Default cache settings are killing custom servers and content

[BlueCloud]

First of all, Epic's servers are usually the most popular and they don't host custom content.

I noticed that I was redownloading the same maps frequently even though I don't play much custom content(servers don't have custom maps coz they empty it). So I explored the cache settings.

These are the default settings in UTEngine.ini

StaleCacheDays=30
MaxStaleCacheSize=100
MaxOverallCacheSize=300

That means the default size of the cache is a miserly 100MB. That is what,one and half Warfare map? And I found maps in my cache that I never played since a year. Those must be the stale cache maps.

The default installation size of UT3 after the Titan pack is around 9.5GB. And the default cache is set to 100MB with storage being so cheap these days? That's around 1% of the installatio nsize. I know about downloading map packs, USucc, Cache coverters, changing the cache settings, everything.
But the question is, how do I, as a Warfare server admin, convey all these to the players who just quit the server on having to download? How can we expect users that can't wait 3 minutes to mess with cache settings? I was helping someone on voice chat to change the cache settings the other day on ventrilo and it was a pain. Imagine trying to do that in chat. There's no proper MOTD like in UT2004. Hardly anyone ever checks the game tab ingame to see the server message.

It's just sad to see nice custom content made with great effort go waste because no one gets to play them online. Epic's servers usually are the only ones populated and host zero custom content. It's hard to get any other custom content going on other servers, because of various reasons, including the default cache settings and impatient people. All this is compounded by the fact that the settings make people download the maps again and again, unnecessarily increasing the load and bandwidth costs of the redirect servers.

I guess many mappers are also not happy with their efforts not even being given a fair trial and some now seem to be just making good looking maps for the MSUC instead of maps with good gameplay for people to play on. Can't really blame them, it's tough to see maps that you pour a lot of time into not get much gameplay or even criticism.

The community has stepped up and come up with cache converters and USucc but they can go only so far. It's been almost 2 years since the game came out,

I guess it's too much to ask for a ingame cache converter but I hope Epic changes the default cache settings and/or makes it configurable in the UI so it's easy to get people to change them. I would recommend something like 1-2GB and 90 days. Right now even a sticky thread explaining how to change cache settings would be appreciated. Please vote on the poll to show your support if you agree.

[Taffy]

I add a tip to the message of the day like this:

!!! TIP !!! To avoid having to keep re-downloading maps, go to your UTEngine.ini file and set StaleCacheDays=99999 MaxStaleCacheSize=99999 MaxOverallCacheSize=99999.

When they complain they have already downloaded the map once I point them to the server welcome screen with the tip. It helps some I suppose.

But yes, I don't know what Epic was thinking when they came up with the default values.

[Pop!]

Thats weird. I voted on the poll, then I was immediately taken to some other post/poll in the UT2003/4 forum!?

But yes.. Default sizes are WAY too small. I increased mine long ago. But many people are just not aware about the whole cache thing. So it is a problem for sure.

Pop™

[[GOW] K1lla]

the default cache settings are a joke...

but the real problem is people not downloading maps before they start the game. i don't know how people can make it any easier to get custom maps

[Mr Evil]

It's sad how whenever a custom map is voted in, half the players leave because they can't be bothered to wait for it to download. Custom content is what keeps the game fresh, so if it's not accessible then the game ceases to hold interest.

[UnrealGrrl]

alot of players (and people in general) are just impatient spoiled virtual crackhead llamas too... anyone who played UT 10 years ago and is still here, was probably like me and downloaded hundreds of MB of maps (maps were a lil smaller) at awesome speeds like 28.8k overnight, just so we could play a map or mod on a server THE NEXT DAY...

so all i have to say to anyone who is dropping connect cause they have to wait 1-2 mins to dl a map (dial up users (do you still exist?) excused) is take a freakin chill pill and wake up and enjoy the custom content. good things come to those that wait (a few minutes).

[UnrealGrrl]

Thats weird. I voted on the poll, then I was immediately taken to some other post/poll in the UT2003/4 forum!?

me to weird

[plugh]

Custom content is what Unreal Tournament is all about, downloading even the largest maps takes only a few minutes in these days of fast broadband. This game was meant to be played online (the bots are 'living' proof), so set your UTEngine.ini as Taffy says...no more Suspense Only servers, no more Stock servers, CUSTOM ALL THE WAY!

[Taffy]

We just played 2vs2 in the new map CBP3v4 Yarith.

The map is 77M and all of us were playing in less than 2 minutes. I can promise you a lot of people will not be willing to wait though.

[BlueCloud]

You should have seen the pub warfare server yesterday. A custom map(Flare) was voted in, only 4 had the map. Some were complaining about the slow redirect(it's actually fast). But within two and half minutes, it was a 8v8 with only 2 people(presumably with slow connections) still downloading! The people complaining about the download speed were happily playing. And of course, we lost around 4 to 5 people because of the custom map. At least it didn't completely kill the server.

[Moloko]

I guess they foresaw a situation arising where peeps would come here saying, "my UT3 install is now taking up 20GB of my HDD!!", you get the idea. It's far too low, but I guess Epic were just being cautious. What we could do with now is a mega pack with patch 2.2 included within it, then like with Titan everyone's got the best new maps. Maybe they'll do this after MSU??

[plugh]

20GB isn't so much nowadays, large HD's are cheap enough, no excuse.

[Moloko]

20GB isn't so much nowadays, large HD's are cheap enough, no excuse.

True, but people pop up here from time to time asking, why it won't run on their shiny new integrated graphics pc

[oldkawman1]

An automatic cache converter is needed. Even if you set you cache sizes larger than the default, the cache contents could get lost when you start the game if it gets reset to default for some reason. If the ini file gets replaced with the default and your 300Gb cache size with 30,000 days before it gets stale, will be deleted and you lose everything in it anyways. Yes, it happened to me. It took several months to happen, but it did.

[BlueCloud]

I guess they foresaw a situation arising where peeps would come here saying, "my UT3 install is now taking up 20GB of my HDD!!", you get the idea. It's far too low, but I guess Epic were just being cautious. What we could do with now is a mega pack with patch 2.2 included within it, then like with Titan everyone's got the best new maps. Maybe they'll do this after MSU??

The answer is easy. Just make the setting 1 or 2 GB and provide the config in the UI. If whiners complain about 1 or 2GB in addition to the ~10GB of the game, they can just tell them to change the settings.