sv_downloadurl (explanation)

I grabbed this from the other post so that people could view it easier, thanks to the original author.

EDIT: I have just released software for you to easier use this feature! Check out my website: http://www.steampowered.com/forums/s...threadid=51410

--
the "sv_downloadurl" cvar

============================================
Half-Life Fast HTTP Asset Downloading Instructions
V1.02 January 22, 2004


SUMMARY
-------

Half-Life now supports the download of custom content (maps,
skins, sounds,
and so on) from a HTTP server (ie: webserver) when connecting,
instead of
downloading directly from the game server itself.

HTTP downloading has three major benefits:

1) There is no impact on the game server when downloading
custom content, as
a completely separate HTTP content server does the transfer

2) Players will download custom content at their maximum
transfer rate,
resulting in *much* faster downloads

3) Players who are downloading custom content do not take up a
player slot
on the server while they wait


WHAT PLAYERS CONNECTING TO A SERVER WITH CUSTOM CONTENT WILL SEE
----------------------------------------------------------------

When a player connects to a server utilizing custom content, one
of two
things will occur:

1) If the server is not configured for HTTP download, the game
server
will use the normal "trickle" download mechanism

2) If the server is configured for HTTP downloading, the player
will
see an enhanced download dialog, and much faster downloads.
While
this content is downloading, they are not connected to the
game
server. Once the download finishes, they are automatically
reconnected to the game server, and ready to play.


CONFIGURING YOUR SERVER TO USE FAST HTTP ASSET DOWNLOADING
----------------------------------------------------------

1) Make a list of all the custom files (bsp, wav, mdl, etc)
used on your server

2) Put these files on a HTTP server (ie: webserver), keeping
the folder
layout intact

3) OPTIONAL: To display a "banner image" to players that
download content,
place a 340x56 pixel image in the file <custom content
directory>/gfx/banner.gif

4) Set the sv_downloadurl cvar to
"http://yourserver/custom_content_directory/"


Example:

Your server uses the non-standard map "de_generic", which
requires the following files:

C:\Program
Files\Steam\SteamCache\your@email.address\Counter-Strike\cstrike\maps\de
_generic.map
C:\Program
Files\Steam\SteamCache\your@email.address\Counter-Strike\cstrike\de_gene
ric.wad
C:\Program
Files\Steam\SteamCache\your@email.address\Counter-Strike\cstrike\sound\a
mbience\de_generic_a.wav
C:\Program
Files\Steam\SteamCache\your@email.address\Counter-Strike\cstrike\sound\a
mbience\de_generic_b.wav
C:\Program
Files\Steam\SteamCache\your@email.address\Counter-Strike\cstrike\sound\a
mbience\de_generic_c.wav


You have web space (perhaps through your ISP) with the URL
"http://www.turtlerockstudios.com/~matt" that you will use to
host your
custom content.

To do this, you copy the files needed for "de_generic" to your
webspace,
placing them in a folder called "my_cstrike" in your webspace
top-level directory,
keeping their directory layout intact.

You now have the following files in your webspace:


http://www.turtlerockstudios.com/~m.../de_generic.map

http://www.turtlerockstudios.com/~m.../de_generic.wad

http://www.turtlerockstudios.com/~m...mbience/de_gene
ric_a.wav

http://www.turtlerockstudios.com/~m...mbience/de_gene
ric_b.wav

http://www.turtlerockstudios.com/~m...mbience/de_gene
ric_c.wav

You now set the "sv_downloadurl" cvar on your game server to
"http://www.turtlerockstudios.com/~matt/my_cstrike/". Now,
players who connect
to your server will automatically download the map "de_generic"
and its required
files from your webspace when they connect (unless they already
have it, of course).


TECHNICAL DETAILS
-----------------

* The maximum length of the sv_downloadurl is 127 characters

* A username and password can be specified for the HTTP server
by embedding
them in the sv_downloadurl like so:

http://usernameassword@www.somewhere.com/

( Note - recent IE patches make disable this functionality )

* If a connecting player has an existing file of the same name,
it will not
be overwritten. The download file will be skipped.

* Certain game-crtical and/or dangerous files cannot be
downloaded (ie: *.exe, *.vbs, etc)

thx whoever stickied this

[]SK[]

Wow I never knew this. Great idea tbh. Question though, if it is not found on the webserver will it download from the server as normal?

No it won't, it disconnects the client and they cannot join.. that's why I created/released the KST 404 Manager.. what it does is when a file isnt found.. instead of giving HLDS a 404 not found error.. it creates a blank file (of the name CS requested) and lets the user download it.. so no harm to CS, your server, no lost connections.. KST.KaoticElites.com

[]SK[]

So what happens to the client when they download fake files? Surly they will just fail and leave the end user puzzled?

No, in the console it just says "Missing Riff/Wav chunks" no actual errors or user-issues are visible..

[]SK[]

So when the file is corrected it will replace the dummy files with the correct ones?

I'm not 100% sure but if VALVe has any sense in them it should

[]SK[]

Whats wrong with them having a 404 error rather than giving them dummy files, eitherway they dont get to play the map in question?

Originally posted by KaOsX
No it won't, it disconnects the client and they cannot join.. that's why I created/released the KST 404 Manager.. what it does is when a file isnt found.. instead of giving HLDS a 404 not found error.. it creates a blank file (of the name CS requested) and lets the user download it.. so no harm to CS, your server, no lost connections.. KST.KaoticElites.com

.. If its a map.. thats another story.. however if its a sound file.. (which is what i intended it for) than it works perfectly..

Does this still work? I am not able to get it working...I have all the files and folders setup on our web server correctly, and put the sv_downloadurl "http://npwcs.com/cstrike/" in server.cfg but server still does the trickel download we connecting. Is there anything else I need to check or change? I also tried the "http://npwcs.com/my_cstrike/" but it didnt work either, does the webserver have to have directory browsing enabled for this to work?

Not sure. Maybe you should try it? Your configuration sounds correct so im sorry but im clueless

I got it to work... My hlds test server was out of date and didn't recognize the sv_downloadurl cmd... Directy browsing does not have to be turned on for this to work. The last question would be how do you get the OPTIONAL: To display a "banner image" to players that download content, place a 340x56 pixel image in the file <custom content directory>/gfx/banner.gif to work?
I put a custom gif in both cstrike/gfx on server and webserver and it just shows empty black box when it's downloading... Any idea there? Thanks for the help.

No, it says that that needs extra files that they will release in a few weeks.

[]SK[]

KaOsX: Can you give me a reply to my 2nd to last post on here please?