Add some method of Distribution of custom AIs

[Arch-Shaman]

There should be a way to distribute AIs via the server much like mods. Perhaps some sort of subscription system that queues downloads from the server automatically?

See: ZeroK-RTS/Zero-K#5212

[Licho1]

Hmm what exactly is needed? If we make them dpeendency of game they will be updated automatically. What scenarios do we need to solve?

[sprunk]

This is about an AI for a mod (not for normal ZK). Mods (and maybe AIs for mods? idk) have their own release cycles independent from normal ZK so if we distribute them as a dependency of the game they would still have to wait for a ZK release to sync up I think.

So the scenario looks like this:

• ✅ mod has a new version (for example v1 -> v2) and needs a new AI version to go with it.
• ✅ modder uploads mod_v2.sdz to ZK infra.
• ✅ modder updates the json at (for example) https://zero-k.info/Mods/Edit/1 and changes game version. Now the correct version of the .sdz will be downloaded automatically when hosting the mod on the server.
• ❌ modder can't upload ai_v2.dll to infra, and can't specify that mod_v2.sdz goes with ai_v2.dll. So AI distribution is not resolved automatically.
• ❌ when players host mod_v2, they still have old ai_v1 which crashes -> Acess Violation Crash Zero-K#5212
• ❌ ZK doesn't plan to have a release anytime soon so even if all mod AIs were bundled with ZK we would be in the same place we are currently.

[Licho1]

Sounds like perhaps AIs should be type of "resource" similar to map and mod and downloadable via normal means. Then they could be a dependency of mod.