RGLUpdater Issue: Disabled Plugins Still Active?

Hey guys, have you ever run into a super frustrating situation where you've meticulously disabled a SourceMod plugin, tucked it away in the disabled folder, only to find that it's magically reappeared and is causing havoc on your server? If you're a server admin running anything with RGL.gg integration, particularly with their RGLUpdater tool, you've probably nodded your head vigorously. We're talking about the pesky problem where RGLUpdater seems to completely disregard plugins placed into the SourceMod disabled folder, effectively re-enabling them and often leading to server instability or unintended behavior. This isn't just a minor inconvenience; it's a significant roadblock for server administrators who are trying to maintain a custom, stable, and compliant environment while still adhering to RGL's requirements. Imagine spending precious hours configuring your server, balancing plugins, only to have a tool designed to help you actually undo your careful work. It's a real head-scratcher, especially when you're trying to keep specific game modes like passtime running smoothly, which often have unique requirements that clash with standard RGL configurations. This issue forces many of us into a tough spot, often leading to the undesirable outcome of having to disable the RGLUpdater entirely, which, let's be honest, defeats its entire purpose. It's a classic example of a tool designed for specific compliance potentially overstepping its bounds when it comes to local server management and flexibility. This isn't about circumventing RGL's rules, but about having the granular control necessary to run a diverse server without constant conflict. We need to dive deep into why this happens, what impact it has, and how we might navigate this tricky terrain to ensure both compliance and server stability. This problem highlights a fundamental tension between automated update processes and the need for individual server customization, a tension that many server operators grapple with daily.

Understanding the RGLUpdater and Plugin Management

Alright, let's kick things off by getting a solid grasp on what we're dealing with here: the RGLUpdater and the standard practices of SourceMod plugin management. For those of you running Team Fortress 2 servers, or any Source engine game really, you know SourceMod is the backbone for custom plugins, allowing us to add all sorts of cool features, enhancements, and administrative tools. When it comes to managing these plugins, SourceMod has a pretty straightforward system. You drop your .smx files into the addons/sourcemod/plugins directory, and boom, they're active. But what if you don't want a plugin running? Maybe it's causing conflicts, maybe it's outdated, or maybe it's just not suitable for a specific game mode. That's where the addons/sourcemod/plugins/disabled folder comes in. It's literally designed for this purpose: you move a plugin file into that folder, and SourceMod completely ignores it, rendering it inert. This mechanism is absolutely crucial for maintaining server stability and allowing administrators to fine-tune their plugin loadout. It’s a fundamental tool in our arsenal for troubleshooting and customization. You can disable plugins temporarily for testing, or permanently for features you simply don't need or that cause issues with other server configurations. This level of control is paramount for a healthy server environment, giving us the flexibility to adapt to various gameplay styles and community needs. Without it, we'd be constantly battling plugin conflicts and instability, which is a nightmare scenario for any server owner.

Now, let's talk about the RGLUpdater. This tool, developed by RGL.gg, is designed to ensure that servers participating in their leagues or using their services are running the correct and up-to-date versions of specific RGL-mandated SourceMod plugins. Its primary function is to download, update, and manage these essential plugins, making sure everyone is on the same page regarding competitive rules and quality-of-life features. On paper, it sounds fantastic, right? An automated system to keep things consistent across the board. The core problem, however, rears its ugly head when the RGLUpdater’s mission to maintain consistency clashes directly with SourceMod's built-in plugin disabling mechanism. Instead of respecting the fact that a plugin has been deliberately moved to the disabled folder, RGLUpdater often perceives its absence from the active plugins directory as a missing file that needs to be redownloaded and reactivated. This behavior completely overrides our explicit instructions to SourceMod to keep a plugin inactive. Imagine manually removing a tool from your workbench because you don't need it for a specific task, only for an automated helper bot to immediately put it back, saying, "Hey, you forgot this!" It’s not just annoying; it directly undermines a server admin's ability to manage their server effectively. This is where the frustration really sets in because it forces a choice between automated compliance and custom server stability. We're left scratching our heads, wondering why a tool meant to streamline operations ends up creating a significant management headache. The very essence of managing plugins, the ability to turn them off when they're not needed or are causing problems, is negated by the updater's current implementation, which treats a disabled plugin as simply 'not present' rather than 'intentionally inactive'. This lack of distinction is at the heart of the issue, and it causes cascading problems for server operators trying to balance RGL requirements with the unique demands of their specific server setups. It highlights a critical need for RGLUpdater to become more context-aware and integrate better with standard SourceMod management practices.

The RGLQOL Plugin and Passtime Servers: A Specific Conflict

Let's zoom in on a classic example of this clash: the RGLQOL plugin and Passtime servers. If you've been around the RGL scene, you're probably familiar with the rglqol plugin. This is one of those key RGL-mandated plugins, designed to enhance the competitive experience with various quality-of-life improvements and to enforce specific RGL league rules. It might include things like enforcing certain sv_pure settings, preventing specific exploits, or adding custom game messaging. For standard competitive modes like 6s or Highlander, it usually works flawlessly, ensuring a consistent and fair environment. It's a valuable tool for maintaining the integrity of competitive play, and generally, we appreciate its purpose.

However, things get really spicy when you introduce specialized game modes like Passtime. For those unfamiliar, Passtime is a unique Team Fortress 2 game mode that blends elements of soccer and American football, with players carrying a 'jack' and scoring goals. What makes Passtime servers particularly relevant to our discussion is their often distinct configuration requirements, especially concerning the sv_pure cvar. Most RGL competitive formats typically run with sv_pure 1 or sv_pure 2, which enforce strict file consistency to prevent client-side modifications that could give players an unfair advantage. This is a good thing for competitive integrity. But Passtime servers, due to their specific maps, custom assets, or sometimes even just the nature of their community, often prefer or require a lower sv_pure value, sometimes even sv_pure 0, to function correctly without issues. This might be because custom Passtime maps include unique textures or models that aren't whitelisted by stricter sv_pure settings, or simply because the community prefers the flexibility that a lower sv_pure provides. It's a matter of ensuring the game mode actually works as intended, without breaking vital visual or gameplay elements.

Now, here's where the conflict erupts. The rglqol plugin, in its earnest attempt to enforce RGL standards, often insists on a higher sv_pure value, typically sv_pure 1 or sv_pure 2. When you have a Passtime server that is explicitly set to sv_pure 0 or a similarly low value, and rglqol tries to force a higher one, these two settings clash head-on. What happens next is a nightmare for server administrators: the rglqol plugin detects the