Multiple Installs on Steam. Is it possible?

[Tucker]

Hey yall, I’ve got a quick question someone might be able to answer for me. I am trying to figure out a way to have two installs that can be played without too much game file fiddling/renaming for SH4 on steam.

I like to play RFB and OM, so I’ve created two game files in the Steam library. One is the SH4 folder with RFB and RSRD plus patches installed using JSGME, and one with OM and it’s patches installed also using the mod installer. What I have been doing is naming one either SH4 RFB or OM, while the other file is just named SH4. The one with the original name runs and when I want to switch mods I just switch the names of the game folder. This works but it is a bit time consumer and a hassle to do.

So the other day I realized the steam version of SH4 has two launch tabs, one for the base game and one for the Uboat missions expansion. Both tabs access the same folder/version of the game and the only difference is the game time tracking. The tabs only track game hours when you start the game with that specific launch tab. So I was wondering if it’s possible to change the game launch path for the Uboat missions launch tab to start up the game in my OM folder, while I leave the base game launch tab to start my RFB folder. That way I could use both mods without having to dig into the files every time I want to switch mods.

So would this be possible, and if it is, can someone please explain to me how to do it. Thanks

Ahoy @Tucker

Just use MultiSH4 - more help and the dll you get here:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=219029

Originally Posted by Bleiente

Small rescue package (MultiSh4, 4GBPatch and JSGME):
https://workupload.com/file/4LWqqpxY

[propbeanie]

As Bleiente says, use MultiSH4 to make yourself Save folders of different names for the two separate installs. You don't want RFB Save files getting mixed with OM Save files in the Documents / SH4 folder. Rename the folders, such as RFB and OM7, or whatever you want to reflect what they're for.

As for the Uboat start in Steam, had you "imported" OM to the Steam Library? That might be your OM start short-cut. The way SH4 is set-up, the German side and the American side share quite a few files, so your start screen (and a few other things) would be for whichever mod was activate into SH4 last. The German side will also reach across and use some of the American campaign files. They are usually compatible, but not always, RFB with RSRDC on top of it should be nearly 100% compatible with OM. You will still run into the fact that the two sides share interface elements though...

[Tucker]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

As for the Uboat start in Steam, had you "imported" OM to the Steam Library? That might be your OM start short-cut. The way SH4 is set-up, the German side and the American side share quite a few files, so your start screen (and a few other things) would be for whichever mod was activate into SH4 last. The German side will also reach across and use some of the American campaign files. They are usually compatible, but not always, RFB with RSRDC on top of it should be nearly 100% compatible with OM. You will still run into the fact that the two sides share interface elements though...

Propbeanie, I have not imported my OM file onto steam. The file is sitting in my steam folder in the program files, but I manually put it there, and steam doesn't recognize it/it doesn't show up as a playable game on my steam sidebar. The Uboat missions tab was from buying and downloaded the Uboat missions expansion on steam. For whatever reason, they made two separate launch tabs. I guess because you can just buy the uboat missions as a stand alone on steam(?) Or maybe they have it divided this way because it wasn't like a DLC like you have today, but instead a (sort of) expansion.

So how I have my folders set up now. I have one folder that is named "Silent Hunters Wolves of the Pacific" and one named "Silent Hunters Wolves of the Pacific OM" in my steamapps, common folder with all the other steam games I own. When I click the play button for either the Uboat missions or base SH4 launch tab on Steam it activates the sh4.exe file in the folder named "Silent Hunters Wolves of the Pacific". What I would like to do if possible, would be to change the launch path for the Uboat missions tab to activate the sh4.exe file in the "Silent Hunters Wolves of the Pacific OM" file. Both of the SH4 files are the full game, just one has RFB and RSRD installed, while the other has OM installed. I also have two files in my documents, one is called SH4 and the other is SH4 OM for my saves and all that. And in the past when I switch mods, I rename those files too, so the OM file just becomes SH4 while the RFB file becomes SH4 RFB. If I could get it to save to the correct file that would be even better but I can also just rename them if that is impossible. It is a little less of a hassle to rename those then it is to rename the files in the steam library.

[propbeanie]

Well, my Win10 computer that had Steam on it, with SH3 with a WAC and GWX mods, and SH5 with a TWoS mod, have been obliterated by a Windows "Update". In fact, the computer will not boot now, so I cannot go in and look at what I did, so this is from memory...

What I did was added a Library folder to my Steam, but since it is a laptop with just one hard drive, I had to do the "manual" method, as documented in Moving a Steam Installation and Games on the Steam web site. The relevant part would be the "How do I move my existing Steam Installation?" if you only have the one drive also. It does look like they've updated that page recently, and one of the little outlined boxes now makes mention of the Steam Cloud. That was not around when I did my move. Also, this process takes ~forever~ and a day. The bigger the Library, the longer the move.This will also mess up any short-cuts you have on your desktop, so those will have to be either edited, or deleted with new ones created from the Steam Library. If you have a 2nd hard drive, it is easy-peasy, just by creating a New Library folder. You can then pick and choose what you want to move to that. That is the top part of that article. You do have to get the library out of the Program Files folders though, for mods to function correctly.

