Is Skinning Still Possible?
I noticed that there's a abysmal lack of TSF player/walker skins on Steam Workshop. Is skinning still possible?
I'm thinking of getting back into making skins for NS2. Namely Aliens Colonial Marines and Imperial Guard skins.
If I am not mistaken, my old skins are no longer working: http://steamcommunity.com/id/KnowsMad/myworkshopfiles/
Please advise, thanks!
I'm thinking of getting back into making skins for NS2. Namely Aliens Colonial Marines and Imperial Guard skins.
If I am not mistaken, my old skins are no longer working: http://steamcommunity.com/id/KnowsMad/myworkshopfiles/
Please advise, thanks!
Comments
What has been changed are the vanilla textures and that there is now the file consistency check.
Updating your old mods textures to work with the new texture style/formats should be quiet easy to do.
The "real" issue is the consistency check:
When a client connects to a server all client files get checked against the server files. If a mod doesn't pass that check it gets disabled. As models and textures get fully checked by default any skin mod will be disabled. Which kinda should explain why they are not that popular anymore.
This consistency check reminds me of the early days of Counter-Strike: Source and Left 4 Dead 2 where client cannot play on servers with sv_consistency "1". However, there are certain mod files that are able to make it past the consistency checks... But I have zero knowledge on consistency checks and have no idea what it was reliant on, size? auth? sig?
So right now, I'm wondering if there's a way to make skins that will pass said consistency checks... Or is this just looking grim from my end?
What files are able to pass depends totally on the given config file and the server admin. Have a look for details at this wiki page .
E.g. I allow at my server any kind of marine skins. Sadly alien skins have been used to gain unfair advantages in the past (aka glowing neon purple skulk skins), so i can't really allow them.
Overall the consistency check is there because otherwise it would be ways to easy to cheat
I checked the link and have a better understanding, but if that is the default ConsistencyConfig.json, then my guess is that most servers would only be ignoring marine hands and not marine skins
Sadly, this is starting to look like a pretty grim endeavour. Maybe I'll use your server to test if my skins work online and not just locally. haha
As you will notice my config checks very less files. Afaik the thirsty onos servers are also using my config too. Not sure about other servers.
If ppl would actually care about skins i would guess more servers would allow skins. Another side effect of a smaller checklist is a decreased loading time
I also found out my old mods weren't broken, just like what you said, they didn't pass consistency checks so the default skin is loaded instead.
I could do first person models, but no fun there.
I hope that in the future, the VanillaConsistencyCheck.json would allow custom marine models. I would be more than glad to return to making more skins for this game.