VCMod Main - A Premium Vehicles Solution

This update is recommended, but optional.

All updates are still automated. Full changelog available at: https://vcmod.org/changelog/main/ .

What was changed:

1. Altered copyright;
2. Fixed a security concern;

Updates are still fully automated, you can view the full changelog at: https://vcmod.org/changelog/main/

This update is optional!

1. Included a quick detour checker to help locate detouring addons

VCMod updates are still fully automated, you can view the changelog at: https://vcmod.org/changelog/main/.

1. Fixed AutoUpdater connectivity issues caused by most recent garrysmod update;

Fixed an issue from the 9.61.

This update is not mandatory, however it does provide an option to toggle VCMod logging aswel as fixing a rare error, full changelog.

1. Added ability to toggle logs
2. Fixed logging issues
3. Updated readme file

Only redownload if you are experiencing issues. Full changelog at: https://vcmod.org/changelog/main/ .

Fixed SSL related issues which caused inability to access VCMod servers in certain occasions.

Fixed some security flaws with the auto updater itself,

This update is not mandatory.

Full changelog is available at: http://vcmod.org/changelog/?sel=main

This update is heavily recommended as it completely overhauls how VCMod loads.

This update primarily focuses on improving VCMod initial loading and gives ability to easily add other VCMod addons (soon).

All 9.x AutoUpdater versions will still receive automated updates regardless of updating to this version.

Full changelog is available at: VCMod.org

This update is recommended, but is fully optional. Auto updater will continue to push out updates to V9. Workshop Content addon already includes all of these new additions to the addon.

Whats new? Added around 50 custom fancy icons with the same style and quality throughout. Changed all spawn icons.

There is a lot of new things in the code side of things aswel. Full changelog at: vcmod.org

Some people were having issues with bLogs not working correctly with VCMod Logging system causing VCMod to not load.

Update only if you are experiencing issues.

Some players were sent the temp-keys too quickly.

1. Added a more secure player loaded verification

Auto Updater overhaul (AutoUpdater V9)

Full changelog at: vcmod.org

###This update is mandatory Older versions of VCMod Auto Updater will no longer be receiving automated updates.

If you have both VCMod addons, both need to be updated.

This is the long-awaited "Auto Updater overhaul", which is, almost, solely focused on performance.

It is a complete overhaul of VCMods Auto Updater systems, bringing vast improvements to performance, especially networking. It took over three months to bring you this update alone. Other core systems were also redone.

VCMod systems now run on a completely new custom framework, which is based on the "temp-key" idea, instead of simple "server -> client".

Server no longer stores any client-side related data. Clients handle all their code, data, info loading and updating completely on their own, based on the temp-keys generated by VCMod API systems after contacted by the server.

What is a "temp-key" system? Here's a quick summary:

1. On server start, VCMod loads all needed data, waits for active players;
2. If atleast one player is online, it contacts VCMod API services;
3. API sends back the needed Auto Updater info, code, 100 client temp-keys to start off;
4. Temp-keys are auto generated when needed. Temp-key stores info about which addons are needed;
5. If a player joins/rejoins, server sends one of the temp-keys;
6. If player key is soon to be expired, server resends a new one;
7. If server runs low on available keys, it contacts VCMod API to receive some new ones;
8. After a player receives the temp-key, he contacts VCMod API to update needed code, language data, other VCMod related data in segments.

All of this might sound complex, but, in the end, it gives vastly optimized VCMod performance in code handling and, especially, networking. This was, to many, the biggest issue with VCMod.

This update has been beta tested for atleast 2 days on 2 fully loaded servers.

