Patching extra functionality into <gamemd.exe>

[Marshall]

With this mod folder idea, you're all forgetting one thing. How do you plan to add new unit sounds to the game?
You're still going to need to use XCCMC/L anyway!

For the PKT, I fear we will have to modify the user's langmd.mix. Though PKT discussions should be in the YRCP thread, not here.

And all this 4th side stuff - I'm still convinced that it's too risky but, either way, pd should probably fix the stuff that's already been implemented. The new InfDeaths still don't work properly and sidec03 is still intermittent. Attempting to add a 4th side is going to cause errors, the patch should at least be error-free before starting on a new addition.

[CannisRabidus]

With this mod folder idea, you're all forgetting one thing. How do you plan to add new unit sounds to the game?
You're still going to need to use XCCMC/L anyway!

Not if the exe can be coaxed into reading unit sounds from a mix, in addition to from the bag. This would be a nice improvement from everyone's point of view, no?

For the PKT, I fear we will have to modify the user's langmd.mix. Though PKT discussions should be in the YRCP thread, not here.

I agree it would probably be easier to let the exe look to the langmd.mix as it does now. But it would be nice if it would read 2 of them, and even nicer if the patcher left the user's langmd.mix untouched.

[Bobingabout]

With this mod folder idea, you're all forgetting one thing. How do you plan to add new unit sounds to the game?
You're still going to need to use XCCMC/L anyway!

1 of the ideas is to make it possible to stick the sound .wav files free in the folder, or in audio.mix instead of having to update the bag file. this would be required if folders were introduced.

I agree it would probably be easier

For the PKT, I fear we will have to modify the user's langmd.mix. Though PKT discussions should be in the YRCP thread, not here.

to let the exe look to the langmd.mix as it does now. But it would be nice if it would read 2 of them, and even nicer if the patcher left the user's langmd.mix untouched.

Definitly preferable not to edit existing files. what happened to the CSF file? i thought that it was the CSF file that did all the string changes? maybe theres something I'm missing on this point. but i do agree that if it needs to change anything, can't it simply use a patchmd.mix file to include all the stuff that would need to be changed by this patch?

And all this 4th side stuff - I'm still convinced that it's too risky but, either way, pd should probably fix the stuff that's already been implemented. The new InfDeaths still don't work properly and sidec03 is still intermittent. Attempting to add a 4th side is going to cause errors, the patch should at least be error-free before starting on a new addition.

I'd have to agree. I really want to see 4 side compatibility done, but i do admit, there are some other things that could do with fixing, or implementing first.

[Bobingabout]

actually, i don't think its doable. you don't run gamemd.exe, that does nothing, you have to run ra2md.exe... unless you want to go hack that file aswell.

[~Sektor 13~]

GREAT WORK so far. Is it possible to change "picture" of colors (when in skirmish menu) you can select color, but even if you change values in rules.ini (ex. Pink parameters to LIGH GREEN) it is still PINK in the menu... :blink:

Thanks.

[Renegade]

Too many double posts here recently...

[Bobingabout]

GREAT WORK so far. Is it possible to change "picture" of colors (when in skirmish menu) you can select color, but even if you change values in rules.ini (ex. Pink parameters to LIGH GREEN) it is still PINK in the menu... :blink:

Thanks.

I think he'd try to fix that problem when he tries to add more colours to the MPs colours list.

[Bobingabout]

Good news everyone! (that is if you care about more sides...)

I've managed to determine that all a 4th faction patch would require is certain tags to fix the AI. Going by what PD has told me, I've managed to get a Fully Functional 4th side added to my mod(for testing purposes). Only problem is when the AI uses it at all, theres instant IE on mission start.

it requires a 4th GUI(unless you set side= in the country header to be 1 of the existing sides), using Soviet/yuri style measurements(buttons are different size on the Allied GUI). but other than that, most of the functions you'd think are required to make it playable are fixed in 1 form or another.


Paradrop uses soviets, EVA is Yuri, no infantry at all from sold/destroyed buildings.

full report of my results(section 2B), and what i think adding a 4th faction(Section 6) would require are in the file, I've linked to it many times, so i can't be bothered to link to it again. (it would also probably require atleast 1 of PDs extra countries.)

Note: I've you've already looked at that list, look again, i seem to update it once every 12 hours or so... (Sections 2B and 6 are all you really have to look at.)

[DCoder]

Too many double posts here recently...

That wouldn't be a problem if moderating abilities were set up right >_> I can only edit their posts, not delete/merge/move/w/e them.

[Renegade]

How about using the dropdown-box labeled "Moderation Options", above the page-counter?

Or, in the same row, the post-moderation features?

[pd]

Huh, a whole weekend I couldn't go into the web...

Well, I fixed the Yuri UI stuff, it was overwritten at one point sometimes and that's why it only worked sometimes...
but as the InfDeaths doesn't seem to work, I already got a new problem
I'll check that out, should be a dumb small mistake by me... like everytime...