Once you have a Library outside of the Program Files folders, You can then copy your SH4 install. What I did with my SH3 was to copy the "Silent Hunter 3" folder and pasted it to the "Games" folder where I had made my new Library. That takes a bit to copy. While there, I renamed that folder to SH3GWX, to represent the mod to be applied. Then I cut it from the Games folder, and pasted it back into the "common" folder under "Steam / steamapps / common /", such that I have "Silent Hunter 3" sitting alongside "SH3GWX" folders in the "common" folder. I then used MultiSH3 to make a new Save folder for the GWX install (GWX). Then I brought in JSGME and the mod, activated the parts of it and got it ready to run. Then I went into the Steam app on my computer, clicked the "Games" menu, and then "Add a Non-Steam game". "Browse" to the folder where that SH3.exe file is in the SH3GWX folder, and click "Add to Library". After that, change the name of the shorcut to match what you want, which in my case was SH3GWX. To do that, right-click on the shortcut in the Library, left-click "Properties", and change the text in the top box (sh3 in my case) to what you want (SH3GWX here). When you press the <Enter> key, it commits it. So now I have an SH3GWX and an Silent Hunter 3 shortcut in the Steam Library, each pointing at a different SH3.exe file and folder. Just substitute "SH4" and mods as applicable for you. The MultiSH you'll need to use would be MultiSH4...

[ETR3(SS)]

I dont know about SH5, but you cannot simply copy and paste your SH4 directory out of the SteamApps\Common directory, or where ever you made your new library, due to Steams DRM. SH3 can go anywhere due to all DRM being removed from the game.

[propbeanie]

You can't create a new Library folder in the computer Steam app, ETR3(SS), copy your other SH4 into the new folder, and then "Add non-Steam game" on the Steam app menu with SH4? That's how I did my SH5, and had a Stock version (ee-yuck) and a TWoS install. I do not have a Steam SH4 to experiment with. Oh, wait... the "base" is SH4, v1.3. I wonder if that has anything to do with it...

I do know that Steam did change their DRM a while back, after I had done my first installs of SH3, and that the last time I went to move my Library on the laptop (one hard drive), I had to move ALL games in the Library to the new location that was not in "Program Files (x86)", in order to get the one (SH3) to move. I did not use the same folder name "Silent Hunter 3", but instead made it "SH3GWX". I then went inside the SH3 original folder, copied the "Data, DirectX, Support, etc. folders and all the files (use <Ctrl><A> to select them all), and pasted that inside the "SH3GWX" folder. After that I was able to make copies of the SH3 install, change the name of it to the mod I was running, and then add it into Steam's Start menu. Use of MultiSH is practically mandatory.

[ETR3(SS)]

I can make a copy of Steam SH4 so long as I place that copy in the same folder. For example my games library is located at D:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common. If I tried to copy my Steam SH4 to D:\Games it throws an error when I try to start the game. And scratch that part about it working with SH3, I just tried it again to make sure and same result as SH4.

[propbeanie]

Yeah, so you've got a "D:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Silent Hunter 4" folder, or whatever they use for the actual game folder with SH4 in Steam. I didn't explain things very well above - I make the new folder first in that Steam Library folder, such that I have (my SH3) "D:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\SH3GWX" alongside, or in the same "common" folder as the "Silent Hunter 3" folder. I then go into the "Silent Hunter 3" folder, and select & copy all of the files and folders in it to the "SH3GWX" folder, both being in the "D:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common" folder. Similar can be done by copying the "Silent Hunter 3" folder and contents to an intermediate location, renaming the folder to a different name, and then copy it back into the common folder. It does have to be in the Steam Library structure.

Then you have to add it to the Steam Start menu. If you don't do that, it doesn't do the Steam authorization. I'm 99.99% certain that you have to log into Steam on your computer in order to do it. Do not use the web Steam - your computer Steam app. Close their ads after it starts. Then get to your Games List ("View" menu, "Games List" is one way), and at the bottom of the app page is " |+| Add A Game ". Click that, then "Add a Non-Steam Game..." You will have to "Browse" (usually) to the new SH copy folder, and select the SHx.exe file and "Open". That will bring it in to the top of the list in Steam, with a checkmark in its box. Now press "Add Selected Program". I have picture on here somewhere of this...

Now, the way I change names, is I right-click on the program just added, left-click on "Properties", and type a new name in the upper box by the icon. Hit the <Enter> key, and you should be finished... You can add your Mission Editor to the Steam menu the same way.

I'll try to re-do my SH5 here in a bit, and let you know how that goes. Steam just did an update on my Win10 laptop, and Windows just did another of its updates a few days ago.

[ETR3(SS)]

I think we're on the same page here now, just two different ways of explaining it. I don't add them (the copies) into the Steam app as I usually launch right from the source folder, works better when I'm modding.

[propbeanie]

Gotcha. If you do add the copy to the Steam menu though, it should run its checks and work... maybe... hopefully like my SH3 and SH5 do - When you double-click on the SH4.exe, or do a Windows desktop shortcut directly to it, you have to use the "original" Steam install for it to check its license, correct? and the copy won't start that way, correct?