[WIP] A New MegaMod

[Rongel]

Originally Posted by Navuhodonosor

@ Rongel.
Maybe I can help by making Installer for major releases of your mod (maybe even patches, depends on my free time). It could contain uninstaller for easy remove/replace/reinstall and it could integrate in control panel for removal. You can check installers that I am making for ETS mods -Example.
By the way, great job, especially for us that do not have lot of extra time to mess with the game files.

Thanks for the support, I'll look into this! Do you know if exe-installer has specific advantages over JSGME-install? So far it's been working alright for me, even when the mod is over 2 gigs.

What do tou think about updating your Torpedo Malfunctions-mod for compatibility with TDW's patches (the effect in game of different failure settings should be much more predictable now) and merging it with your megamod? We Torpedo sim files were tweked by Volodya already, but unlike you, he had not access to historical data, and his settings are compromise ones.

I have actually done that already . The Torpedo malfunction mod i'm testing right now is fully compatible with FX update and TDW's patches. So this megamod will also serve as a test lab to torpedo malfunctions.

Nice idea , you can use any of my mods in this mega mod .

Thank you sober, much appreciated!

[plj]

.exe install would make it impossible to FUBAR the installation, it would give lusers the option to uninstall through the software menu.

It would probably remove warnings about overwriting mods with JSGME unless you use the .exe installer to insert a MODS folder and JSGME.exe, with mods installed already .. which would be silly or catering towards stupid.

The pro's are that you will be distributing something everybody knows how to handle (double click and follow installation instructions on screen), consisting of one or 2 files, and people wont be able to mess around with the individual mods or installation order, removing most of the PEBKAC errors.

The con is that you would have to know exactly what you are doing if you want to add a mod to it after installation unless you use the silly method above. The only added value would be that people would need no knowledge of JSGME, mep files, where to unzip mods, etc. It would be a true no-brainer, untill they have to patch.

[gap]

Originally Posted by Rongel

Thanks for the support, I'll look into this! Do you know if exe-installer has specific advantages over JSGME-install? So far it's been working alright for me, even when the mod is over 2 gigs.

Originally Posted by plj

.
The pro's are that...
The con is that...

If I had to choose, I would prefer the traditional JSGME-ready package for the reason stated by plj. Nonetheless the pro's he has listed are also convincing. What if the mod was available in both versions?

Originally Posted by Rongel

I have actually done that already . The Torpedo malfunction mod i'm testing right now is fully compatible with FX update and TDW's patches. So this megamod will also serve as a test lab to torpedo malfunctions.

[plj]

If you dont mind a little extra work, it would be nice to have the .exe installer create a working and ready JSGME based modded game. This would allow for flexibility and make this megamod the most logical starting mod for everybody new to SH5 with mods.

[SnipersHunter]

Originally Posted by plj

If you dont mind a little extra work, it would be nice to have the .exe installer create a working and ready JSGME based modded game. This would allow for flexibility and make this megamod the most logical starting mod for everybody new to SH5 with mods.

But i thin this .exe would be to big to upload it for many people

[plj]

..you mean download I think ? If you can download the individual mods, you can download the pack. There are a number of ways to be able to pause and resume a download, there is absolutely no reason not to be able to download the all-in-one, yet manage to download the individual pieces. Also, as I understand it, this is going to be one gigantic mod of 2gb or so. As in one folder to move from left to right in JSGME. So download size would not be affected by installation method apart from a few mb for the installer itself, afaik.

[CPF]

@Rongel,

You may want to take a closer look at Equipment_Upgrades_Fix_v1_4, including patches and fixes. There seem to be a number of issues, even with the correct order of the mod and its related patches/hotfix.

There are some small typos, as well as some items not being displayed properly. It modifies Uboot_Sensors (GR2 & sim), which are also modified by other mods, like TDW's UI. When TheBeast originally created the mod, he suggested installing it last. While this works best for making this mod work better, it's not so good for the other mods.

