Offer to update before/after loading mods / Update on restart/startup/shutdown

danielbrauer · Post by **danielbrauer** » Sat Oct 12, 2019 12:05 pm

Contains many more more suggestion into the direction of updating mods and/or the game before startup, after shutdown etc. Watch out for the topic titles! --ssilk

Would it be possible to check for updates and show the prompt before loading the whole game? Since after an update the whole thing needs to be reloaded anyway.

MisterFister · Post by **MisterFister** » Fri Jan 24, 2020 4:04 pm

Hi folks. Small feature request. Same request about mod portal behavior, but 3 basic ideas that I'm convinced are all interrelated, which is why I post them together here as a lump sum.

TLDR:
1) Allow for some form of user opt-out of forced restarts after applying updates or changing / toggling mods inside mod portal GUI. I imagine this would force the UI to display a warning message alerting the user to the fact that opening or entering any game, whether offline / LAN / server is disallowed until a restart is performed. Maybe grey out the relevant game-commence buttons and change the button's label text to indicate that the game software reports "mod changes pending restart" or something.
2) Allow for restarts (manual or automatic) to contextually identify if the only mods pending restart were mods disabled but uninstalled anyway, thus not requiring a new restart until or unless the player then activates that disabled-and-updated mod. (This might be a rare usage case.)
3) Allow mod history tracking, especially for troubleshooting. I.e., allowing mod version rollbacks (especially around the time of a base-game version release, such as now with v0.18) in case the user failing to recall the exact display of mods being updated, etc.

