Patching extra functionality into <gamemd.exe>

[Bobingabout]

i've just had me another few ideas.

ever noticed how the Allied and Soviet sidebars have buttons of slightly different sizes, in slightly different places?

well, the simple option would be a "UseAlliedGUILineup=yes/no" but i'm thinking that a better option would be to let the whole lot be costomisable.

not just sidebar either, that new yuri mission button moves the soviet button to the left, the ability to re-position it so that its in the normal place and yuri disabled would also be a nice option. but, the ability to define size and location of those buttons would be nice aswell.

its probably a bit much to ask from PD, but i think its the kind of thing jonwil used to like to do. why did he quit anyway?

i thought i'd just state my opinion, i think the re-position of soviet button being optional has come up before.

maybe i should have another go at the hacking thing... i've just got to get my head around it...

[Blade]

It would more than likely be very difficult to make the buttons reorder optional, better would be to fix the loop issues on the third button and put together a stock training mission for that button for anyone using the maps in their mods. I could even fix the RA2 training missions to run from it.

[pd]

I doubt that it can be made optional at all, since the button's position is resource data, which is readable only, and that can't be changed.
I'm not sure whether there are APIs for that, though.

Aynway, people sure heard about my "table".
It's a quite heavy information source about what is stored where in the class instances.
It went around in the HacKit only.
Though it's also a nice tag reference, IMO.

Anyway, it's an Excel table, which requires MS Excel or the crappy Excel Viewer, and besides I'm using so many worksheets that you have to scroll around all the time.

I'm currently trying to compile all the info into the thing I attached.
It will not only hold the basic class descent and the class instances' member variables, but I'll also include info about their virtual tables.
Of course, it will not include ALL the classes used by the game, but the ones relevant for gameplay, modding and hacking.

For anybody who understood that or who's interested in it (it's pretty interesting actually), please get the attached thing and tell me whether it's OK to make it like that, I'm bad at thinking into the future.

Be sure to browse to AbstractType -> WarheadType to see how the tables would look like.

[Marshall]

Very interesting. Looking forward to seeing more on this.

[pd]

OK I suppose it's OK then
Of course, the program will not stay like that...

I attached a few more txt files, put them into the data folder and you got a bunch of new info (it's a hell job converting that from my old table and checking the default vales in the exe ).

BTW: Did anybody test VoiceIFVRepair? Its code seems kinda strange for me.
Besides, it causes that chrono sound bug.

[DCoder]

Very interesting stuff there. Small bug, the program sometimes shows empty rows which dissapear when I scroll the window and the empty row gets focused. But, I can live with that

And no, I have not tested VoiceIFVRepair yet.

[Bobingabout]

yes, very interesting, and useful too.

[pd]

ok great

I'm still working on it and expanding it.

Anyway we're getting near the 1.07 release and I won't work on new features anymore.
However, i want you to report bugs introduced by the patch.

don't name the following bugs, because they are fixed already:

- Fix: Owner tag allows much more entries now (about 50 owners are possible now)
- Bugfix: Loading a saved game does not cause an Internal Error anymore
- Bugfix: FourthCrew and FourthSurvivorDivisor work properly now
- Bugfix: The NewPlayableCountries-tag works properly now (even with negative numbers in order to remove countries)
- Bugfix: For theatre-specific building images, now REALLY any first letter works (i.e. KACNST or LGBRCK)
- Some old 1.01 loading routines have been fixed, and with them probably some minor bugs

I hope to be able to fix whatever bug reported.

[Bobingabout]

you planning to fix bugs before the release to have the first competly bug free release?

if thats the case, shouldn't you have some beta testers?

actually, 1.06 was pretty good because of the pre-patcher version posted here on the forums.

[pd]

bugfree is exaggerated.
but that depends on what you consider a bug...

currently the most annoying bugs are incomplete features like mouse pointers, SW EVA events and super anims on buildings, fire SW and probably more.
Though I'm just not able to fix them, and I can't do something I'm not able to

[Bobingabout]

i'd call a bug something that doesn't function the way you intended, such as nuke clones causing IEs, or 4th crew only giving you 1 man.

say hello to a generic 4th side EVAmd.ini file.

this is basicly the first step in allowing PD to start 4th EVA. comments have been removed to shink filesize.

EDIT: WTF! wheres my attachment gone?
why arn't i allowed to attach ini files?

[DCoder]

why arn't i allowed to attach ini files?

Now you are

[pd]

:!: :!: :!:
DISCOVERY!

I was just "browsing" in the Random Map Generator code and I noticed there's a disabled map type, the Archipelago:

[attachmentid=69]

:blink: Cool, isn't it?
Restoring it was easy, I just had to change the loop starting number from 1 down to zero and the base listing offset.

Anyway, this map type seems to be fully working and I believe it's great for naval wars.
1.07 will definitely feature that!


@BobingAbout:
Thanks for the evamd.ini.

EDIT:
Well well, so I'm working on the RMG, and guess what!
I'm trying to restore several TS things.
The game enters an endless loop trying to place civilian structures, I still have to investigate why that happens.
Anyway, placing dirt roads works kinda good:

[attachmentid=70]

Check the part I marked.
You see that LATs don't work too well with it (probably the reason for WW disabling them).

EDIT #2:
Woot, civilian units also work fine.
Though they make the maps a kindof mess... on large maps that's probably better:

[attachmentid=71]

Argh, I hope to get civ structures to work now.

EDIT #3:
Because the old abandoned BuildingTypes didn't exist anymore, the RMG couldn't find any and therefore not count placed buildings -> endless loop.
I replaced them with RA2 structures, bunkers and tents.
This looks pretty weird, but it works

[attachmentid=73]

I need some help from TS guys here: on what random map climates get abandoned structures placed on? Desert?
Anyway, I'll try now to restore that other civ buildings routine which also placed pavement.

BTW, all these are tests.
I think I'll make this all optional for 1.07.
1.08 will then probably have a customizable version of it, i.e. you can define what buildings will be placed

EDIT #4:
OMFG you can't imagine how happy I am!! :yahoo:

[attachmentid=74]

I marked the problems which occur, though they are minor IMO...

[Marshall]

Looking good, can't wait to see it all in action

[DCoder]

Awesome!