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 How to make easy mod installers (which are just zip files)! 
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rezzabae wrote:
Sorry for perhaps stupid question - but i do not own v3 yet.
Why does filemaker need things to be commented out? Has the filemaker a config file? Does it really need that config?
You could simply pass the args to the tool via a bash script and do not use that config at all... e.g. filemaker.exe -x blabla.bin -o ../pack/blablafolder
This way a extra programm is not needed, instead use a script or an common installer. With an installer you could also read the registry and pinpoint to correct install path.

The installer stub sources could be distributed as part of the "gamemod easy creation kit" (GECK) :D on the forum because the process is always the same.


Filemaker uses a .ini to run the unpacking and packing scripts, and both blocks of code are included as they are designed to be commented out when you only want to do either command.


Tue Dec 09, 2014 10:53 pm
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rezzabae wrote:
Sorry for perhaps stupid question - but i do not own v3 yet.
Why does filemaker need things to be commented out? Has the filemaker a config file? Does it really need that config?
You could simply pass the args to the tool via a bash script and do not use that config at all... e.g. filemaker.exe -x blabla.bin -o ../pack/blablafolder
This way a extra programm is not needed, instead use a script or an common installer. With an installer you could also read the registry and pinpoint to correct install path.

The installer stub sources could be distributed as part of the "gamemod easy creation kit" (GECK) :D on the forum because the process is always the same.


The filemaker uses a simple script (start.ini) the same way the game stories have scripts. By default, this script has the sections to pack and unpack the dungeon fast sex story, but they are commented out. This makes it simple to understand how to use and much easier for xmoon to release it without having to write a manual to go along with it.
Incidentally, there's nothing special about the .bin files from what I can tell. They are just an archive of the folder and the game internally unpacks it when it loads the story.


Tue Dec 09, 2014 10:56 pm
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Pickled Cow wrote:
I ask that all modders use the same common root folder for your archives to be extracted from.
I have chosen "XStoryPlayer 3\pack" as the common root folder for now, but if there is a better folder than that, now would be the time to suggest it.


Now that I have some experience with having multiple mods installed in separate unpacked folders, I am leaning towards having the common root folder be "XStoryPlayer 3\pack\pack_dungeon", meaning that the archives are meant to be extracted from the pack_dungeon folder.

Main reason for this, pack_dungeon can be renamed by the user in order to separated mods that are incomparable with each other. Having that as the common root folder also makes it so that folders don't have to be renamed from within the file archive manager.

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Wed Jan 07, 2015 7:07 am
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\XStoryPlayer 3\ shouldn't be a part of the folder structure.

What if decide to install my game in c:\xstory\ ???
I'm not even sure that "pack" and "pack_dungeon" should be a part of this folder...

for me, zipped mod should have a root readme file containing
- use this mod with this_base_pack.bin
- to avoid conflicts or overwritting other mods, rename / unpack your this_base_pack.bin to \my_big_mod

and root folder should be the same as the uncompressed .bin
\ai
\init
\scene
(I don't remember well the content of packed filed and I'm at work, sorry)




#############

I'm looking for a way to implement a mod installer/uninstaller but it's quite difficult since "script" files need to be modified (not replaced) for multiple mod install.
diff files may work in most case but will certainly cause bugs at short term.

I was trying to think something easy to use for modders and end users.

Maybe with bloc tags that identify added parts of code.
something like :
Code:
// <mod name="my_mod">
blabla
code
here
// </mod>

loc.item = "value" ; //<mod="my_mod> original_line_code_here (ex : loc.item ="original_value" ;) </mod>


with a "standardized" input mod file like :
Code:
<pack file="pack\pack_dungeon.bin"/>
<insert file="pack\ai\file.dat" line="20">
   blabla
   code
   here
</insert>

<replace file="pack\ai\anotherfile.dat" line="42">
   loc.item = "value" ;
</replace>



but the installer will have keep a trace of inserted lines to offset other mods, and I'm not sure I can make it work in every case.
this is just a draft of what I've been thinking. It needs big improvement, maybe I have to go on a totally different approach...

if there are other devs on the problem, let us know what you've found.
What do you think of what I wrote? maybe an idea ? pure shit ?


Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:16 pm
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laissemoirire wrote:
\XStoryPlayer 3\ shouldn't be a part of the folder structure.

What if decide to install my game in c:\xstory\ ???
I'm not even sure that "pack" and "pack_dungeon" should be a part of this folder...

for me, zipped mod should have a root readme file containing
- use this mod with this_base_pack.bin
- to avoid conflicts or overwritting other mods, rename / unpack your this_base_pack.bin to \my_big_mod


I think I may have been given you the wrong idea when I use the term "common root folder". The folder name of the directory that XSP 3 runs from is ultimately irrelevant to the user who is installing the mod, as long as that user knows where XSP 3 is running from.

When I say "common root folder", I mean where an archive file containing a mod should be placed in order to install that mod. This requires that archive file to be structured in a certain way.

I at first said that archives should be structured so that they need to be extracted from the pack folder. But now that I know that multiple folders can be used to separate incompatible mods from each other, I now believe that all mod archives should be extracted from the folders created by running the filemaker.exe's unpack function.

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How to make easy MOD installers.
HOW TO START MODDING


Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:06 pm
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Why not just use JSGME? this isn't that difficult.


Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:08 am
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Pickled Cow wrote:
laissemoirire wrote:
\XStoryPlayer 3\ shouldn't be a part of the folder structure.

What if decide to install my game in c:\xstory\ ???
I'm not even sure that "pack" and "pack_dungeon" should be a part of this folder...

for me, zipped mod should have a root readme file containing
- use this mod with this_base_pack.bin
- to avoid conflicts or overwritting other mods, rename / unpack your this_base_pack.bin to \my_big_mod


I think I may have been given you the wrong idea when I use the term "common root folder". The folder name of the directory that XSP 3 runs from is ultimately irrelevant to the user who is installing the mod, as long as that user knows where XSP 3 is running from.

When I say "common root folder", I mean where an archive file containing a mod should be placed in order to install that mod. This requires that archive file to be structured in a certain way.

okay ! so you said root folder "after" 'XStoryPlayer 3\pack' (or 'XStoryPlayer 3\pack\dungeon' in your first post).
I agree. (sorry, my english have some lacks, I didn't understand the right way)

Quote:
I at first said that archives should be structured so that they need to be extracted from the pack folder. But now that I know that multiple folders can be used to separate incompatible mods from each other, I now believe that all mod archives should be extracted from the folders created by running the filemaker.exe's unpack function.


sorry,I don't understand this part
you meant "all mod archves should be extracted TO the folders created by filemaker" ?

by multiple folders you mean ? we can "multi mod" the same pack.bin using multiple folders ? or we can have separated modded pack (one with that, one with this...) ?


Fri Jan 09, 2015 7:02 pm
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Christopher72 wrote:
Why not just use JSGME? this isn't that difficult.


humm, in my case :
never heard of it.

but I'll look into it !
As a good software developper : least I do, better I feel :lol:


Fri Jan 09, 2015 7:21 pm
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laissemoirire wrote:
sorry,I don't understand this part
you meant "all mod archves should be extracted TO the folders created by filemaker" ?

by multiple folders you mean ? we can "multi mod" the same pack.bin using multiple folders ? or we can have separated modded pack (one with that, one with this...) ?


Let me show you how I have my folders set up.
Attachment:
my mod folders.png
my mod folders.png [ 22.2 KiB | Viewed 16082 times ]


When I want to install a new mod:
- I run filemaker.exe
- install the mod to that folder,
- then rename that folder, so filemaker doesn't uninstall the mod next time I run it.

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XStoryPlayer discussion over at DigitalEro forums.
How to make easy MOD installers.
HOW TO START MODDING


Fri Jan 09, 2015 8:04 pm
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laissemoirire wrote:
Christopher72 wrote:
Why not just use JSGME? this isn't that difficult.


humm, in my case :
never heard of it.

but I'll look into it !
As a good software developper : least I do, better I feel :lol:


http://www.softpedia.com/get/Others/Mis ... bler.shtml


Fri Jan 09, 2015 9:43 pm
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