How to connect to a server running outdated mods?

[Benji]

Hello,

 

I imagine this is a common issue, but I couldn't find a good solution for it. This is my first noob post as a PZ newbie 

 

It seems that somehow, without my knowledge, the workshop mods on my computer have been updated to a newer version, whereas the same mods on the server I’m playing on haven’t been updated.

 

This results in the connection error:
"Workshop item version is different than the server's."

I asked the server owner and according to him the issue will resolve once the server restarts. Because it is at that point the server updates its mods to the most recent versions.

 

But does that mean I have to wait until a server restart to play? That obviously doesn't seem right.

 

So my question is this:

 

When connecting to a server and a mod version missmatch is detected between your local workshop mods and server mods, how do you ensure that the mod version picked is the one the server uses?

 

Because I personally don't mind playing on a slighly older version of a mod, until the server restarts, if that would allow me to actually play on the server!

 

I can also imagine there are situations where a server, even after a restart deliberately doesn't update its mods.

Lets say the latest version of a mod contain game breaking bugs, obviously the server owner would opt to use an older version of that mod instead.

Imagine also that a server owner just might not want to use a newer version of a mod, due to personal preference.

 

In these situations how do you as a client connecting to the server, ensure that you use (or download if you don't have) the exact same version of the mods (old or new) that the server uses? Regardless of any auto-update that has been done by steam to your local workshop mods?

 

I don't fully understand the relationship between the steam workshop mods that you have locally on your computer and the server mods and how they interact with each other in regards to versioning etc... so please have some understanding.

 

Best regards

Edited November 28 by Benji

[Beard]

The server owner is correct, you have to wait for the server to restart.
Steam always pushes out mod updates to everyone once the mod is updated. However, the server can only load the updated mod after it is restarted, which causes this mismatch.

Steam does not offer a way to disable this automatic mod update.

[Benji]

11 hours ago, Beard said:

The server owner is correct, you have to wait for the server to restart.
Steam always pushes out mod updates to everyone once the mod is updated. However, the server can only load the updated mod after it is restarted, which causes this mismatch.

Steam does not offer a way to disable this automatic mod update.

 

I didn't know you can't even disable the automatic update. Thats bad.

 

Thanks for answering though, but it does not really address the question. It isn't about steam update in particular, you can update/modify your local mods manually as well.

 

My question was how to ensure I use the mod versions of the server (downloading if necessary), regardless of any form of update (steam update, manual update, deletion of mods etc...) that has been done to the local mods. 

 

In my brain when I'm connecting to a server I implicitley agree to use whatever versions of mods that the server is running.
 

 

 

 

Edited November 28 by Benji

[Beard]

Could you elaborate on that? If you are referring to manually installed local mods, which are not in any way installed by the Steam Workshop, then those of course will not get updated. This means that if the server has a manually installed mod, and you have a manually installed mod, then you can keep using that manually installed mod version for as long as you want.

If the mods are installed through the workshop though, the updates will get pushed to the Clients by Steam and eventually to the server after it restarts, this always overwrites the old version.

[Benji]

3 hours ago, Beard said:

Could you elaborate on that? If you are referring to manually installed local mods, which are not in any way installed by the Steam Workshop, then those of course will not get updated. This means that if the server has a manually installed mod, and you have a manually installed mod, then you can keep using that manually installed mod version for as long as you want.

If the mods are installed through the workshop though, the updates will get pushed to the Clients by Steam and eventually to the server after it restarts, this always overwrites the old version.

 

No, I am referring to the steam workshop mods.

I just emphaized that I think you can manually edit the steam workshop mod files, the same files that steam automatically updates.

I think the location is here for project zomboid:

 

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\workshop\content\108600

 

So regardless of any change that is done to the above files (by a steam update, a manual change, etc), how do you ensure that when connecting to a server the mod versions used are the ones used by the server, even if they are outdated compared to your own steam workshop mods.

 

Even if the server hasn't restarted in a week or is running an old version of a mod I'd still like to be able to play on it.

