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[nairol]

World Downloader

With this mod you can download parts of a multiplayer world while you are connected to the server.

What does it save automatically?

• All blocks that are within your range of vision (typically 160 blocks in each direction)
  
• From height 0 (bedrock) to 255 (clouds)
  
• Your position, health, inventory, experience, gamemode (creative/survival), the time and the weather
  
• All mobs and animals
  
• All items that lie on the ground

What doesn't it save automatically? How can these things be saved?

• Content of chests and dispensers -> Will be saved whenever you open them (right-click)
  
• Ingredients and products in furnaces and brew stands -> Will be saved whenever you use them (right-click)
  
• The note of note blocks -> Will be saved whenever the note is played (click/right-click/redstone)

What can't be saved?

• The seed value of the world. It is no longer sent by the server.
  
• Records that are in record players.
  
• The spawn position if it has been moved (by the admin or by sleeping in a bed).
  
• Other human players of course

Does it start to download when I join a server?
No, you have to start and stop the download by pressing the escape key and clicking on "Download this world"

I want to download an area bigger than my range of vision. What should I do?
Walk around and visit everything you want to have in your copy while the downloader is active. (Or fly, ride, teleport, swim, ...)
World Downloader works much like the maps in Minecraft. (The paper ones you can craft)

How long does it take to download a world?
As soon as something is in your range of vision (the 160 blocks mentioned above) it is also in your copy.
Again, think of Minecraft's maps.

Does this mod interfere with the server?
No, the mod doesn't cause any additional load on the server. It doesn't send or request anything.
It just looks at the incoming data, converts some data structures and saves everything as a singleplayer world.

Can this mod be used to synchronize my copy with the server world?
Of course! Just reconnect to the server and start the download. The mod will update your copy of the world to the current state. Any changes you made in your copy, in the area you're updating, will be overwritten.

What happens to previously downloaded areas that I don't visit while updating my copy?
They'll stay the same. The mod does not delete anything from your copy. It only updates the area you are currently in and doesn't touch anything else.

Other questions:

Spoiler

Why the restriction to 160 blocks in each direction? Why doesn't it download the whole world?
The server only sends a certain amount of data.
This is a server-side restriction and my mod can't do anything about that.

Why can't I just put your ZIP-file into my mods folder?
The mod that enables Minecraft to load other mods from this folder is called ModLoader.
ModLoader can only load mods that don't change any existing class files.
My mod needs to overwrite quite a few of them.
(You can try this alternative launcher which can load such mods.)

May I use your mod in a modpack?
Yes, do what you want with it.
A link to this thread would be nice though, so that your users can report bugs.

May I use your source code for my own mods?
Yes, do what you want with it.
If you use large amounts of code it would be nice to mention my mod or me somewhere.

Your mod is incompatible with XYZ. Can you provide files with both mods' changes?
Probably, but I don't want to.
This means I'd have to update the files every time XYZ has a new version.
Now imagine I'd also have to do this when mod ABC has a new version, and mod DEF.

How can I block this mod on my server?
There is no magic chat text sequence that disables the mod and there won't be one in the future.
Be creative. Maybe you will find a different way to block the mod or destroy the downloaded worlds.
I won't add anything to my code that helps you in this regard.
Why? Partly because I hate DRM, partly because a kill switch is very easy to remove but mostly because I don't care what people do with my mod. You are responsible for what you do. Break the rules -> live with the consequences.

To do:

• Add an option to automatically start the download when you connect to a server (in next release)
  
• Maybe add a map that highlights the already downloaded chunks
  
• Update the screenshots and maybe the video
  
• Multiworld support (in next release)
  
• Make it compatible with Forge(in next release)

If you find any bugs that crash Minecraft PLEASE also add the text from the error report screen. Without that I probably won't be able to help you.

Download for Minecraft 1.2.3

Thanks cubic72 for the updates while I was away:
Download for Minecraft 1.2.4
Download for Minecraft 1.2.5


(Old versions and Source code on Github)

How to install:
Open your minecraft.jar* with an archive tool like 7zip or WinRAR.
Put the class files you just downloaded in there. Overwrite if necessary.
Delete the META-INF folder if it exists in the jar file.
Close the archive and save if asked.
Done.

