Progressive map loading

[.50 Caliber]

I had an idea, but it may require more than one server, but better type it out before I forget about. Since Source engine games have very small maps. So I was wondering if you could 'Link' servers. it would be like Hyperspace Jumps you'll just move to one face of the map and you'd be transferd to the next server with your 'Contraption' in space, I also think it would take the work loads of servers, but double the price. Hay Bryan it might work with one of your games or something.

[[Bryan]]

Its possible, there are some multi-server gmod roleplay communities out there that handle some sort of thing like this from what I've read. A lot of custom stuff going on in the background to facilitate this and I've really no idea what it all entails but it would be nice if it were possible for a live-hand-off a clients connection from on server to the next making things nearly seamless with minimal load times. I don't think the source engine was really made for such things without heavy modification on the back end but would be an interesting technological showcase.

[Ironwatsas]

I had a similar idea, yes?

Would it be possible for a jumpgate-like structure. Basically, something that would duplicate any contraption that enters it, remove it, send it to the destination server, then respawn it, and respawn the player in the same relative position to the ship.

Or similarly/alternately, like the individual stages of the HL2 campaign, but only affecting a similar client?

[[Bryan]]

I had a similar idea, yes?

Would it be possible for a jumpgate-like structure. Basically, something that would duplicate any contraption that enters it, remove it, send it to the destination server, then respawn it, and respawn the player in the same relative position to the ship.

Or similarly/alternately, like the individual stages of the HL2 campaign, but only affecting a similar client?

Short answer: Possible? Yes!

Not so Short answer:

This would need to incorporate some fancy footwork on the back-end for the servers involved. First a somewhat sophisticated persistent network connection would need to exist between the two and at the very least state information would need to be passed between all servers involved and possibly handled by a master server that keeps everyone on the same page. This could be mitigated by having the servers electing one of the servers as the master in case the master server goes offline or whatever, regardless this server network would need to be synchronized on several levels.

Secondly there would have to be a sort of shared data repository between all of the servers that would need to be accessed or duplicated to all the participating servers in a given network not only for sending contraptions to one server but to also ensure that the content on each server is homogeneous as well. This would have to be an relatively fast/dedicated connection as well between each server to send across a blob for replicating a contraption from one server to the next as well as all of the state information that would have to be saved on the originating server as well. Granted that all goes well a player and his contraption(enties props) and all their state information can be migrated to a new server and re-instanced without loss of fidelity but it will take time as the server hand-off is done.


I cannot say how the best way to do it would be that would yield the expected results in the source engine/garry's mod, and I'm sure someone with the tenacity and time to create the module(s) needed to build the intra-server network and whatever else is needed. I'd say if it were easy to do the probably there would be more examples of it around.