Bandwidth and map sizes

[rhiridflaidd]

I think a really big issue that needs to be adressed is how maps are delivered. For UT2004, at this stage in the game, the game moved away from stock maps and into custom community maps, and this has not happened for UT3.

There ae definitely some excellent maps out there, as MUSC proved, that are far better than some stock maps.

The main issues are
-Bandwidth
-Cached maps being deleted after a certain length of time
-Servers not using redirects, so uploads can be vey slow if the admins don't have access to redirects.

The bottom line is that community maps are just not being used
The reason is that people want to just play, not spend 5-10 minutes downloading a map, only for the round to be half finished, or even worse ,to spend 10 mins downloading a map to find the round is over by the time you start playing.

The easy answer is for MUSC to release official Epic bonus packs of winning maps - and these should be integrated as an optional extra download into the new expansion or the next patch, whichever is sooner.

For UT4, I think epic should have it's own system for picking up good maps sooner, simmilar to the mod whitelist system that existed for ut2004, for those maps to go on a redirect server hosted by epic, and to build in filesharing into the game. Users could tick a box somewhere, then when you are between maps, or offline all the whitelisted maps would be gradually downlaoded and then instaleld from within the game.

Even better if you'd tick a box that would sit against every server name, and that would lead to all of that server's maps being downloaded via filesharing.

Users who agree to share bandwith to upload would get achievement awards within the game.

[HideInLight]

Something I always hated about Unreal was how slow the map downloads were by default even on LAN. To me this was one of the biggest problems that stopped me from lanning and playing custom maps over the net in the past. There must be some logical explanation why the maps/muts can't be downloaded faster without setting a redirect which like you say people don't always have access to or know how to use.

The communty tap could prove to be of some use,but tight now it's just plain useless. Lots of stuff in UT3 can be improved, downloading a map at 4-10kb/s is one of them...Btw how do you set up a redirect on a LAN, could never find info on it...

[rhiridflaidd]

Servers set up propperly ( I dunno how, sorry) will actually push you a 50MB map in 2-3 mins - but that depends on a player's bandwidth.

If you've got a 2mb connection or if you're shaped, it would be far longer I guess - and most casual players (and even some experienced players) aren't clear where and how to manually downlaod maps.

[Henrik]

One thing that's always irked the **** out of me is how sometimes I can get a whole 20 mb map in 30 seconds if it's on redirect, but an 80k file that isn't sometimes takes the same amount of time or LONGER.. It's ridiculous.

[xtremexp]

Btw how do you set up a redirect on a LAN, could never find info on it...

You need to set one of your computer as web server.(ip= a.b.c.d. (local adress))
Some web server can be find here: http://www.wampserver.com/en/index.php or here: http://httpd.apache.org/
Then add redirect files (uz3) to the /www folder.
Then set the redirection server of your UT3 server to a.b.c.d. (web server local adress (not internet adress))

[Mr Evil]

Something I always hated about Unreal was how slow the map downloads were by default even on LAN...

There is an option to tell servers to not limit upload bandwith for LANs, but I can't remember what it is.

[Kazimira]

The other problem is so much more info needs to be sent with a UT3 map. But pritty maps need pritty hard work done on them and work means a heafty file size.

[DGUnreal]

The best cure is for gamers to just pre-download the better maps. Many of the clans and private servers actually list on their main site what custom maps they are running on the server and links to downloads. Gamers just need to more involved in this instead of relying on server-push or redirects.
I don't think Epic should release packs with the MSUC winners or their fav map sets, as this just adds more disparate links spread around to the same content.

[Pop!]

I have to wonder what the point of the MSUC is, if Epic throw money at people to make maps, but do nothing to encourage anyone to actually play them.
Folks have made some amazing maps. So what a waste that no one is playing them

Pop!

[DGUnreal]

MSUC already provides plenty of advertising to the community about the maps. And we don't see them on servers.
Releasing them all as a bonus pack is no different than any server admin already putting the current maps in the cycle, it isn't a guarantee they will get rotated.
Some servers have the CBP maps cycling, some have the HOLPs, it's up to the community to request the servers contain the MSUC winners.

[Pop!]

DGUnreal: Here in Europe, the Multiplay and Midway servers are pretty much the most popular by a long shot. However, you try finding one with custom content of any kind. They just don't bother with it. MSUC winners or not.
Given their significant link with Epic, its a poor show that even they don't bother with the extra maps that the MSUC has ultimately provided.
Epic wanted people to make maps. But what have they done to get the maps onto their related servers? And thus encouraging people to play the maps they wanted?
Seems a bit pointless without that support.

Pop!

[Kazimira]

If Epic brought out the contest winners maps in some way it'll be like servers haveing map packs. Somehow though custom content needs to be encoraged.

[Harmerty]

people whining is a plague, for and against!!
Why do you think MS pays so much to change their image!!