* You can find this file on ...

• Windows by entering %APPDATA%\.minecraft\bin in an Explorer window or in the start->run dialog.
  
• Linux by opening ~/.minecraft/bin/ in a file manager of your choice.
  
• Mac OS X by opening Library/Application Support/minecraft/bin in Finder.

Demo video by troycheek:

Spoiler

Outdated screenshots:




Changelog:

Spoiler

1.5.1 -> 1.5.1a

• Fixed the bug where air filled chunks were appearing in random places.

1.5.1a -> 1.6.5

• The contents of chests, dispensers and furnaces can now be saved by opening them.
  
• Note blocks save their pitch if they are activated.
  
• The chunk loader/saver now has to do the double amount of work (client-side only, no additional server-side cost).
  
• Downloading the Nether is also possible now.

1.6.5 -> 1.6.6

• Fixed the file size calculation. I don't think it's perfect but it works.
  
• Fixed chests/dispensers/furnaces being empty after updating a world without clicking them
  
• Fixed the crash when trying to download a burning furnace
  
• Loading previously saved TileEntities now requires less CPU and memory
  
• Fixed signs losing their world reference when saving
  
• Changed start/stop texts and colors a bit
  
• Added a ModLoader compatible version

1.6.6 -> 1.7.3

• Spawn point won't be set to 8,64,8 when you die while downloading.

1.7.3 -> 1.8.1

• Changed a lot of the code to make it easier to understand and added comments.

1.8.1 -> 1.8.1a

• Made downloading work across dimension changes
  
• Fixed the crash when pressing L in the modloader version (?)
  
• Fixed the bug that caused the Nether to be saved in the Earth folder
  
• Gamemode changes (creative/survival) now also work without reconnecting

1.8.1a -> 1.8.1b

• Fixed the instant-stop bug in the Modloader version

1.8.1a -> 1.0.0a

• Fixed the crash when destroying a chest
  
• Double chests no longer split randomly
  
• Downloading Brewing Stands is now implemented
  
• Fixed the infinite stop messages bug in the Modloader version

1.0.0a -> 1.1

• Compatible with Minecraft 1.1

1.1 -> 1.2.3

• Compatible with Minecraft 1.2.3
  
• Fixed a lot of new bugs related to TileEntities (especially for pistons)

1.2.3 -> 1.2.3a

• Now works with Java 6 (again)

[Wolffe]

Like World Recorder, but more features. One question, servers won't know if your doing this right, and is it un-blockable? I'm not planning a heist, I just think that players should have rights to a servers world.

[AloSec]

This could be kind of dangerous...

[nairol]

caseyds620, on 22 May 2011 - 03:17 AM, said:

Like World Recorder, but more features. One question, servers won't know if your doing this right, and is it un-blockable? I'm not planning a heist, I just think that players should have rights to a servers world.

I didn't know World Recorder. The server can't detect that/when you download. It's not really "downloading" just saving the data stream for offline use.

edit: It is un-blockable, but the mojang guys could change the way they send the world data. So that invisible blocks (underground) aren't sent at all. I don't know how much more CPU power that might cost on the server side.

edit2: Now that I think more about this... It is blockable for limited areas. The server could send different world data to different player groups like trusted and untrusted groups. I don't know if anyone would like to write that mod though. Looks difficult.

[nairol]

AloSec, on 22 May 2011 - 03:18 AM, said:

This could be kind of dangerous...

How can it be dangerous to have a local copy of a part of the server world?
Really, I don't play online that often. What's the problem?

edit: So the problem is that griefers etc. could download parts of the world, open it with for example MCedit and look for weak spots in buildings where they could do the most harm?

Well I don't know what to do about that. I could delete the mod again but I've got so much positive feedback on YT and reddit.

[csblitz]

I saw this mod today on Reddit, watched your videos on YouTube, and downloaded and installed it. It works great, no bugs (although when I first connected to c.nerd.nu the sky was red and it kept on flashing between blue and red o.o it went away though ) and it saves a whole lot more than World Recorder. Keep up the good work!

