Mutliplayer auto-download fix and explanation.

[NuclearMaterial]

So a lot of players have, at one time or another, experienced the issue where you join a game, only for the host to not be able to start because you don't have the map/mod/skin installed that someone else is using and auto-download isn't starting for you. So you quit the lobby, come back in, and it still won't work.

Well a couple of months back I found out why.

What most people are not aware of, is the annoying 'feature' Company of Heroes 2 has where every time you open up the game, it will re-download everything you have subscribed to in the workshop. Everything. Even if you only downloaded it yourself through the steam library before opening the game that day. CoH2 makes this your games priority, to the point that even if you join a lobby and players have content selected that you do not, it will prioritise downloading all the stuff you already have first. For those of us with lots of maps, skins, mods etc in our collection this can take hours (I timed it when I first discovered this and it took over 3 hours for me). So if you are one of those folks where auto-download never seems to work, it is because this is happening to you too.

Enter the solution. The final solution.

Some players will say that it's because your workshop content is simply too big, and you need to delete a load of stuff from it or clear it completely, to which I say, not exactly. What you do need to do, is open the steam library, access your workshop content for the game and unsubscribe from everything. This does NOT remove it. What it does is stops the game re-downloading it each time, but it remains on your hard disk. This means you can still play with anything you've unsubscribed from as long as it is the latest version. Now of course if some content is updated by its author you'll have to re-sub, download and unsub again, but it's a much smaller price to pay to be able to join lobbies and play again. And most content doesn't get updated too often as it doesn't need to be.

Hope this helped folks, fight the good fight!

Additional tip: you can go into options -> graphics -> and uncheck "custom aesthetics", this will stop the game auto-downloading other players skins (which are large files) victory strikes, decals and faceplates. This also stops you being able to see them in-game, but it can be very handy when all you want are the maps and win conditions/mods.

PS. For those interested in how I found out:

If you go into the game's main menu, under Additional Content -> Modding Hub and select the "Manage" tab in the top right, you will see a list of all your workshop files. Sort these by "status" (subscribed/unsubscribed). If you scroll up and down the whole list you should come across a file that has "Downloading (#%)..." in that column. It only downloads one file at a time, and seemingly in a random order. But by sorting it in that column it is easier to spot while scrolling through the list. You will have to scroll up and down quite fast using the mouse & sidebar as some files are very small and the word "Downloading (#%)..." will appear/disappear very quickly. This sounds like BS and until you spot it, it can seem like it is. But once you see that it is downloading things, you'll understand.

Another thing to note, is that while the game is downloading all this content again you will NOT be able to unsubscribe or delete (if you wish) content in that list. You must wait until it is completely finished, which as mentioned, can take hours. This is why I make the suggestion of unsubbing from all the workshop content you have through the steam client instead as you can do that from outside the game.

I've tried to make things pretty clear, both the solution and the reasons behind it, but any questions you have I'll try to answer, albeit I am in a pretty busy spot now over the next few weeks. If you doubt the solution just try it, it doesn't take long and it works. I've used it myself as have my friends that I game with and we all noticed we can join lobbies and actually 'ready-up' much faster.

Edits/additional points:

When you unsubscribe, it doesn't delete content. You can still play with anything you've unsubbed from. The only way to permanently delete content is to do it through the games Additional Content -> Modding Hub -> Manage tab. So feel free to unsub from everyrthing and still enjoy your favourite content!

Note: you will occasionally be DLing things from other players. This means you will be subscribed to other items, so you may find you have to go into the steam library from your desktop and unsubscribe from them again to reduce load times in lobbies.

[Fornax The Lazy]

That's cool.Are you really sure it's gonna work? Because I don't want to pick up some favorite maps out of 500~s when failed......

[NuclearMaterial]

Originally posted by Major Fornax:

That's cool.Are you really sure it's gonna work? Because I don't want to pick up some favorite maps out of 500~s when failed......

When you unsubscribe, it doesn't delete them. You can still play with all of the maps. The only way to permanently delete content is to do it through the games Additional Content -> Modding Hub -> Manage tab. I will put this in the main post to help with confusion over this issue. Unsubbing =/= deleting, so feel free to unsub from everyrthing and still enjoy your favourite maps!

[Gizmo]

Perfect!
This is all I wanted:

Additional tip: you can go into options -> graphics -> and uncheck "custom aesthetics", this will stop the game auto-downloading other players skins (which are large files) victory strikes, decals and faceplates. This also stops you being able to see them in-game, but it can be very handy when all you want are the maps and win conditions/mods.

TY

[NuclearMaterial]

Thanks Gizmo, I should update it and put it in the guide at then end.

[The Mailman Thinks I Am Gay]

Note, it doesnt stop victory stirkes

[NuclearMaterial]

This is true, but victory strikes are very small files, and shouldn't cause a long wait time to download. Admittedly some of them are buggy like the Tirpitz one I think, but it is not such a sacrifice to tell players to unequip them.

[Hypnosis TOAD]

OMG thats it, thanks for telling me that

[NuclearMaterial]

Originally posted by Hypnosis TOAD:

OMG thats it, thanks for telling me that

No problem, spread the word!

[Klunt]

OMG thanks, I had 56 pages of subs!

[NeuralObjection]

Thank you wookie, You dont understand (2) years i have not been able to play a modded online game. I looked through the list and sure enough i see them updating - 563 subscribes to unsunscribe from... a little work to do but i hope this works. thank you for your well explained solution.

[NuclearMaterial]

I still find myself having to do it occasionally, it keeps the game alive for me :)

[AxisInfantryAreOp]

Originally posted by Wookiee Jailbait:

I still find myself having to do it occasionally, it keeps the game alive for me :)

Necro plz

[TNT9527]

0

[Felinewolfie]

I want this pinned !!!!

[Paddy Snake(Diamond Dog)]

Wookie Jailbait, I have tried anything to fix this problem about 2 years, it was unplayable on low settings with my GTX 970 and i7 processor(so I knew it couldn't be about the specs.) and found nothing until I realized it was not responding when I've checked the task manager again, and found this page. Thanks to Wookie Jailbait; when I check my subscriptions, there were about 500-600 pages... Unsub just a few of biggest mods... And the result? I'm playing it on Ultra now! Thanks mate! This really needs to be pinned... :)