Working on what? A Metamod for the HL2 Source engine?
No, not currently. First of all, we will have to wait for Valve to release the SDK. Second, Valve has planned to integrate something like Metamod in the engine, providing a native plugin interface. Should this turn out to be true and happen, there will be no need for a Metamod for the Source engine. Only if that is not the case will we build a Metamod for CS:S.
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I'll just use the opportunity to add a plea, should someone really be reading this.
For some time now people have kept asking when the SDK is going to be released and have been nagging Valve to do so right now, ASAP. Here is what I want to tell those people: PLEASE STOP! LEAVE THEM ALONE!
I understand that server admins are eager to add their beloved plugins to their CS:S servers. I can understand that they are missing functionality in the bare srcds that they hope to gain back from plugins. I can understand that MOD developers are eager to explore the possibilities that the Source engine has in store for them. But pushing the Valve guys to release the SDK sooner than later is not going to help anybody. Au contraire, it means risking to hurt people.
Please understand the ramifications of an early SDK release. This is the Software Development Kit. This is what defines the interfaces between the engine, the MOD and plugins. These interfaces are not finished. Ad Valve is free to change them whenever the need arises as long as they are the only ones accessing them.
But when the SDK is released these interfaces are in the open and many people outside Valve start using them. At that time, they need to be fixed and firm. They need to be tried and known to work and include all that is needed. Valve should not have to be changing an interface any time soon after the SDK is released. And the earlier they release it because they feel pressed by the community to do so, the higher is the risk that such a change will become necessary. And that is a pain for everyone using the SDK at that time.
Yes, Valve has a new system to version their interfaces. This is meant to make changing interfaces easier and less painfull for developers. But that is so far only a wish. It will make some things easier but, trust me, changing interfaces will still be a pain. The versioning system will not be the end all be all solution that lets Valve happily change interfaces whenever they wish and all MOD developers just adapt in a matter of hours. And here lies the second danger: because Valve may think that changing and interface is less risky since they have their neat interface versioning system, they may be tempted to release the SDK early, even though it is not firm and complete, if the community keeps pushing them. End result: pain.
I know server admins are looking towards admin plugins to solve their current troubles with the CS:S servers. But the problems that are currently bugging you the most are actually problems within the engine or the Steam system. These are best and quickest addresses by Valve directly, server plugins are not the solution.
The other inconveniencies, that plugins could remedy, are IMHO less severe than the troubles that we could get with an early released, unfinished or buggy SDK. So I would kindly ask everybody to live with them for a little longer and patiently wait for Valve to complete the SDK.
PLEASE give them some time and let them do their job. PLEASE stop nagging them for the SDK. It will be available, when it's done. There was a time before server plugins and admins managed to run their servers then, too. We won't have to completely go back to those dark ages, but in order to bring server plugins to the Source engine we'll have to endure running servers without them for some time now.
Thank you for your understanding.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Do you plan on working on this ?
Working on what? A Metamod for the HL2 Source engine?
No, not currently. First of all, we will have to wait for Valve to release the SDK. Second, Valve has planned to integrate something like Metamod in the engine, providing a native plugin interface. Should this turn out to be true and happen, there will be no need for a Metamod for the Source engine. Only if that is not the case will we build a Metamod for CS:S.
I'll just use the opportunity to add a plea, should someone really be reading this.
For some time now people have kept asking when the SDK is going to be released and have been nagging Valve to do so right now, ASAP. Here is what I want to tell those people: PLEASE STOP! LEAVE THEM ALONE!
I understand that server admins are eager to add their beloved plugins to their CS:S servers. I can understand that they are missing functionality in the bare srcds that they hope to gain back from plugins. I can understand that MOD developers are eager to explore the possibilities that the Source engine has in store for them. But pushing the Valve guys to release the SDK sooner than later is not going to help anybody. Au contraire, it means risking to hurt people.
Please understand the ramifications of an early SDK release. This is the Software Development Kit. This is what defines the interfaces between the engine, the MOD and plugins. These interfaces are not finished. Ad Valve is free to change them whenever the need arises as long as they are the only ones accessing them.
But when the SDK is released these interfaces are in the open and many people outside Valve start using them. At that time, they need to be fixed and firm. They need to be tried and known to work and include all that is needed. Valve should not have to be changing an interface any time soon after the SDK is released. And the earlier they release it because they feel pressed by the community to do so, the higher is the risk that such a change will become necessary. And that is a pain for everyone using the SDK at that time.
Yes, Valve has a new system to version their interfaces. This is meant to make changing interfaces easier and less painfull for developers. But that is so far only a wish. It will make some things easier but, trust me, changing interfaces will still be a pain. The versioning system will not be the end all be all solution that lets Valve happily change interfaces whenever they wish and all MOD developers just adapt in a matter of hours. And here lies the second danger: because Valve may think that changing and interface is less risky since they have their neat interface versioning system, they may be tempted to release the SDK early, even though it is not firm and complete, if the community keeps pushing them. End result: pain.
I know server admins are looking towards admin plugins to solve their current troubles with the CS:S servers. But the problems that are currently bugging you the most are actually problems within the engine or the Steam system. These are best and quickest addresses by Valve directly, server plugins are not the solution.
The other inconveniencies, that plugins could remedy, are IMHO less severe than the troubles that we could get with an early released, unfinished or buggy SDK. So I would kindly ask everybody to live with them for a little longer and patiently wait for Valve to complete the SDK.
PLEASE give them some time and let them do their job. PLEASE stop nagging them for the SDK. It will be available, when it's done. There was a time before server plugins and admins managed to run their servers then, too. We won't have to completely go back to those dark ages, but in order to bring server plugins to the Source engine we'll have to endure running servers without them for some time now.
Thank you for your understanding.