Some of main the benefits of this update:

Server performance:

1. VCMod player sync system is gone, no more chunked queues;
2. Server no longer suffers performance loss (network usage wise) when a player joins;
3. Server-side portion of VCMod code now loads segmentally, reducing "first time jitter";
4. Server VCMod load times reduced by alteast three times, due to the amount of code sent and how its handled on receiving;
5. Server no longer receives or stores client-side code;
6. Server no longer receives or stores client-side data;
7. VCMod no longer suffers from "garbage collection" issues due to it storing client-side code and data;
8. Server receives less CPU and RAM usage due to having to handle a lot less data;
9. Impact on server networking when a player joins has been reduced to pretty much nothing;
10. Player vehicle model de-sync check requests have been conditioned and optimized (a lot less networking);
11. Servers vehicle data request queue is now handled a lot more efficiently (huge impact to networking performance);
12. Global vehicle data is now stored fully locally, this was a huge amount of data;
13. Global vehicle data structure itself has been optimized to lower its total size;
14. Global vehicle data has its own auto updater, that updates only when needed, based on revision numbers;
15. Global vehicle data initial revision number is sent on server-side VCMod load.

Player performance:

1. Vastly reduced player join time (up to a few seconds);
2. Loads VCMod code in chunks, which heavily decreases actual loading of code;
3. No longer waits in queue to receive chunks of the needed data and code;
4. Contacts VCMod API directly using the temp-key to receive needed code;
5. VCMod load times no longer limited by the queue;
6. Reduced contact with server to check for models de-sync, only calls when in proximity;
7. Reduced calls to server to verify and receive any needed VCMod vehicle data.

Completely redone language features:

1. Server no longer has anything to do with language files;
2. Client downloads any needed language data directly, not impacting server performance at all;
3. Changed the way language data is stored on server, reducing API call times;
4. Player automatically checks for language updates every 6 hours;
5. Added "vc_update_lng" client-side console command.

VCMod is now multi-branched, having PUBLIC and BETA branches:

1. Ability to switch to VCMod Beta branch by a simple console value "vc_usebeta 1";
2. This will make sure that when new VCMod features roll out, they are fully beta tested before pushing to public servers;
3. Every 6 hours all players will receive a message that the VCMod used on the server is "Beta".

Some of the other changes:

1. VCMod logging system is now fully local, meaning: every step of VCMod loading is now recorded;
2. All other compatible logging system calls have also been moved to local code;
3. VCMod uses custom "print to console" colors and functions;
4. VCMod now logs all server-side VCMod prints under the Logging "General" section;
5. !vcmod chat menu message has been changed, before VCMod is loaded;
6. All VCMod loading messages have been redone;
7. VCMod Q-menu colors and text have been changed;
8. API now collects map name, gamemode name and VCMod auto updater version to ensure faster issue debugging;
9. VCMod Debugger feature is now in a working shape (in !vcmod menu, administrator, core options);
10. VCMod Debugger saves all data locally, aswel as sending it to VCMod API for later analysis;
11. Removed "Update" function from !vcmod menu, administrator, core options;
12. Removed "Check for language updates" function from !vcmod menu, administrator, core options;
13. Added "Check for General Vehicle Data updates" button in !vcmod menu, administrator, core options;
14. VCMod now has the ability to automatically send errors that are caused by VCMod (option will be added soon);
15. Added code modifications to more easily detects any future issues (selective deobfuscation);
16. VCMod "info" page addon data is now generated automatically;
17. Added new dev corner hooks;
18. Added a lot of small fixes;
19. Mined for new vehicle data;
20. Other tiny fixes to improve performance;
21. A lot of tiny bug fixes;
22. Fully rewritten the ReadMe file;
23. Probably some other things that I just can't seem to remember.

Special thanks to:

1. DevulTj for taking the time to help beta test and solve the initial ip caching issues
2. mcNuggets for risking his server to beta test this update on a player-live servers
3. CreeperTV for testing the dev portion of the new VCMod framework

Since this update is out, I will spend the next few weeks continue to fix all the "small" issues that come with VCMod. Afterwards there will be a feature-rich update that many will love.

I hope you are happy with VCMod update progress so far. And remember that this update has a whole new feature framework, which means, there are many more to come.