Lost knowledge - Multiple Installs

[MarkShot]

I have not posted in years. Ahoy!



First, I should state, I am on:


WIN10 Pro 64b Build 2004


The only real reason to do go about a lot of voodoo for multiple installs and mods is for space. These days a game can easily run 40Gb. My SSD is 2Tb. DWX is about 3Gb. Saving space for mods is not worth the effort quite simply; as multiple installs makes life so easy.


Back in the old days, you would simply install clean into the path you wanted. Then you would export a registry file. Later, you can switch between games by just double clicking on the registry file. I installed from optical media, but in theory this should work for Steam.


Yesterday, after years on dry land, I came back to the Sea. I installed:


AOD (DOS 4 versions with DOSBOX)
SHCE (DOS PZK mod with DOSBOX)
SC Stock
SCXIIc
DW Stock
DW LWAMI
DW RA



I want to show you show what this looks with the registry technique for the Sonalyst stuff in case you are new.


BTW, you need a DLL call converter in the root directory for Windows 10 to work.



d3d8.dll


Despite people reporting RA 1.49 crashes, it runs fine, and has a hot fix file. It is much more nicely integrated than the old SCU approach.


Okay, here are your REG files. In principle, they could just be edited NOTEPAD.EXE as opposed to exported out of REGEDIT.EXE.


PS: DOSBOX 0.74 is the way to go for AOD and SHCE. Playing around with options you easily make them fill your monitor and not appear to be a postage stamp. Many DOS games run better this way than on an 80486/66 and 6.3.



SC.REG


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Electronic Arts\Sub Command]
"DisplayName"="Sub Command"
"Language"="English"
"CD Drive"="G:\"
"Install Dir"="E:\\Games\\SC"
"Product GUID"="{00614BE0-4470-11D5-941B-0050DA2D7AE1}"
"Installed From"="G:\"
"Region"="NA"
"Folder"="Electronic Arts\\Sub Command"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Electronic Arts\Sub Command\1.0]
"DisplayName"="Sub Command"
"Language"=dword:00000001
"LanguageName"="English"
"rootInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SC"
"cdInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SC"
"scenarioInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SC"
"dbInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SC"
"interfaceInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SC\\Interfa ces"
"graphicsInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SC\\Graphics "
"sfxInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SC\\Audio\\Sfx\\sfx.a gg+"
"musicInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SC\\Audio\\Musi c"
"aLetter"="e"


SCX.REG


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Electronic Arts\Sub Command]
"DisplayName"="Sub Command"
"Language"="English"
"CD Drive"="G:\"
"Install Dir"="E:\\Games\\SCX"
"Product GUID"="{00614BE0-4470-11D5-941B-0050DA2D7AE1}"
"Installed From"="G:\"
"Region"="NA"
"Folder"="Electronic Arts\\Sub Command"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Electronic Arts\Sub Command\1.0]
"DisplayName"="Sub Command"
"Language"=dword:00000001
"LanguageName"="English"
"rootInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SCX"
"cdInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SCX"
"scenarioInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SCX"
"dbInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SCX"
"interfaceInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SCX\\Interfaces "
"graphicsInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SCX\\Graphic s"
"sfxInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SCX\\Audio\\Sfx\\sfx. agg+"
"musicInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\SCX\\Audio\\Mus ic"
"aLetter"="e"



DW


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Sonalysts Combat Simulations\Dangerous Waters]
"DisplayName"="Dangerous Waters"
"Language"="English"
"CD Drive"="G:\"
"Install Dir"="E:\\Games\\DWStd"
"Product GUID"="{7A504B38-A29F-4868-B3D0-A4B66F5F2BD9}"
"Installed From"="G:\"
"Region"="NA"
"Folder"="DW1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Sonalysts Combat Simulations\Dangerous Waters\1.0]
"DisplayName"="Dangerous Waters"
"Language"=dword:00000001
"LanguageName"="English"
"rootInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWStd"
"cdInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWStd"
"scenarioInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWStd"
"dbInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWStd"
"interfaceInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWStd\\Interfac es"
"graphicsInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWStd\\Graph ics"
"sfxInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWStd\\Audio\\Sfx\\sf x.agg+"
"musicInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWStd\\Audio\\Music "
"cinematicInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWStd\\Cinemati c"
"aLetter"="e"
"buildNumber"=dword:0000017a