 

How do you connect to a server like that. 

 

Best regards

 

Edited November 28 by Benji

[Beard]

If you manually edit those files, you will fail to connect to the server due to failing the file checksum. Because the server checks if all the files are the same between the client and server.

I unfortunately cannot think of a good way to connect to a server that has not updated its mods for a week, due to the aforementioned forced update when the game is launched. The server would most likely be very much empty, since each time a player disconnects, they will not be able to connect to the server due to the mods automatically updates. So unless you are playing on the server for a week straight, you will quickly have an empty servers.

I would suggest that the server admins set up automatic restarts at that point if it often happens that they are unable to restart a server for a week after a mod update.

The only way I could think of is to basically keep a backup of all your mods, and then if a mod updates, try to replace the updated mod files with the old ones you have backed up while the game is running.

[Benji]

On 11/28/2024 at 4:32 PM, Beard said:

If you manually edit those files, you will fail to connect to the server due to failing the file checksum. Because the server checks if all the files are the same between the client and server.

 

It just proves my point: there should be an option to use the server mods. Since you can mess up your own mod files, causing the checksum check to fail, this should be the default, in my opinion. Why should the mods on the client have a say in whether the connection is successful or not? When I am connecting to a server, why would I want to use my local Workshop mods instead of the server mods for any reason other than caching (e.g., not having to re-download the server mods)?

 

Sure, perform a checksum check, but if it fails, instead of refusing the connection:

1. Try to find an older version of the mod that I have locally that matches the server's version of the mod.
2. If nothing is found, download the version of the mod that the server is running and allow the connection.

I’m not sure if Steam actually overwrites old mods or keeps them on an automatic update. If they overwrite, no old mod versions would be found in step 1 and we would go directly to step 2.

 

On 11/28/2024 at 4:32 PM, Beard said:

I unfortunately cannot think of a good way to connect to a server that has not updated its mods for a week, due to the aforementioned forced update when the game is launched.

 

Wouldn’t my suggestion be one way to solve it?

 

On 11/28/2024 at 4:32 PM, Beard said:

The server would most likely be very much empty, since each time a player disconnects, they will not be able to connect to the server due to the mods automatically updates. So unless you are playing on the server for a week straight, you will quickly have an empty servers.

 

If there is a solution that allows players to connect using the mod versions on the server, the servers wouldn’t be empty in this case.

 

On 11/28/2024 at 4:32 PM, Beard said:

I would suggest that the server admins set up automatic restarts at that point if it often happens that they are unable to restart a server for a week after a mod update.

 

A week was just an example. In my situation, they restart the server every day. However, there are a lot of mods that get updated frequently, so I can play about 80% of the time I try to connect, which is OK, I guess.

 

On 11/28/2024 at 4:32 PM, Beard said:

The only way I could think of is to basically keep a backup of all your mods, and then if a mod updates, try to replace the updated mod files with the old ones you have backed up while the game is running.

 

Yeah, I’m planning on trying this. I’ll let you know if it’s a good system.

 

Best regards

 

 

Edited Saturday at 09:30 AM by Benji

[Beard]

The problem with your solution is that Steam provides no way to download older versions of mods. Meaning cannot do your step 2 of the suggestion, since there is no place to download the older version. Once a mod update is pushed, Steam updates the mod files on their servers, then pushes the update to the clients, overwriting any old files, which is why there is no place to download the old versions as it has already been overwritten locally and on the Steam servers.

[Benji]

3 minutes ago, Beard said:

The problem with your solution is that Steam provides no way to download older versions of mods. Meaning cannot do your step 2 of the suggestion, since there is no place to download the older version. Once a mod update is pushed, Steam updates the mod files on their servers, then pushes the update to the clients, overwriting any old files, which is why there is no place to download the old versions as it has already been overwritten locally and on the Steam servers.

 

I see. I didn't understand what was handled by steam and what was handled by theindiestone. Seems like an underdeveloped system by steam. Thanks.