Some issues with current L4D2 build, Workshop, and UI mods.

[Urik]

Hi.

I'd like to address some certain issues

(not only workshop related) with current L4D2 build.
I've started a separate discussion here because I want to keep it separate from the general bugs / suggestions talk.
[h1Most of these issues are related to current L4D2 Build / Workshop and UI mods[/h1]

#1
resource/ui/l4d360ui/mainmenu.res does not load from workshop addons upon launching the game;
it only appears after returning to main menu from a lobby or a game session.
executing ui_reloadscheme manually every time after launching the game helps as a workaround.

#2
the following resource files do not load from addons ( and ui_reloadscheme / hud_reloadscheme does not trigger their reloading ):

• resource/clientscheme.res
  
• resource/l4d360uischeme.res
  
• resource/sourcescheme.res
  
• resource/trackerscheme.res
  
• resource/chatscheme.res

( and others ending with *scheme.res );
also,

• resource/ui/TransitionStatsSurvivorHighlight.res

(that might not the the full list)

They also not being unloaded (i.e. reset to defaults) when addons containing them get disabled.
I know it has been fixed recently, but now it's broken again. Both in beta and public build.

#3
The new feature that automatically disables conflicting addons is very mod breaking.
I understand that it's done with intention to avoid conflict issues and bugs, but it also brings some troubles with existing addons.
Some mods out there were designed with override in mind, like a smaller addon would be overriding contents of a bigger one with both still being active.
On one hand, it is useful for some players that the game client would take care of conflicts; on the other hand, when it is not wanted, such self-sufficient behavior of the new addon menu is extremely annoying.

#4
There's been a few recurring incidents for me when the game would disable a Main Menu mod addon every time the game is launched
even though there were no cases of conflict.

#5
This issue is related to connecting to addon-restricted servers with certain addons.
Some of Valve's servers restrict addon usage and force client to unload all addons when connected.
However, in some cases, the game would still be looking for some custom material files, and if not found, result in a crash.
I'm talking about a custom, user-defined materials, or in other words, .vmt files that have been defined via:

• - any resources (.res)
  
• - weapon scripts (.txt) - talking about custom weapon icons here

If the defined material files are not present anywhere except in vpk addons (which are unloaded on addon-restricted servers), they will not be found and the game would crash when attempting to use them.
In console, if would output for example:

 CMaterial::PrecacheVars: error loading vmt file for vgui/helloworld

The weapon scripts and resource files themselves are being reloaded fine (except those from the list in #2), but somehow the game still keeps looking for those extra materials.

#6
Just in my opinion, the pop-up dialog window "add-ons have conflicting files" gets annoying; if it was a label (similar to "no addons found") rather than a dialog window, users wouldn't
have to click on "ok" button every time they enter that menu. It does serve good work of getting user' attention on the conflicts though.

[DangerousPerson]

Originally posted by Urik:

If the defined material files are not present anywhere except in vpk addons (which are unloaded on addon-restricted servers), they will not be found and the game would crash when attempting to use them.
In console, if would output for example:

CMaterial::PrecacheVars: error loading vmt file for vgui/helloworld

The weapon scripts and resource files themselves are being reloaded fine (except those from the list in #2), but somehow the game still keeps looking for those extra materials.

I noticed this tonight in the official L4D2 build along with some strange bugs regarding sound. Seems on some custom campaigns (using mapname_level_sounds.txt), this material "spam" in console, along with the absence of special infected sounds (primarily when pinned, boomed, jockey'd etc.) seems to be a pretty consistent bug.

The sound absence happened after disconnecting from a custom campaign, and then Quick Matching into another campaign. If I start a lobby, launch it, I will hear the special infected sounds. But, even after starting a lobby (for an official campaign), exiting, and Quick Matching into another campaign, the sounds are gone again. Seems something buggy with Quick Matching after having launched a custom campaign. Like the official sounds aren't getting properly restored despite:

SoundEmitter:  removing map sound overrides [131 to remove, 118 to restore]

I would have tested this in the Beta build but there is no Quick Matching, because of no servers obviously.

Can any mods take a look at this?