Thanks!!!

~~~ Long version of idea below.

My own play preferences lead for me to prefer to be able to perform small updates (or updates to small-importance mods, either way) at the END of my gaming session. However, installing a new mod, applying updates to enabled or disabled mods, or even toggling an existing mod for activation / deletion, always hard-causes the game to shut down to restart automatically.

With my set of mods, restart can sometimes take a while, sometimes more than a minute or two.

Could we rekerjiger the interface to alert the user that the proposed downloads, if authorized, would require a game restart? If I'm about to log out of the game entirely and close my laptop lid (especially if I'm away from my own living space -- packing up at closing time for a cafe / Starbucks / airport lounge / public library, etc. -- I might not have the luxury of allowing the restart to complete. Thus, I'll either remember after the mod updates download to alt-F4 out of the game instead of selecting "ok," or sometimes I'll forget and I'll alt-F4 when I see the loading progress screen appear. I'm pretty sure that that won't "ruin" the game or my hardware, but I would think that it is still not an ideal protocol to follow.

Maybe have a de-select in the options menu to disallow or opt-out from auto-restarts. Maybe display a warning at time of opt-out that this would prevent loading / beginning / logging in to any game session would be un-selectable (button greyed out and disabled or something) pending a human-initiated restart or shutdown for new start at a later time.

This would also be nice for situations where the game applies a mod update to a mod currently disabled. Since I might work with savefiles or multiplayer servers that depend on a certain mod, a mod where I prefer to go without it during singleplayer, for instance, I'd enjoy the option to simply waive the restart on the understanding that the updated mod cannot be re-activated without a restart. This suggestion might be especially apt, since with a disabled mod, there is required an update to "apply" the update... and usually a second restart to "activate" the mod (it was a real TIL moment when I learned that you could still work from the install / browse tabs inside the mod portal to lump it all into a single restart, and others might not know of this yet either.)

Another edge-case scenario is where I might want to download a mod to have on my system for some future purposes, but I want it to remain disabled for the time being.

Finally, if there were some method of tracking my mod history (downloads, enable / disable history, updates, uninstalls, etc.). It's difficult to perform a rollback on a game breaking mod update when you're forced to manually recall what mods were changed, and when. I can navigate to the Windows folder for the mod zipfiles to examine their timestamps, but overwrites or other troubleshooting steps can easily destroy or reduce that troubleshooting data.

bNarFProfCrazy · Post by **bNarFProfCrazy** » Sat Jan 25, 2020 5:36 pm

I would really like this.
I usually check for updates before I shutdown factorio for the day, so it would be nice, if I could just select "update and exit" instead of "update and restart".

BlueTemplar · Post by **BlueTemplar** » Sat Jan 25, 2020 7:30 pm

Yeah, having to forcibly kill the factorio process feels wrong...

Mylon · Post by **Mylon** » Sun Mar 15, 2020 12:44 pm

I'd like this specifically for dedicated servers. Fetch the latest version of each mod from the mod portal. If bandwith is an issue, updating mods could be restricted only to ones which are enabled in the mod-list.json file.

n_slash_a · Post by **n_slash_a** » Thu May 07, 2020 2:42 am

TL;DR

When updating mods, add an option to exit the game or continue the current save after the update.

What ?

I search and found a few topics similar, but none that matched.

Similar to how the "Sync mods with save" menu works, add two check boxes. One for "Exit game after update" and one for "Continue <filename> after update", where <filename> is the save game name in the Continue button on the home screen.

The current feature "Load game after sync" that this idea is based on.

: The current feature "Load game after sync" that this idea is based on.; 20200506195952_1.jpg (96.44 KiB) Viewed 5429 times

A mock-up of what I think the end result could be.

: A mock-up of what I think the end result could be.; 20200506200000_1.jpg (223.05 KiB) Viewed 5429 times

Why ?

When you think about when mods are updated, there are two main use cases.

The first is when you open your game, you want to update your mods before playing. Right now you have to update your mods, wait for the game to restart, and then click continue. This is a classic example of "hurry up and wait".

The second is when you are finished playing for the day, and want to update (or maybe disable a mod you don't need or download a new mod) and then exit the game. Having to restart the game only to immediately exist is an annoyance.

Why does it increase game value? This suggestion follows the same theme as adding the "Continue" button to the main menu and the "Load game after sync" to the "Sync mods with save" menu. It makes updating mods smoother.

Post by **ssilk** » Fri May 08, 2020 1:05 am

Ahm, well, this goes into the right direction, and makes it +1 better than now, but for the mods updater (not mods sync) the current behavior is then still broken, because a new player would not really expect that the game will restart when pressing “confirm”.

What’s really needed there is a bit of UI redesign. But I won’t explain in this thread what’s needed to change, because it would be completely sidetracked.

idgod · Post by **idgod** » Thu Dec 17, 2020 11:00 am

TL;DR

When starting Factorio and a mod is not compatible anymore, there is an option to update the mod.

What ?

Starting up Factorio after an update with activated mods. A mod is not compatible anymore.

: Factorio 1.1.6.jpg (21.99 KiB) Viewed 5625 times

