Is having skins uploaded to the server possible?

[njc413]

In sure this has been brought up before but as the title reads, would it be possible when a player joins a server, their skins are uploaded to the server for everyone else to pull from and see. I'm a student studying IT and I understand the bandwidth constrictions and many other burdens this would put on the machine acting as the server. Also, say if a player is using skins from an saf pack, would just those jm and one files be uploaded or would the whole pack be uploaded? I've just been trying to think of different ways this would be possible but I don't really understand the concept of online multiplayer graphics. I do understand that the server is not supplying the track layout and graphics itself because it is locally on everyone else's computers. Anyways, I welcome JLV to comment and any one else especially those who have really made this game the best MX (too many to list) to put forth ideas.

[Rayvenator]

Yeah this has been brought up before but it can't be talked about enough. There should be an option to upload your skins to a server and an option for you to download low-res skins from that server when you play online. I think it was need for speed that did this exact thing and it works very well from what I've heard. This would add so much immersion to the game and will give the hardworking skinners some well deserved cred. I for one would be happy to help fund a project like this if someone had the knowledge to make it happen and if jlv would allow it.

[Wahlamt]

You seem to be aware of the struggles (hallelujah) and not be another one "dis is ez".

• Slow computers - Not sure how much this would affect in particular, but some people already struggle with the game as it is.
• Slow internet connections - Many people here are on slow satellite connections, still with good pc's able to handle it.
• File sizes - As most people doesn't seem to understand what "optimize" images mean, or just "I RUN 4K BECAUSE I CAN YO", you will end up with 10th's of gigabytes of skins, that doesn't even look that good. Yamalube SX, their pack alone is 500mb, HLTN, their team pack ended up being over 1GB... But if people would: 1. Use the same JM', not just rename their ones, but actually sharing them (the name), we'd get less files and smaller sizes. 2. If people would optimize their images, at some cases you could save up to 80% of the image file.
• Poor skins - Lets face it, a lot of people online use skins that aren't that pretty, especially when people are new to the game and haven't grasped the basics of skinning.
• Verify validity of a skin - If a skin, let's say "Joe Motocross" skin is downloaded. When should it be deleted? Will he use a new skin next time you see him? Should the game automatically delete downloaded skins that haven't been used in 30 days? Should you delete the old skin if Joe Motocross has new ones?
• File or pack? - If a skin is in a saf, along with the other 90 different team PNG's (wheels, helmets, gear, bikes). Can you even download one skin then or do you HAVE to download 90 other skins you won't need?

Ultimately this concludes that it'd be terrible, as the state of which the models are in right now. I'd much rather see an implementation of automatically downloading tracks you don't have upon connecting to a server where you don't have the current track. With the skins, no joke, just going into 03 with 15 people on, you'd probably get at least 500mb of skins. After three races, you'd have yet another 500mb because of all new riders connecting to the server.

[Rayvenator]

That's why having the game temporarily downloading really low-res version of the skins is the only way. Other game does this and it works

[Wahlamt]

That's why having the game temporarily downloading really low-res version of the skins is the only way. Other game does this and it works

You will still need to download the full model (jm's), regardless of the skin. Sometimes the jm's are really size'y too unfortunately.

[Ohagan75]

That's why having the game temporarily downloading really low-res version of the skins is the only way. Other game does this and it works

You will still need to download the full model (jm's), regardless of the skin. Sometimes the jm's are really size'y too unfortunately.

Thats why games like iRacing have these features, because the cars all use the same model. In sim you can have and endless amount of different variations of the same bike with fat bars, twinwalls, exhausts, etc. it woud never work with a game with as much customization as we have.

[Rayvenator]

That's why having the game temporarily downloading really low-res version of the skins is the only way. Other game does this and it works

You will still need to download the full model (jm's), regardless of the skin. Sometimes the jm's are really size'y too unfortunately.

Thats why games like iRacing have these features, because the cars all use the same model. In sim you can have and endless amount of different variations of the same bike with fat bars, twinwalls, exhausts, etc. it woud never work with a game with as much customization as we have.

Yes of course this is right my bad. The only solution would then be to have one model for each brand come with the game and having just skins for it. But yeah it's probably not viable

[njc413]

That's why having the game temporarily downloading really low-res version of the skins is the only way. Other game does this and it works

You will still need to download the full model (jm's), regardless of the skin. Sometimes the jm's are really size'y too unfortunately.

Thats why games like iRacing have these features, because the cars all use the same model. In sim you can have and endless amount of different variations of the same bike with fat bars, twinwalls, exhausts, etc. it woud never work with a game with as much customization as we have.

Very true, thanks for the explanation and clarification guys.