Pre-Load Images?

[Skunktaur]

Steam claims that it has downloaded my workshop content and it's ready to play. But when I start up a game with a workshop mod, I can sit around for ten minutes and the images are still loading -- or in one case they never load at all, giving me a "WWW image error" indicating that it's trying to download them from the Net every single time I play. Is there a way to actually download the workshop content, so that it's ready to play?

[SaltyO]

Yes, Do you have mod caching enabled in Game Config? Test by subscribing to a new mod with some assets you don't have. Load it up to grab new assets, quit steam, load it up again. If it's not loading from local cache, we figure out why.

[Baryonyx]

If you were to preload all files from all mods at the start of the game, that could amount to god knows how much loading time, (depending on how many mods you have subbed to) if that is what you mean.
The image error you only get if it fails - if it failed the first time, then the file usually won't magically appear the next time...
As Elder Salt said, mod caching is the key here. If you have that, it only downloads files once and then stores them on your computer, but they still need to be loaded. But seriously, preloading mods at game start is not an option. Believe me.

[Skunktaur]

I checked the Mod Caching setting within the game; it was on. I tried subscribing to "Forbidden Desert", which I didn't already have but recognize the images for. It downloaded, supposedly. I started up TTS and loaded a local game with Forbidden Desert. Most of it loaded, but not the character card images -- so eg. I had blank images for the Explorer and Water Carrier and so on, but loaded images for the rules on the back of each, and images for the specific items but not the back-of-item-card image. Waited a while and the other images never loaded. Now, my Net connection is bad but not so bad that a few dozen images wouldn't load in 10+ minutes, if they're being re-downloaded. And the PC specs should be fine: 2+ GHz, 24GB RAM.
Earlier games I had tried loading on this PC include "Labyrinth" (not the movie one, the basic maze game) and "Space Pirate Amazon Ninja Catgirls".

[Baryonyx]

When there is a problem with file links you should get an error message. It should bring up the custom asset window of that object and tell you what the problem is (check console tab in chat window too).

But keep in mind that when you subscribe to a mod in the steam workshop, it does not yet download any files from the mod. The table save is a text file telling TTS what objects with what custom asset links are placed where on the table. The actual image and model file download starts from within TTS when you open the table for the first time.

[SaltyO]

Right, that's a good detail to remember. Unfortunately you must open decks and open bags to make sure you are loading up/caching all the assets. Annoying but that's how it is. Prevents loading unneeded assets anyway.

[Skunktaur]

OK, I've started a new local server for Forbidden Desert. Everything loaded up right away except the character deck. After several minutes I got the console message "WWW Image Error: Unknown Error". A window popped up for loading a panorama (the background). I hit Import. Nothing happened except that, I think, the ongoing "Loading..." message changed from "24/26" to "25/27". The character deck continued to not load. I have tried searching each of the card decks but that doesn't do anything. Just as I tried to quit to the main menu, another background-loading popup appeared. I hit X this time and instead of failing, a default room background loaded and the "Loading..." message became "0/1".

"Space Pirate Amazon Ninja Catgirls" loaded many of the assets but stalled on the card decks, never loading anything but the back image of one deck. The small Loot tokens seemed to load rapidly when I opened their bag, but opening the decks (via Search) didn't help.

[Baryonyx]

When it shows you the custom asset window, it doesn't want you to import things, but wants to tell you "Hey look, this is the asset that has an error, can you replace it?"
But this is a common misconception among new players and I've read many threads about frustrated people who clicked the import button several times, which of course does nothing if there is an error.

What you can do if the error is not specific is take the link it shows to you and paste it into a browser. If it downloads something, then the problem is with the game unable to connect to the internet properly. If it doesn't download from your browser, the problem is either a broken link or some connection problem in your end.
If it doesn't show a link at all, you can try saving the table and opening the .JSON save file with a text editor and find the object in question to find the link from there.

Hope that helps.