Now after a restart with (a) deactivated mod(s) you have to navigate to the mod section. Identify your mod listed before.

: Factorio 1.1.6 modlist.jpg (10.21 KiB) Viewed 5625 times

Hit update there.

: Factorio 1.1.6 update.jpg (8.31 KiB) Viewed 5625 times

Why not giving the option to instantly check for mod updates when showing that the mod is incompatible with your version?
Same is maybe for the loading screen, when loading a incompatible mod savegame. Give the option to move directly to the mod section to this mod or instant update button.

Why ?

It's a value, because
-the mod doesnt have to be deactivated
-the game doesn't have to be reloaded without mods
-no navigation to mod settings to update mods there

Taneeda · Post by **Taneeda** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 10:54 am

+1

Just makes sense

5thHorseman · Post by **5thHorseman** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 11:07 am

Frankly I'd love an option to start in "check mods mode" where all it does is check for mods that could be upgraded and offer the upgrade. I mean, you have to restart anyway so why spend all that time loading graphics and stuff that won't get used?

But +1 to this. It's a pain as-is and would very much be welcome

Squelch · Post by **Squelch** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 11:40 pm

Thg new-ish "Continue" button, while convenient, does not give us nearly enough information when it comes to what impact updates might have. We only get to learn about them once the map has been, or was attempted to be loaded. If, on the other hand, we use the load game interface, mods in particular, are shown as incompatible/disabled. Then it is just a matter of synching the mods with the save to get the latest without needing to go the scenic route.

Offering to sync mods where there is a detected incompatibility from the continue button would be a great addition. I understand that some players have very many mods installed, but not necessarily active, so trying to update individual mods from the mod update screen is cumbersome. Sync with save does help here, but isn't obvious.

A setting - something like "Check mods when loading map" might be a very welcome feature.

Post by **ssilk** » Tue Dec 22, 2020 7:48 am

This subject sounds simple, but has astonishing much more aspects.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=88049 Add some QoL things to the Error Loading Mods menu
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=91559 Quick start save from Windows
viewtopic.php?f=66&t=92652 Sync Client State (Settings, Mods, etc.)
viewtopic.php?f=66&t=90980 Better MOD list admin help when loading saved games
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=86302 Allow 'Error loading mods' to Check and Download Updates
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=89841 A fast way to compile mods.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=91312 Return to selected savegame if pressing "Back" in the "Sync mods with save" dialog.
viewtopic.php?f=66&t=60025 Option to Reset mod settings at load fail.

Not all is really related, but there are aspects in it, that might need to be thought of.

Potato · Post by **Potato** » Sat Jan 30, 2021 7:43 pm

^ This.
The check for whether a game update is required/possible should be conducted earlier in the game opening process.

Boardy · Post by **Boardy** » Sun Jan 02, 2022 6:14 pm

Currently the game the popup about updating the game is shown after it has been completely loaded. Especially when a number of mods are enabled, starting the game one time can already be a bit of a wait... So often I find myself skipping the update, thinking I will go through this process when I finished playing (finished??? yeah right...), but usually I have forgotten about the update by then, only to be reminded about it when firing up factorio again.

Obviously I don't know about the updating internals, but it would be really nice if

There's a choice to download the update, but not restart, so the update will be applied when starting the next time. Or...
There's a choice to update on close. So when the game is finally closed, the download will be done and applied.

This would also bring down the number of restarts when both factorio and the mods need updating...

Post by **ssilk** » Mon Jan 03, 2022 2:06 am

For single player this makes sense. For multiplayer this is useless.

Has low gameplay-value.

cpy · Post by **cpy** » Mon Jan 10, 2022 11:20 am

How about an option to remove that annoying popup every damn time I start game? I do not care about new version, that's why I play version I play.

Post by **Loewchen** » Mon Jan 10, 2022 1:30 pm

cpy wrote: ↑Mon Jan 10, 2022 11:20 am How about an option to remove that annoying popup every damn time I start game? I do not care about new version, that's why I play version I play.

Yeah, they could even call that option "Check for updates when launching" or something descriptive so that nobody could overlook it.

cpy · Post by **cpy** » Mon Jan 10, 2022 1:47 pm

Loewchen wrote: ↑Mon Jan 10, 2022 1:30 pm
cpy wrote: ↑Mon Jan 10, 2022 11:20 am How about an option to remove that annoying popup every damn time I start game? I do not care about new version, that's why I play version I play.
Yeah, the could even call that option "Check for updates when launching" or something descriptive so that nobody could overlook it.

There is? I have to check that!

I tried to find it but couldn't find it anywhere. Are you sure it's on steam version?

shopt · Post by **shopt** » Fri Jan 14, 2022 3:01 am

Definitely there in the GoG/standalone version, it's in the "Other" section. If anything, steam should be the version most likely to allow turning that off, as steam updates tend to be timely and automatic.

Post by **Koub** » Fri Jan 14, 2022 6:40 am

cpy wrote: ↑Mon Jan 10, 2022 11:20 am How about an option to remove that annoying popup every damn time I start game? I do not care about new version, that's why I play version I play.

: 2022-01-14 07_39_20-Factorio 1.1.48.jpg (59.03 KiB) Viewed 5473 times

Factorio Forums