Workshop Downloading

[ocbaker]

Hey,

These are my suggestions for how Workshop Content should be handled.

Feel free to comment and provide feedback, I am interested to hear from a Steam Developer/Rep/Game Developer for their opinions as well.

Issue 1
Subscribed Items should be downloaded by the Steam Client (Like Games/DLC) instead of by the game.

Why?
-> Games have to have their own implementations for downloading Mods.
--> Skyrim does not show percentage of download complete, what's to say another mod will even show me how far though my mods I am?
--> With my 50 Skyrim mods, it takes 2 minutes to confirm they are all upto date.
--> Steam will be better at creating a more efficient downloading system than a third party.
-> Waiting for Mods to update in the launcher is boring, having them Auto-Update is more fun.
-> Not every game has a launcher, and even Skyrim the player needs two links for Skyrim (the other being Skrim Script Extender)

Issue 2
Mods (going of Skyrim Mods) are restricted to simple changes. Mods like SKSE, Skyrim-Online, FX Injector all can't be added to the workshop since they are not handled by Skyrim's Launcher.
Disclaimer: I understand this is by design of Skyrim and not the workshop.
Mods should be given their own install scripts like Skyrim Mod Manager Mod Packages.
Why?
-> Mods like Skyrim Script Extender can be added to the Workshop.
-> Mods which require more complicated actions can do those actions.
-> Perhaps mods with install scripts can be optional, but require the Downloader to confirm the Mod may be malicious.

Issue 3
Large Mods when updated require the whole mod to be redownloaded. If a mod like HD Textures was added and updated I would have to redownload several GB. Mods should be provided the ability to upload Patches, so that the uploader/downloader only has to transfer what is needed.

Why?
-> Countries like NZ have slow upload speeds, having to reupload a huge mod is a waste of bandwidth.
-> Large mods need to be able to patch themselves otherwise downloaders will get bored waiting for an update.
-> means an overall reduced bandwidth consumption for Steam.


Issue 4:
For Skyrim as a Use Case: If I want to disable a mod, I can unsubscribe since the mod is not actually deleted by Skyrim Launcher. This functionality is still an exception rather than rule so there is no defined way of disabling mods.
Please define a way in Steam to disable Subscribed mods without unsubscribing.

Why?
-> there is no official way of disabling mods that has been defined by Steam, so there is potential for non-consistant Use Flows between games.
-> Unsubscribing (and consequently deleting) a large mod only to re-subscribe later is painful.

Other Issues(A List for mostly the Workshop browser):
-> No Mod Search.
-> Not enough filters (Can I hide mods I have subscribed to?)
-> No way for mods to alert the user & game to the version of the game the Mod is compatible for. (Or at least not obvious enough for me)
-> No way for Mod Uploaders to create formatted descriptions for their mods.
-> No way for uploaders to store multiple version of their mod on the Workshop (Some people need obsolete versions of their mods, Use Case: Minecraft)
-> No way for mods to specify incompatible mods
-> No straightforward way of telling if two mods conflict (I know this is a hard request)
-> No way of identifying mods I have already subscribed to when navigating through the list of mods.
-> No way of preventing mods downloading on specific computers. (I want my HD mod on my Desktop, but not my Laptop)
-> A lot of functionality around the workshop is implicit instead of explicit, and needs either defining or re-defining to be a standard, does Subscribe mean I am going to download the mod? Will unsubscribe delete my mod for my pc or not?

[TezKw]

I agree with most of that, the most being the Updating, having to download the full mod again is just plain stupid. And not showing download size or percentage? come on, everything should show that