Patched uploads

Patching benchmarks

What are patched uploads?

A typical upload does not modify all (or even most) of the content however with legacy uploads, content creators are forced to upload their entire projects and users are forced to redownload the entire content each time there is a change. For large projects:

• This results in long cook & upload times

• Negative UX for users who are required to download lots of content

• Bloat on users machines as they download duplicate content

Patched uploads (sometimes just called "patching") is an umbrella term for 2 content upload and download optimizations that improve the workflows for content creators and the UX for users. When using patched uploads, the first upload is a "base patch" and contains all the content from the project . All subsequent uploads benefit automatically.

Patching

For Content Creators

Only content modified since your last successful upload will be included. This results in the total content being split across different uploads where each uploaded content specifies the other content uploads that it is dependent on.

This optimization happens in the "Upload" step of the Cook & Upload process therefore the cook and package steps are largely unchanged and large projects may still have long cook times.

For Users

Only content that the user does not have the latest version of will be downloaded. Users joining a world for the first time will need to download all of the content as normal.

Remote Cook Caching (RCC)

Remote cook caching can only be enabled if patching is enabled

For Content Creators

Content that would have been excluded from the upload due to patching is instead excluded from the cook. This results in the same content being uploaded but moves the optimization earlier resulting in a more impactful optimization.

For Users

No change, the same content is uploaded so the benefit for users downloading content is the same when using patching with or without remote cook caching

Configuring patched uploads

Patched uploads can be configured via Project Settings > World Builder > Upload

• Use Patching (Experimental) - Will enable or disable patching.

• Use Remote Cook Caching (Experimental) - Will enable or disable remote cook caching

Recommended configuration

We recommend you enable both patching and remote cook caching to receive the full benefit

Uploading a new base patch

The "Upload Content" window allows users to intentionally upload a new base patch. This resets the revision history of your patched uploads and will trigger another full upload.

Known Limitations

• Changing engine version will trigger a new base patch automatically

• Adding or removing platforms requires a new base patch