Patching extra functionality into <gamemd.exe>

[jonwil]

What is happening with the patch?
Is it even being worked on?

[Bobingabout]

PD is still on holiday, so, nope, not at the moment.

and probably not when he gets back either, because he'll be working on his "Secret Project".

[ZombyDragon]

Since its secret, should you realy be talking about it?

[pd]

OK, back home.
I'm back home for a few days now, but I rather felt like making music, with nice results (two tracks)

So, sorry for the small delay.
I've been following the discussions here, and wanna sum up problems:

- 1.05 in IE window
- Apparently the line responsible for the AttachedParticleSystem loading hasn't been restored yet.

Two mini-bugs that are easy to fix.
Any more?

The missing help stuff will be included in the next help version, in which I'm going to add an "Examples" or "FAQ" section (to prevent people from spamming me with always the same problems).

@DCoder:
What means "De-hardcode"? I think you mean to make it possible to have multiple pkt files which are loaded (if that isn't possible already, sorry, no clue here), or to make the filename customizable?
Those are two VERY different things...

[Marshall]

There is a PKT file in one of the mixes (I think it's langmd.mix, though I can't imagine why it should be language dependant).
RA2/YR can read a second PKT file that is loose in the RA2 folder.

If you have multiple loose PKT files however, your map list gets duplicate maps (I have only noticed having 2 of every map in the list).
This happens even if all 3 PKT files are completely different.

For this reason, the Assault maps do not include their own PKT file.
I'm not sure how useful it would be to be able to have multiple PKT files but I think I've heard people mention advantages.

Regarding your recent super weapon work, very impressive. However, I still think that it would really complete things to be able to have a non-IE-inducing sell unit superweapon (simply preventing it from selling tank bunkered units would be preferrable - though I'm not sure how simple that would be for you to implement).

[DCoder]

I meant to make the filename and extension customizeable.


It is already possible to have two pkt files loaded, but the pkt loading was somehow fucked after RA2 - in YR, the missionsmd.pkt is always loaded from inside langmd.mix, even if missionsmd.pkt also exists in the directory (unlike other files, which correctly get replaced by loose copies), and the loose file is appended to the original one. It loads missionsmd.pkt from inside there and also, any *.pkt file from the directory. And if there happens to be one repeating [section] in two or more of those files, well, ugly IEs follow. And my idea was that if I change the pkt filename & extension that the game wants to read, I'll be able to shift stock maps into mpmodes they would not otherwise be available in, as the stock missionsmd.pkt won't be seen.
Edit: One application that I can think of atm is that this way it woudl be simple to create separate mpmodes for each theatre, and, like, make certain objects unavailable (like saying the Squid/Dolphin are not used to cold waters and removing them from the Snow mpmode; or saying that vehicles have less difficulty moving through concrete roads than through open ground, and giving all terraintypes a speed bonus in Urban mpmode or even saying that Temperate and Snow maps take place on two different planets, with different gravity effects and whatnot... heh, more of eyecandy stuff, but still fun.)


But I also want to stress that it's not urgent, and I'm not demanding anything, just so you know. It was just a thought which hit me when I was reading. Honestly, I'd be more interested in peeking in that IDA DB of yours, and, who knows, maybe I'll be able to contribute something to this patch too

[~mevitar~]

It looks that shrapnel weapons cause IE's. I tried tesla fragment and comet fragment and both caused IE. All coding looks fine and it seems that the RTB patch causes this.

[ZombyDragon]

Works fine in my mod. :mellow:

[Bobingabout]

ok, in RA2 you had MMX files, these were mix files renamed to .mmx which contained 1 map file and its pkt. i assume it would be possible to include multiple maps in these mmx map packs. in YR there is suposed to be the equivalant YRO file (same as mmx, renamed mix extention) as documented by deezire, however, they don't work (atleast not in 1.001)

PKTs don't even work in normal mix files, so it apears the whole chunk of code has somehow become disabled. what would be nice would be to see these YRO files re-enabled, or added in aswell as multiple PKTs being loose in the directory folder.
(EDIT: Aparantly i was mistaken here. YRO files do work!

Advantages of more than 1 PKT?

currently, in assault, the standard agrees that every mod that uses them includes all maps listed in the mods PKT. the dissadvantage of this is that all the maps are listed, even if the maps do not exist, the advantage of multiple PKTs would be that every map pack could contain their own PKTs and have maps listed only when they have actually been installed. Although you can currently use multiple PKTs, all maps in all but 1 of the PKTs are listed twice.
being able to place the PKT in the mix with the map pack(.mix or .YRO) would be nice, but even multiple loose PKTs would be good.

[~Chronojam~]

*mumbles about tiberium*

[CannisRabidus]

PKTs don't even work in normal mix files, so it apears the whole chunk of code has somehow become disabled.

This is because the PKT is in langmd.mix, and you can't override that mix with another. Even a loose PKT file does not override; both are read.

currently, in assault, the standard agrees that every mod that uses them includes all maps listed in the mods PKT. the dissadvantage of this is that all the maps are listed, even if the maps do not exist, the advantage of multiple PKTs would be that every map pack could contain their own PKTs and have maps listed only when they have actually been installed.
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Assault is not going to be a problem anymore. I have developed a workaround where modders can include dummy fallback maps, so if the user doesn't have the maps installed, he sees these dummy maps instead. The attached image shows what the user will see, and the preview shown is specific for the mappack he is missing. This also takes care of complaints from people who fail to read repeated admonishments that they need to go download maps - the game itself nags them, so these people leave you alone.

I'll be adding the mix file with these dummy maps to the assault dev pack when I get around to it. In the meantime feel free to grab it from CR, because I'm using it there. The mix is only 366KB uncompressed because the 50 dummy maps are only about 7KB each, so it doesn't bloat mods much at all.

[Bobingabout]

it's actually a good idea. but i'm not going to change my mind about using the assault map packs. the mode is not for R:ROTC

[CannisRabidus]

Ehh, you brought it up, not me.

[Marshall]

Regarding some unresolved confusions:
AI target type 6 has a question mark by it in the help file.
I had an idea what it might be used for:
A) Chronoshift destination
or B) (which I think is more likely) Paradrops
In order to avoid being wiped out before reaching the ground.

The special Desolator logic might be to do with the RadEruptionWeapon, because it seems to me that the Desolator will not fire in an area with too much radiation already present - if you move him one cell along then he will fire more readily.

Regarding help file:
Info on Fire superweapon is missing, DomCaptureRange= info is missing

[Alex05]

As Marshall didn't send me a Patcher for the fixed 106 release (DO NOT BLAME HIM FOR THAT! It's possible that my provider is fucked again, and besides, he cannot always have time for it), I'll have to follow plan B:

gamemd106.rar

rphelp102.rar
INSTALLATION NOTES:

1 - Backup your gamemd.exe, name it gamemd.1st.
2 - Copy the gamemd.exe from the gamemd106.rar to your YR folder.
3 - Create the file "gamemd.ini" with the following content:

Code:

;PD gamemd.exe Patch Information
;Do not edit or delete this file!
;Do not delete gamemd.1st!

[PATCH]
Patch=14

;END OF FILE

This would be what the patcher basicly does.
I leave very soon and I don't have time to wait any longer.

This is no official release, but you got the help file and can test and use everything.
Support and official release are to come in a week, when I'm back from vacation.

Much fun with 106!
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Umm, your link dosen't work PaD! Can anybody reupload it and put a link? I'd really like to try 1.06 and i'd like also to know what it adds to the exe compared to 1.05c.