xeno files from a redirect server or about 8 min (36% faster) if the files are compressed...on a 3Mb/s DSL connection...twice that on a 1.5Mb/s connection. I love EvilEngine's Xeno characters, but the time it takes to push them to a client will discourage all but the hardiest of souls.

[UnrealGrrl]

ive spent quite a few hours trying to make it work, but the furthest i have gone so far with the different folders is what i posted above. i'm kinda going in the dark on this since there has been no help or input from Epic. and of course as you know its very time consuming to do trial and error on the server (stopping it, changing content, moving content restarting it everythime you make a change) so i think im about at the end of trying to do this which is very disappointing...

(edit) oh and to be clearer, what i did was 2 things with the "published" folder. First i put the files in the newly created \UTGame\Published\CookedPC\CustomChars\ folder in the same format as they are in the rar (i didnt extend it again - theres not 2 Published, just the one i created), i put them right there in the customchars folder, so it contained the UT_Xeno, Sounds, Script, INT folders under it. Thats when the .u and sound files got pushed from my redirect. When that didnt completely work, I tried just dumping all the files in there with out their specific folders and that didnt work at all.

[HTM~Minion]

There is a way to push custom models, but it requires either the gametype such as "Galtanor's Invasion" to "call" for the model, or a custom mutator to do the same.

The latest version of Galtanor's Invasion (22) actually uses an outside package for the two latest monsters (well one is an exploding babydoll..lol) and a mutator that must be called in your commandline to force the .upk file to download to the client.

If you want to see the package you can d/l the "Dollbomb" model and mutator here.

I know this doesn't really give you what you need to push your models, but so far this is the ONLY way I have seen it done.

[ExcalChico]

It is not possible to push models with standard UT3 as far as i understand.

I tried a few things, like unrealgrrl, with no luck either.

Also i am running an invasion server myself and tried to "abuse" that mod to push a custom skin by putting stuff in the folder structures (various options) and in the ini. I saw an section with server startup packages in the ini. But also there no luck as expected. Not sure i tried all options because as unrealgrrl says it is pretty time consuming with the trial & error methode.

I guess we need a mutator that allows us to push custom models. Untill that moment we are stuck with Epics models.

Cheers

[HTM~Minion]

Well, I have personally loaded models on our server and then through webadmin chose them as the bots to load. Providing the same models were loaded clientside the bots that joined the server were indeed the models.

Now... as you mentioned the missing link is to "push" the .upk files when joining the server. A mutator that is configurable for different models would be the way to go, however I have no such talent to create one.

The new mutator for the additional INV version 22 packages in theory could be modified for different models, but there again I have no clue how to do so.

[sinx]

Give MapMixer a try and see if it helps at all. MapMixer has code to force player models to load for each match clientside. Not sure if this is going to be helpful but at least it is something to try.

UT3 makes the assumption that Each match will have the same player models but MapMixer forces model loads clientside, so it can change models between matches but I don't know if this is going to help you as I've always tested with similar setups on all clients and server.

[UnrealGrrl]

It is not possible to push models with standard UT3 as far as i understand.

I tried a few things, like unrealgrrl, with no luck either.

Also i am running an invasion server myself and tried to "abuse" that mod to push a custom skin by putting stuff in the folder structures (various options) and in the ini. I saw an section with server startup packages in the ini. But also there no luck as expected. Not sure i tried all options because as unrealgrrl says it is pretty time consuming with the trial & error methode.

I guess we need a mutator that allows us to push custom models. Untill that moment we are stuck with Epics models.

Cheers

and while i really like most of the included models, its kinda sad that we cant have servers running all the great custom content thats being created...

Well, I have personally loaded models on our server and then through webadmin chose them as the bots to load. Providing the same models were loaded clientside the bots that joined the server were indeed the models.

Now... as you mentioned the missing link is to "push" the .upk files when joining the server. A mutator that is configurable for different models would be the way to go, however I have no such talent to create one.

The new mutator for the additional INV version 22 packages in theory could be modified for different models, but there again I have no clue how to do so.

yes, thats the problem. i have to give up on this for now cause as you know its a part time job trying to modify a custom server and unfortunately it seems like pushing any content besides a map is just not possible

Give MapMixer a try and see if it helps at all. MapMixer has code to force player models to load for each match clientside. Not sure if this is going to be helpful but at least it is something to try.

