Mapdownloader

[JonnySniper]

Hey guys,
I think the biggest problem in HD2 is, there is no map downloader 
Members of that Forum are very Familiar with HD2 Files etc.
got anybody an idea to realize that in anyway?
and i dont mean an mapsync, what you need to download to use it.
it's so that Windows need to accept thinks that go on the Hard Drive,
isn`t there anyway to get round that problem,like to send direct window commands from Server to client?
That will very useful to bring back HD2 to alive.
Please post your ideas, even if it sounds funny 
Regards.

[Ikaros]

Yes, a known problem.

Also, a "synch over lan" would be helpful. Every time I make a new mission, all the people at the lan party have to copy it into the right folder. And not all of them are good at this, so it takes a lot of time!

A client which connect to the server and synchronize it's own pc with the server will be very useful!

[hdmaster]

Well, it's possible.
Besides my work on the 4ds files, I have started to "patch" HD2. What i was planning to do was to implement:

• CD-key ban
• Mapdownloader
• and some anti-cheat features

It's all done by injecting a .dll to hook some funtions, but when it's ever going to be released it will be a patched hd2.exe that automatically loads the .dll.
Currently I have a .dll here that:

• captures the IP of the server you're connecting to
• checks if the CD key is valid
• captures the name of the map that's currently running on the server

So with some work on the client and server side it should be possible to implement the features i listed above

[JonnySniper]

Nice idea,
but how to patch it?
that patch can only load at a forum or not?
or do you can insert to the autopatch.exe?
CD-Key ban is not really useful i think,i have ca. 200 keys....
its better to work with mac adress or something else.
hdmaster if you need something to program then contact me pls.
i will release an anti cheat tool for cw`s.
it work allready with 32bit systems on XP etc. (http://object-arts.de.tl/News.htm)

[Ikaros]

Even without modifing the HD2 exe,
I was thinking about an indipendent client (a software by itself)
which connects to a certain IP (the server IP), then look inside
a shared folder with a particular name, and
then synchronize the actual hidden directory
with what is found inside that server directory.

For example, the client is an indipendent .exe or .jar named hedsynch.exe
When launched, it connects to //192.168.0.XXX/hedmaps/ and copies
all files found to C:\Programs\Illusion Softworks\Hidden\Mission\

[JonnySniper]

yes thats not hard to realize, BUT
every client need that tool to download, like mapsync and that sucks,becouse the most doesnt download that tool.
thats the reason we need a new patch or something.

[Ikaros]

Well, maybe is not the best solution you can imagine, but it's still better than manually download and save maps.

And if a stand-alone client costs 10 units of programmation, while an autopatching system costs 100 units,
maybe the stand-alone solution could be a good starting point.

[-ViTaMiHnM203-]

Manually downloading is better for me.

[Jason]

Manually downloading is better for me.

Why's that?

[JonnySniper]

@Ikaros
Yes its not the best why but maybe a start =)
i Think this year is the best in 8 years HD2.
so much innovations,its GREAT 

Manually downloading is better for me.

Why's that?

Why's that? =)

[-ViTaMiHnM203-]

Why's that?

Control over what gets changed is a start.

Why's that? =)

Control over what gets changed is a start.

[Jason]

Control over what gets changed is a start.

So, you wouldn't trust an auto downloader? or are you just being difficult as usual Vit

[-ViTaMiHnM203-]

That is correct. I don't have anything ever set to auto download. If I can delete the "update" component of software I do.

[Jason]

eh, I just click no everytime something asks