DW-LWAMI.REG


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Sonalysts Combat Simulations\Dangerous Waters]
"DisplayName"="Dangerous Waters"
"Language"="English"
"CD Drive"="G:\"
"Install Dir"="E:\\Games\\DWMod"
"Product GUID"="{7A504B38-A29F-4868-B3D0-A4B66F5F2BD9}"
"Installed From"="G:\"
"Region"="NA"
"Folder"="DW2"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Sonalysts Combat Simulations\Dangerous Waters\1.0]
"DisplayName"="Dangerous Waters"
"Language"=dword:00000001
"LanguageName"="English"
"rootInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWMod"
"cdInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWMod"
"scenarioInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWMod"
"dbInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWMod"
"interfaceInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWMod\\Interfac es"
"graphicsInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWMod\\Graph ics"
"sfxInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWMod\\Audio\\Sfx\\sf x.agg+"
"musicInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWMod\\Audio\\Music "
"cinematicInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWMod\\Cinemati c"
"aLetter"="e"
"buildNumber"=dword:0000017a


DW-RA.REG


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Sonalysts Combat Simulations\Dangerous Waters]
"DisplayName"="Dangerous Waters"
"Language"="English"
"CD Drive"="G:\"
"Install Dir"="E:\\Games\\DWRaD"
"Product GUID"="{7A504B38-A29F-4868-B3D0-A4B66F5F2BD9}"
"Installed From"="G:\"
"Region"="NA"
"Folder"="DW1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Sonalysts Combat Simulations\Dangerous Waters\1.0]
"DisplayName"="Dangerous Waters"
"Language"=dword:00000001
"LanguageName"="English"
"rootInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWRaD"
"cdInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWRaD"
"scenarioInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWRaD"
"dbInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWRaD"
"interfaceInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWRaD\\Interfac es"
"graphicsInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWRaD\\Graph ics"
"sfxInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWRaD\\Audio\\Sfx\\sf x.agg+"
"musicInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWRaD\\Audio\\Music "
"cinematicInstallPath"="E:\\Games\\DWRaD\\Cinemati c"
"aLetter"="e"
"buildNumber"=dword:0000017a

[FPSchazly]

Hello there! This technique looks impressive. I think I have a simpler method though. These days, we just name the folders of the different installs to different things so the computer is only looking for one thing. For example:

Dangerous Waters_Stock
Dangerous Waters_RA
Dangerous Waters_Lwami

Say, I want to play stock, I change the RA folder to

Dangerous Waters
Dangerous Waters_Stock
Dangerous Waters_Lwami

If I want to play Lwami, I then remove the suffix from the Lwami folder and then rename the RA folder with its suffix:

Dangerous Waters
Dangerous Waters_Stock
Dangerous Waters_RA


Let me know what you think!

[MarkShot]

I like the registry method, since you may have different desktop program groups, since it keep things distinct easier and if you want to jump back and forth between tweaks for a mission in one mod or another.


It's just allows you to traverse faster.


Also, if you do system level backups with either a FULL+INCREMENTAL or FULL+DIFFERENTIAL. It will quickly make your backups very confusing, in terms of recovering say a mission or save game, since things are not simply determined by time and location, but time, location, and context.


The JSGME approach I find good for many small mods that your routinely swap around and mix/match, but for overhauls and total mods, I just like multiple installs.


Since yesterday when I came back, I saw that many had asked about multiple installs. I just assumed the registry approach to flip the active install had been lost like chipping tools out flint.


As long as people are happy with their setups that is all that matters.

[Aktungbby]

MarkShot!