[DBish95]

This mod is pretty fucking epic if i do say so myself. Keep up the good work!

[spatista]

hello, i'd like to use this mod, but the download link doesnt work for me :-(.

[AlfieSR]

Does this require anything like modloader or is it self-contained?

This will be incredibly useful for saving my wool-based projects from Dan's server before some dick burns them down. I know that will happen.

[toompan]

YEEES! finaly my dream mod has come, THX !!!!!

[nairol]

AlfieSR, on 22 May 2011 - 10:04 AM, said:

Does this require anything like modloader or is it self-contained?

This will be incredibly useful for saving my wool-based projects from Dan's server before some dick burns them down. I know that will happen.

No modloader required.
Should I have used modloader? I'm new to modding Minecraft.
And I've read that modloader doesn't work if the original class files have to be overwritten. (?)

[nairol]

spatista, on 22 May 2011 - 08:25 AM, said:

hello, i'd like to use this mod, but the download link doesnt work for me :-(.

I'm working on that...
Once I figure out how to use Github the problems should be gone.

Btw, the DL link works for me at the moment.

[Valencium]

nairol, on 22 May 2011 - 03:29 AM, said:

How can it be dangerous to have a local copy of a part of the server world?
Really, I don't play online that often. What's the problem?

edit: So the problem is that griefers etc. could download parts of the world, open it with for example MCedit and look for weak spots in buildings where they could do the most harm?

Well I don't know what to do about that. I could delete the mod again but I've got so much positive feedback on YT and reddit.

Additionally, people can use tools to find where all the valuable ores are, and go to the server and dig straight to them. But in any case, it's good to see this working.. I'll test it sometime later.

[AloSec]

I don't exactly know how this mod works, but depending on how it does someone could spam download and get tons of server lag for everyone else.

[SpitefulFox]

This is fantastic! I'd been trying to use World Recorder, but the latest version constantly causes my game to crash. Looking forward to test this baby out.

AloSec, on 22 May 2011 - 04:44 PM, said:

I don't exactly know how this mod works, but depending on how it does someone could spam download and get tons of server lag for everyone else.

From the OP:

"The mod will not cause any additional load on the server because it never actively requests anything. It lets Minecraft do all the loading and buffering and then right before MC overwrites a buffered chunk that is no longer needed, it saves this chunk to disk. This will only slow down the client a bit when your HDD is too slow. It also saves the complete chunk buffer when stopping downloading or disconnecting."

[AloSec]

SpitefulFox, on 22 May 2011 - 04:47 PM, said:

This is fantastic! I'd been trying to use World Recorder, but the latest version constantly causes my game to crash. Looking forward to test this baby out.



From the OP:

"The mod will not cause any additional load on the server because it never actively requests anything. It lets Minecraft do all the loading and buffering and then right before MC overwrites a buffered chunk that is no longer needed, it saves this chunk to disk. This will only slow down the client a bit when your HDD is too slow. It also saves the complete chunk buffer when stopping downloading or disconnecting."

Ok, that was the only problem I had with this mod, and I guess I didn't quite read the OP to it's fullest.

[SpitefulFox]

That is not what my world looked like. >_>

For some reason, the mod keeps writing gigantic holes in the world in areas that I definitely visited. In this case, it had made some holes, and I went back online to try and fill them in and it overwrote the main area of the server with a gigantic hole where the map was just fine before.

Edit: Whoops, missed the part where you mentioned that in the bugs section.

[caspur]

Wow this is amazing. Never even thought about this concept! Howd you do this!

[nairol]

caspur, on 22 May 2011 - 06:18 PM, said:

Wow this is amazing. Never even thought about this concept! Howd you do this!

It's pretty simple. I'm patching the multiplayer chunk saving methods to actally save the chunks instead of doing nothing.
The code is on Github.
I used MCP 3.1.1 in case you don't have the original files.

If you have questions about the code, just ask.

[Seegggaaaaa]

WOW that work perfectly! THANKS SO MUCH!!! i now have my huge city i made on the xaldin server as a regular map