Also. a lot of the mods that modify GR2 files like EUFv1.4, and TDW's UI do not recalculate the CRC, so that the file can be opened by Granny viewer, which makes verifying or making changes a little more difficult.

Although it seems most users have gotten the correct order for the fix/patch/hotfix corrected, it might also be simpler to put these all in one mod, with only sober's mod left separate for those who don't want historical accuracy.

[Mikemike47]

Originally Posted by plj

..you mean download I think ? If you can download the individual mods, you can download the pack. There are a number of ways to be able to pause and resume a download, there is absolutely no reason not to be able to download the all-in-one, yet manage to download the individual pieces. Also, as I understand it, this is going to be one gigantic mod of 2gb or so. As in one folder to move from left to right in JSGME. So download size would not be affected by installation method apart from a few mb for the installer itself, afaik.

On a related note, download accelerator plus works great as long as the file, big or small, has got a resume feature. Been using it for years, maybe even a decade now. If you use Firefox browser, it has a great download accelerator/resume program called down them all as an addon.

If file is too big, maybe Neal Stevens will have to make this new megamod has a bonus mod.

[gap]

Originally Posted by CPF

@Rongel,

You may want to take a closer look at Equipment_Upgrades_Fix_v1_4, including patches and fixes. There seem to be a number of issues, even with the correct order of the mod and its related patches/hotfix.

There are some small typos, as well as some items not being displayed properly.

Yes, I agree. Some other EUF's issues that need for attenction:

- new upgrades selction graphics look at bit coarse in most cases. They should be redone trying to match as closely as possible the style and quality of stock graphics. If Rongel is interested, I am up to work on them in the next days, for them to be released together with his megamod

- it has been reported that some of the new coatings/paint schemes don't get applied correctly. Can someone confirm and detail the above statement?

- even after sober's patch, upgrade availability dates are not always correct. Tracking down and fixing the wrong dates might require a bit of reserach, but it is worth the effort imo.

Originally Posted by CPF

It modifies Uboot_Sensors (GR2 & sim), which are also modified by other mods, like TDW's UI. When TheBeast originally created the mod, he suggested installing it last. While this works best for making this mod work better, it's not so good for the other mods.

Also. a lot of the mods that modify GR2 files like EUFv1.4, and TDW's UI do not recalculate the CRC, so that the file can be opened by Granny viewer, which makes verifying or making changes a little more difficult.

A few days ago I looked into that file using an hex editor and an older version of TDW's GR3 Editor which ignores CRC errors. This is what I've found:

- New UI's version of the file contains all the changes by EUF. It is therefore okay overwriting EUF's file with the one by TDW.

- The CRC error comes from the fact that TDW edited the file manually, when some of his and privateer's discoveries on the GR2 format where still to come. IIRC, all the changes introduced by him via hex editing, can be made now on a clean file, using GR2 Editor. This should solve the CRC problem, for future further editing of the file

[conus00]

Well, I, for one, believe that the entire SH5 interface needs to be revamped so it does not look like a nuclear sub simulation and more like WWII sub simulation. Starting with fonts, colors... etc
There is a reason why I like the GWX3 interface. It has true "WWII-feel" to it.

[gap]

Originally Posted by conus00

Well, I, for one, believe that the entire SH5 interface needs to be revamped so it does not look like a nuclear sub simulation and more like WWII sub simulation. Starting with fonts, colors... etc
There is a reason why I like the GWX3 interface. It has true "WWII-feel" to it.

I couldn't agree more.

Most of the stock interface would suit better a smart phone than a WWII sub sumulation, and some graphics are a real eyesore. Yet, vanilla upgrade selection previews don't look that bad, and if I was to give a general revamp to SH5's look, I would retain them or give them a low priority.

[Rongel]

Originally Posted by CPF

@Rongel,

You may want to take a closer look at Equipment_Upgrades_Fix_v1_4, including patches and fixes. There seem to be a number of issues, even with the correct order of the mod and its related patches/hotfix.