I started adding countries yesterday, up to 99 playable countries will be possible.
Filenames would be - for example for country number 23=AnyCountry:

Flag: c23_flag.pcx
LoadScreen: c23_ls.shp
LS Palette: c23_ls.pal

Stringtable entries:

Load brief: LoadBrief:Country23
Name: Name:Country23
Special weapon's name: Name:Country23SW

Yep... adding it to the multi list already works.
But before I continue with that, I guess I'll have to check that InfDeath issues...
Weird again that the anims aren't even played :huh:

For a 4th side yeah, I have to thank BobingAbout for some things he told me.
They will be quite helpful and I think a new side isn't that far away...
Besides, who's talking about a 4th side "only"...
The EVA is another thing, I dunno anything about it if I should be honest :unsure:
I think EVA's should be optional. So you can choose whether your side uses the Allied's, Soviet's, Yuri's or a completely new one.
All in all it will be a hell bunch of work...

The colors list is a really mysterious thing.
There isn't any picture file and there seem to be no color values anywhere that determine the colors listed there. I made three big researches yet, but none of those were successful...

@Bobingabout:
How do you mean that with gamemd.exe?
Actually, ra2md.exe runs gamemd.exe, which is the main executable of the game.
ra2md.exe just checks the CD and does other stuff, but it's less important.
I think it does some debugging things also, as gamemd.exe can't be run without ra2md.exe. I dunno, but actually, I don't care....

[DCoder]

I did. They didn't work. "You don't have permission to use this feature." Bah.

Edit:
:huh: Wow, now they do. I can swear they didn't work yesterday. Also, the big nice "DELETE" button wasn't present yesterday. But I still could edit the posts...

Anyways... Double post fixed.

[Blade]

For a 4th side yeah, I have to thank BobingAbout for some things he told me.
They will be quite helpful and I think a new side isn't that far away...
Besides, who's talking about a 4th side "only"...
The EVA is another thing, I dunno anything about it if I should be honest :unsure:
I think EVA's should be optional. So you can choose whether your side uses the Allied's, Soviet's, Yuri's or a completely new one.
All in all it will be a hell bunch of work...

The EVA voices are wav files played from a standard mix file (why standard sounds aren't I don't know) and are controlled by the evamd.ini file. Each entry is the string that the voice sample is refered to in the code and in maps that call them, and each one has a three way split on what audio file is used for each eva (Russian, Allied or Yuri).

Edit:
Another thing that hasn't been mentioned regarding a 4th side is the use of mission accomplished screens for single player (the par screen) and multiplayer (the score screen).

[Bobingabout]

thanks blade, I'll get right on it, I never actually won a battle when i was testing the 4 sided GUI thing...
anyway, like GUI and EVA, wouldn't win screen be under the optional 4th GUI set?

EDIT: 4th side gets yuri's score screen. as for missions, isn't that determined by the mission set you play?
updated just for you blade

hmm, since it seems to load yuri EVA and scorescreen, it makes me wonder what would happen if i put files with yuri EVA and yuri Score screen names in the sidec04.mix file...

as for the EVA mentioned, what me and PD are talking about is the 4th sides EVA. what will the files be called?

as you probably know, allied EVA files begin with CEVA, soviet with CSOF and yuri with CYUR
what PD needs to do is find out where it gets these filenames from so he can write in something for your 4th side GUI.

@PD 4th side GUI is optional anyway, its set by your Side= tag on the country. setting it to Side=GDI will mean that you get the Allied GUI and EVA, but still your 4th sides tech tree. i beleave it was blade who originally pointed that out to me aswell anyway.

so EVA is a less important thing to worry about on the 4th side.

as for your extra countries, you do still need the [11thcountry] header right?

if you do, which I'm hoping you do, then name:country## would be determined using the UIName= tag.


anyway, since you have to specify in your code what files it reads, wouldn't it just be as easy to look for a tag, then store those filenames in the slot where you are hardcoding the new filenames?

If I'm understanding what you've told me right, you can make it read any tags you want, only problem is where to store the data. so if you've already written in (hardcoded if you will) the name to be C13_flag, couldn't it just as easily be determined by a tag?

[Blade]

thanks blade, I'll get right on it, I never actually won a battle when i was testing the 4 sided GUI thing...
anyway, like GUI and EVA, wouldn't win screen be under the optional 4th GUI set?

EDIT: 4th side gets yuri's score screen. as for missions, isn't that determined by the mission set you play?
updated just for you blade

hmm, since it seems to load yuri EVA and scorescreen, it makes me wonder what would happen if i put files with yuri EVA and yuri Score screen names in the sidec04.mix file...

as for the EVA mentioned, what me and PD are talking about is the 4th sides EVA. what will the files be called?

as you probably know, allied EVA files begin with CEVA, soviet with CSOF and yuri with CYUR
what PD needs to do is find out where it gets these filenames from so he can write in something for your 4th side GUI.

As I said, the file names that are used are controlled by evamd.ini. The filenames currently used by the game are convention only, it really doesn't matter. Each EVA voice event such as 'EVA_NuclearSiloDetected' (this is the first on the list) has a section [EVA_NuclearSiloDetected] with the following tags underneath:

Russian=
Allied=
Yuri=

These are followed by the file names of the wave files that are used for each sides eva for that voice event.