PKT stuff

[pd]

Hi there, I'm throwing this up yet again.

This morning I felt like having a look at PKT stuff, and I wonder wtf is the problem you all got :unsure:

Anyway the additional maps in YRO files including a PKT work great, nothing to complain about. And no double listing of any exisiting map :???:

[CannisRabidus]

Try using 2 external PKT files, not one.

[pd]

With external, you mean loose in the game dir?
I didn't try that, but what would you need that for? :huh:
Just make a map pack in a YRO and it works fine, I got 4 running currently.

EDIT:
Oh well I just found that they don't work in mix files, meaning the YROs must be loose in the game dir, which the XCC Mod Creator doesn't quite understand :angry:

[CannisRabidus]

The PKT is in langmd.mix, which is always read and cannot be overridden. We keep coming up against this remember?

To get XCC M/L to write a loose file without processing it, abuse the video category.

In any case, instead of dumping a bunch of loose YROs into the game dir, it is neater to rename them to MAP, and then they can be in a mix. Then you just dump a single loose file in the game dir - the PKT.

[Bobingabout]

I can't get YROs working :blink:
you sure about the 1 map per YRO? thats crap. maybe thats why mine didn't work...

got to try that again *now got a reason to return to my mod*

EDIT: AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!
Windows has rearanged all my icons in the RA2 folder!

Edit2:
Got a YRO working containing my commander mode map desertc1 "In the Desert"

Edit3:
got a YRO working containing 2 maps, the commander mode version desertc1 and the standard version desertb1 of the map "In the Desert"

Edit4:
got a YRO working containing ALL of my mods maps!!!

cool.

its easy, just place the PKT in a mix with the same name, with the extension YRO. for example, RROTC.YRO contains RROTC.PKT plus all the maps (DESERTB1.MAP, DESERTC1.MAP etc) referanced in the PKT.


strange, because it never worked the last time i tried... although, i am using Rock Patch 1.06 Beta.

Edit5:
it also works fine without the rock patch.

what the hell happened the first time i was testing it?

[pd]

erm... you did know that it just worked like mmx didn't you?
but if you place it into an ecache or expand it wouldn't.
but i don't see any problem there actually.

just that the xcc mix creator auto-places it into the mixes, i.e. i cannot misuse video

[Bobingabout]

i already knew it worked like an MMX(even though before this test i couldn't get it working). maybe cannis is getting confused with YRM?(YRM is a yuri's revenge map file saved by final alert. YRO is a yuri's revenge map pack, like MMX)although knowing cannis, its doubtful.


instead of us whinning about multiple loose PKTs not working, we should really be using YROs.

[DCoder]

Using YROs will not help me create new filters for stock maps...
I already detailed why I want that, to create some theater-specific gamemodes. For example, that would allow snow maps to take place on, say, Atrigo/Io, and the moon maps to happen on Phobos... with different unit behavior and arsenal even.

[Bobingabout]

erm :???: works fine for me...
using a YRO works exactly the same as using a MIX and seperate PKT, except the PKT is inside the MIX named YRO.

explain to me why PKT and MIX would work when a YRO wouldn't... :wallbash:

[DCoder]

I am talking about stock maps. The ones listed in missionsmd.pkt. Like you said, the YRO>PKTs work just the same as directory placed PKTs. I never got a PKT with stock maps listed to work properly, regardless of where I placed it. Maybe it was a PEBCAK error, although I doubt it.

[Bobingabout]

i supose disableing stock maps is a problem.

[CannisRabidus]

Yes I know YRO corresponds to MMX and YRM corresponds to MPR.
What I do not understand is why any of you really want to use loose YRO maps, when MAPs in a MIX work the same, and have the added advantage of being able to keep all the maps in a single file... which avoids annoying the user who typically hates mods which dump a lot of loose files in his game directory.

Disabling stock maps is done in MPMODESMD.INI, and the PKT is used to support what you did -- simply don't use any of the stock mapfilters -- use only new mapfilters. That's what tmapm is doing for AR2 now btw. The downside is that you also disable fan maps. But this is an advantage for AR2 and not a problem, of course.

just that the xcc mix creator auto-places it into the mixes, i.e. i cannot misuse video

That is annoying isn't it? Here's the solution:
Say your MIX-type file is named FOO.MIX
Create a new text file (or anything other file type) and name it FOO.MIX
Insert it in the video category of XCC M/L
Save the profile
Close XCC M/L
Substitute the real FOO.MIX for the dummy one
Open XCC M/L again, and compile the mod
You just fooled XCC M/L into copying a MIX without processing it

[DCoder]

Disabling stock maps is done in MPMODESMD.INI, and the PKT is used to support what you did -- simply don't use any of the stock mapfilters -- use only new mapfilters. That's what tmapm is doing for AR2 now btw. The downside is that you also disable fan maps. But this is an advantage for AR2 and not a problem, of course.

I still think you are misinterpreting my words. Or, maybe, I am not reading into all your explanations well enough.
I want to create mpmodes like "Temperate", "Arctic", "Sahara", "Moon", etc. and enable stock maps only from those theatres. I coded the mpmodesmd.ini to match:

Code:

[FreeForAll]
1=GUI:Summer, STT:summer, MPSummerMD.ini, summer, false
2=GUI:Winter, STT:winter, MPWinterMD.ini, winter, false
3=GUI:City, STT:urban, MPCityMD.ini, urban, false
4=GUI:Africa, STT:desert, MPAfricaMD.ini, desert, false
5=GUI:Debug, STT:Debug, MPdebugMD.ini, standard, true

Now I need to create a PKT which would assign those mapfilters to stock maps. However, since those maps are already in the missiomsmd.pkt, I can not do this without glitches.
For now, I have hexed the gamemd.exe to read a different file instead of missionsmd.pkt, but obviously this is a dirty solution. My suggestion straight from the start was to allow modders to define the aforementioned filename in the INI, I assumed that would be easier than sifting through pkt parsing code and fixing the duplication bug.

[CannisRabidus]

Ah you are not disabling you are redefining. I never tried that. What happens when a map section exists twice with 2 different game mode lists (and one game mode list doesn't work)?

[DCoder]

When a map has two sections with different mpmode filters defined, it causes duplications and occasional IEs.

Edit: Now I just tested an idea, which I should have tested long ago, but never thought of. Mea culpa...
I always tested a loose missionsdc.pkt with content like

Code:

[XMP10S4]
Description=DESC:MP10S4
CD=2
MinPlayers=2
MaxPlayers=4
GameMode=winter

, and now I tested a loose missionsmd.pkt with content like

Code:

[XMP10S4]
Description=DESC:MP10S4
CD=2
MinPlayers=2
MaxPlayers=4
GameMode=standard,winter

Notice the standard filter, copied from the stock pkt. And the result was ... see image.



It works properly, as far as I could tell. I do believe the logic suggests itself, the redefinitions need to append to the stock data, rather than override it. Which would mean that my de-hardcode request is not necessary at all. :clap: Thanks for a push in the right direction, Cannis

Edit #2: Gah, this <expand> hack needs some sizeing adjustments...