Yes, I agree. Some other EUF's issues that need for attenction:

- new upgrades selction graphics look at bit coarse in most cases. They should be redone trying to match as closely as possible the style and quality of stock graphics. If Rongel is interested, I am up to work on them in the next days, for them to be released together with his megamod

- it has been reported that some of the new coatings/paint schemes don't get applied correctly. Can someone confirm and detail the above statement?

- even after sober's patch, upgrade availability dates are not always correct. Tracking down and fixing the wrong dates might require a bit of reserach, but it is worth the effort imo.

Good points about EUF! It's too bad that TheBeast hasn't been around lately, it's always best that the author of the mod does the fixes. I still think it can be done, as long as we only fix things and not start to distort his creation. I have sent him a PM about permission to use his mods, but it seem he was around last time in february so it might take a while.

Not sure about the graphics fixes ( I have never advanced very far in campaign so I haven't seen most of the upgrades!), is it messing with somebodys mod? Well maybe one way to do it, is to think that it's a regular mod, I mean that it would be included into the megamod, but in credits there would read something like "Gap's Alternate Equipment Upgrade Graphics". That way people know what exactly has been done. So if you have spare time, go for it. My ideology concerning graphics is that modifications shouldn't stray too far from the stock game. Universal look is something I want and aim for with this mod. So your edits could help with this goal!

And I also agree that the UI is and those grey boxes are a bit dull.

- New UI's version of the file contains all the changes by EUF. It is therefore okay overwriting EUF's file with the one by TDW.

This is very nice to hear, I was thinking there was a ticking time bomb lurking in the modsoups waiting to go off. Currently my time is limited so if somebody wants to take a close look to EUF and release a fix-mod/patch, that would be great! Otherwise, I'll look into it later!

[gap]

Originally Posted by Rongel

Good points about EUF!

...

My ideology concerning graphics is that modifications shouldn't stray too far from the stock game. Universal look is something I want and aim for with this mod. So your edits could help with this goal!

I feel exactly like you about messing with other's mods, and I obviously agree with your vision about graphical homogeneity being an important prerequisite of each mod. I am going to look into EUF's graphics today, and I will report back with a work plan

Originally Posted by Rongel

This is very nice to hear, I was thinking there was a ticking time bomb lurking in the modsoups waiting to go off. Currently my time is limited so if somebody wants to take a close look to EUF and release a fix-mod/patch, that would be great! Otherwise, I'll look into it later!

I have alreay reviewed EUF's files conflicting with other must have mods, one by one, as I was suspecting that they might have been the cause of the infamous "silentotto ctd problem". Using Sober's mod order, most of the conflicts are sorted-out correctly. The one potential source of problems I have tracked down are some EUF equipments missing from New UI's boat eqp files. The solution would be copying TDW's snorkel entries at the end of New UI's eqp file and pasting them into EUF's versions of the same files. Doing it would require altering snorkel's progressive numbering for the VIIc and VIIc 41, as TheBeast has added some new equipment definitions to those files. I don't know if this would break the ability of TDW's Option Editor to enable the telescopic snorkels. Not a big deal, as one could enable them manually, but worth a test anyway

[volodya61]

Originally Posted by gap

I don't know if this would break the ability of TDW's Option Editor to enable the telescopic snorkels. Not a big deal, as one could enable them manually, but worth a test anyway

It doesn't break anything.. you just should choose the snorkel's type to use before you leave the bunker..

[gap]

Originally Posted by volodya61

It doesn't break anything.. you just should choose the snorkel's type to use before you leave the bunker..

Yes, I know how it works. My point is that changing the equipment # of TDW's snorkels in some eqp files, the OptionFiele Editor might not be able to locate them anymore for automatic activation. This is a minor concern anyway: manual activation is quite easy, and after all I think that we should really device a patch for making those snorkels and the u-boat flag available from the euipment upgrades menu