UT3 makes the assumption that Each match will have the same player models but MapMixer forces model loads clientside, so it can change models between matches but I don't know if this is going to help you as I've always tested with similar setups on all clients and server.

gave up trying to make it work for now but will try map mixer and see what happens... is it compatable/tested with webadmin? thax for the suggestion!

[vläd]

You should really try MM! After you do I do not think you'll look back. MM does not interfere with Webadmin.

[UnrealGrrl]

WOW! first ill admit i have been way to busy this year to try all the maps, mods and custom content that i would have normally been playing around with for UT3. but WOW - after just installing and messing around with mapmixer for a short bit, all i can say is WOW! why has Epic not hired sinx to remake the UI yet?! (hey sinx apply for that job listed on epics site!)

ok - back on topic. I havent tried it on the server yet cause i couldnt figure out how (have to find some free time - lol) but i will report back once i do and let ya know what happens

really nice work on mapmixer sinx! wow great job!

[vläd]

What I have been doing to set up my server is to setup MM on a client, making sure that everything is working properly against bot matches, then copying the MM files over to the server.

I'm sure that I've forgotten a couple of steps, but that's basically it.

[sinx]

really nice work on mapmixer sinx! wow great job!

Glad you like it. It represents nearly the entirety of the year 2008 for me. When I look back, 2008 will be the year I spent on MM 3.00

[ExcalChico]

WOW! first ill admit i have been way to busy this year to try all the maps, mods and custom content that i would have normally been playing around with for UT3. but WOW - after just installing and messing around with mapmixer for a short bit, all i can say is WOW! why has Epic not hired sinx to remake the UI yet?! (hey sinx apply for that job listed on epics site!)

ok - back on topic. I havent tried it on the server yet cause i couldnt figure out how (have to find some free time - lol) but i will report back once i do and let ya know what happens

really nice work on mapmixer sinx! wow great job!

Hi again.

I agree for 100% it is a beauty

However i found some time to test this puppy on my dedicated testserver.
So far i could not get the custom model to work. It works if the custom model is installed localy but if not the UT3 client will crash.

Here is the last code snippet from my log file.

Log: Flushing async loaders.
Log: Family Asset Package Loaded: CH_RTeam_Male_SF
Log: CONSTRUCTIONING: LoadFamilyAsset (TWIM) Took: 1.21 secs
ScriptLog: CUSTOMCHAR Start: InvPlayerReplicationInfo_0 LocoChico V01
Log: StartCustomCharMerge: 1186.002132 ms initializing, 0.522412 ms texture streaming
Log: CUSTOMCHAR: Merge Mesh: 5.55ms  Composite Tex: 0.02ms
ScriptLog: CUSTOMCHAR Complete: InvPlayerReplicationInfo_0   (Tex stream: 1.3107 Secs)
ScriptLog: PRI Other Merge Start: InvPlayerReplicationInfo_0 LocoChico VBlue
Log: StartCustomCharMerge: 0.119012 ms initializing, 1.059353 ms texture streaming
Log: CUSTOMCHAR: Merge Mesh: 5.94ms  Composite Tex: 0.02ms
ScriptLog: CUSTOMCHAR Complete: InvPlayerReplicationInfo_0   (Tex stream: 0.1525 Secs)
ScriptLog: CustomChar - Load Assets: ASTARTES_M
Log: Begin Async loading packages for Family 'ASTARTES_M':
Log: - WH40kPack
Log: Flushing async loaders.
Critical: appError called:
Critical: Couldn't find file for package WH40kPack requested by async loading code.
Critical: Windows GetLastError: The system cannot find the file specified. (2)
Log: === Critical error: ===
Couldn't find file for package WH40kPack requested by async loading code.

RaiseException() Address = 0x7c812a5b (filename not found) 
CxxThrowException() Address = 0x78158e89 (filename not found) 
Address = 0xba0102   (filename not found) 
Address = 0xe8781b4c (filename not found)

I will test some more later on.

Cheers