Add new VGUI browser panel using ISteamHTMLSurface API

[samuelmaddock]

Instead of replacing Awesomium, add an additional VGUI panel using the ISteamHTMLSurface API. Some benefits include:

• Evergreen browser; Steam will continue updating their underlying version of CEF
• Alleviates outdated browser issues in addons using streaming services
• Includes codecs for MP4 playback as well as DRM support (no licensing required)
• Binaries already included with Steam for all platforms
• No need to update existing game features (menu, third-party libraries, etc.)
• No need to match existing DHTML API since this would be a new VGUI panel

Hopefully this could be a viable alternative to replacing Awesomium as previously rejected in #531. I haven't followed the issues regarding OS X 32-bit support with CEF, so I'm unsure if that would also be an issue here.

[samuelmaddock]

I recently found that Source SDK 2013 contains an updated HTML VGUI panel which uses the ISteamHTMLSurface API. Is it be possible to integrate these changes into GMod? @willox @robotboy655

[Digiquo]

I'm here to help stop my favorite Gmod mode from dying (Cinema) and to support the longevity of Gmod in the long run. #replaceawesomium

[DemonAura]

+1 The longer this goes on, the worse it gets. Awesomium is incredibly outdated and needs to be put to rest in favor of a more capable framework.

[AkikoKumagara]

Great idea, Sam. Hopefully this won't be shot down because it's very important to a lot of people and could bring about a lot of changes for the better.

[gonzalologorg]

I never played cinema and possibly i will never play, but this guy...Deserves this...I don't want something that cool to die

[jasmin12e]

+1 Please don't let things get worse I really enjoy cinema servers but everything needs an overhaul!

[SunsetsAndSushi]

+1 Don't let Cinema die. Let's all make Gmod better.

[ghost]

This issue has gone on way too long, and this looks to be a sound alternative if nothing else in the efforts to leave Awesomium's curse...

[WinterPhoenix]

Once again, what we are suggesting is not that this VGUI Panel replace Awesomium, especially since Garry seems very against that idea, but an alternative, implemented separately to Awesomium, that GMod developers could work with. It would be completely optional.

[ghost]

+1 But if someone actually manages to implement this as a pull request (which i don't think anyone could besides the gmod devs since its core files) that would be pretty cool :P

[cannon]

@garrynewman

[ghost]

@willox @robotboy655

[willox]

We're not against the idea, but don't expect it for the next update. Asking people to post non-useful responses to any issues here isn't going to do much. Use the forums for that.

[WinterPhoenix]

I'm genuinely glad to hear that, at the very least, you're not against the idea. If you can, please keep us posted. Thanks!

[El13B]

I'm here to support Winter ^^ good luck Winter!

[JustinCase224]

So what you mean is update the interface on the game, if so im rooting for ya

[ValentinFunk]

Any news on this? Is there like a roadmap or something? Would be amazing to see this implemented, also as it is the most "Thumbed up" issue in here.

[moonexpr]

You guys have all my support.

[60percentCaffeine]

6 months since this request was born. [sarcasm]Unfortunately not 1 year. Hope it will stay unimplemented for at least 6 months more, so I can say "Happy Birthday!".[/sarcasm]

[WinterPhoenix]

Two video services have now broken in the last month that were previously supported in Cinema and Media Player. They were Vimeo and Twitch, and both are no longer supported due to Awesomium's lack of newer JavaScript and HTML5 functionality.

Furthermore, Google Chrome is now (as of version 55, rolling out as of December 2nd) officially shipping Flash Player disabled by default, which will only expedite the process of the web as a whole abandoning Adobe Flash Player in favor of HTML5.

To be frank, Cinema and Media Player are looking to flat out lose support for all their video services very soon if this issue is not addressed. At the time of writing, this is the Most Thumbed Up Request on this GitHub Repo, with second place, #745, having 40 less, so why has it not been treated as a priority all this time?

@willox , @robotboy655 , for the love of god please implement this. It is time.

Thank you.

[60percentCaffeine]

@WinterPhoenix96 Don't worry, they will try to do something when Cinema dies completely.

[cannon]

Let's do a binary add-on, lol.

[DoomandGloom]

I just hope the gmod devs see how passionate we are about the cinema game mode and how much creativity and effort that goes into each server and what effect it would have on our communities when/if it dies out.

Thank you for raising these discussions and I hope a future solution comes.

[samuelmaddock]

I think it's worth reiterating that the intention of this request is to add a new browser VGUI control rather than replacing Awesomium. The ISteamHTMLSurface API isn't 100% compatible with the functionality Awesomium provides. To name a few incompatibilies: 1. no callbacks for console logged messages 2. no support for binding to JavaScript functions. These features would require work on behalf of Valve.

Getting rid of Awesomium would be nice—ISteamHTMLSurface API might not fit the requirements to replace it though.

[moonexpr]

CEF does not work on Mac. Then again, why not force Mac users to stay with Awesomium and the rest of us use CEF?

[Bo98]

Older OS versions are also a problem.

[Bo98]

Rust still runs in DX9 fine afaik. The option to force DX9 is even still there.

[60percentCaffeine]

@Noiwex I remember playing vanilla TTT totally fine on Linux for 3 hours without any crashes.

[Zenshu]

sooo... news?

[Adam759]

This is so ridiculous that something so crucial with Garrysmod is just being ignored and pushed aside. I wish they cared more to actually listen.

[willox]

This can't happen because browsers created with the ISteamHTMLSurface interface seem to share their session with the Steam Overlay's browser.

[cannon]

So pages created on steamcommunity.com have the user's login and are vulnerable to extreme XSS? Understandable, but we still need a new embedded browser one way or another.

[Cloudwalk9]

@Noiwex I might be wrong, but the crashing every 10 minutes may have something to do with OpenGL. It has limitations with 32-bit, with how it handles texture memory (3.5 GB limit).

I've noticed that setting the game to lower graphics settings significantly reduces the incidence of crashes and observing VRAM usage, Garry's Mod appears to crash when the 3.5 GB mark is reached.

Probably no way to fix that unless Garry's Mod switches to 64 bit, which might not be feasible.

[cannon]

I mean... you could do something like blacklisting RunJavascript on steam* domains.

[minecrafter2334]

All i want to do is use mediaplayer on mac

[ZokeysEPN]

This is getting annoying, please fix it!

[WinterPhoenix]

Please see this issue for more up to date discussion: https://github.com/Facepunch/garrysmod-requests/issues/531