Proposed development of YR 1.002 Community Patch

[Marshall]

Just off the top of my head so sorry if the following text isn't well presented...



Installer must do the following:

create either an ini file or registry entry(s) to help future CP updates and mod authors. I favour an ini file.

provide uninstall options.

standard validation (ra2/yr/1.001). this also confirms that the user isn't using any nocd hacks - 1.002 should in no way help pirating, cheats, etc)

Patch <gamemd.exe> to 1.002 version [means we all have to agree on what makes it into <gamemd.exe>, pd has the controlling vote]

Add <expandmd02.mix> which includes:
rulesmd.ini [UMP/TX/exePatch]
artmd.ini [UMP/TX/exePatch]
mp*md.ini [UMP]
all02umd.map [1.000]
cmon.hva [UMP]
fixed UMP graphics [GAWETH,YAPSYT,CAOUTP]
need to either patch users RA2MD.MIX or extract RA2MD.CSF and patch just that (can we include it in expand? if it has to be loose then we obviously want to patch their RA2MD.MIX, because of mods needing to add their CSF. [1.002 CSF needs updated unholy alliance description, and all theme strings needed by YRPM)
assault ini (art/modes)
new PKT for assault maps (+others if included)
-----> if assault maps were modified to add themselves to the map list we wouldn't even need to include them in the PKT. would remove the Menu bug caused by not having the maps.

some form of assault flag imagery
TX expandmd06.mix (which should no longer contain GAWETH/etc), incorporated into either expandmd02 or kept seperate (expandmd03?)


everyone needs to help make sure there's nothing else that would need to go in UMP > CP
For example, test every single bridge repair hut on every [official] map and fix the broken ones.
+fix the maps that have no water but you can still build naval yards

So far, it seems that the filesize will be relatively small [1-2 MB]. With the TX being ~7MB when lzma compressed, I'm wondering if there's any way of making a Lite version of the TX, with an optional extra download to bring it up to the full TX. Just a thought.


I had an idea of including an empty ea_wwlogo.bik. But think it's a bad idea because:
1. Flies in the face of EA/WW a bit.
2. Some mods may want to include their own intro video (I know that I want to for the Enemy Unknown TC)



Optional extras provided by Installer:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
XWIS Connect Tool, + decent readme
YR Playlist Modifier (not sound track plugins obviously)
RA2YR Clean Up (which will need updating to take account of expandmd02.mix)

---------------------------------
I think we should make a second package too - 1.002 Modders Starter Kit - providing the 'unmodded' YRCP ini files, information on the exe-ini code differences, UMP 'Extras' info, and possibly other starting stuff for newbie modders like the XCC utilities, ini guides, tx terrain control ini files for TX mapping, etc, etc.



Should the CP help RA2 too? (in as much as ini code fixes and GAWETH.shp, etc) - something tells me this isn't a good idea.

[pd]

Well, RA2 players should move their asses and go get YR
Plus, I'd have to do the whole hack for the game.exe, too, that sucks... *lazy*

The rest of your thoughts is great.

A light version of the TX sure would save file size, but note that we then had to choose what new TXs should be implemented, and choosing is quite hard sometimes...

Of course the patch should only work for ORIGINAL YR 1.001.
I'm quite angry on these damn crackers... if they have such a potential they should put it into useful things.
Anyone who uses thus cracks should not be able to player that patch.

Uninstaller is a must as this is unofficial and never 100% bugless (hmm... WW's work also isn't and...).

An idea of mine - I everytime did that when making mods and dunno if others do that, too - is to make EVERY map (including random ones) available for EVERY gamemope (except Assault if it's not compatible, I didn't ever play Assault yet :unsure: ).
Should that be included?

Playlist mod... how do you mean?
If you need a new track, I made one last year that fits GREATLY into the game (called "Strategy"). It's one of my best musical arrangements in my life... (just to make some ad for it )
OK it doesn't have to be included but I'm nevertheless going to post it soon.
I think I'll also make a TX updated version of may fav self-made maps Italy and Deathmatch (get the Rock MapPack from my website if you wanna know them).

I think we should make an extra section on the YRCP website (if there's gonna be one... I think so... but who'll make it? (me not xD)) which offers optional mods & additions, such as new maps etc.

[Renegade]

I guess I could host a site and provide at least basic FTP-access for the development process. The two-level-access suggested could be difficult, though (no option in CPanel for that). We could either use anonymous FTP, with read-only for the majority of it, and /incoming being writable, or we could upload into an http-accessable folder, so people could download via directory listing (DCoder-style ).

After the release, depending on the traffic generated, some mirrors might be nice

- Intro: I myself use a custom intro-video, so I'm against it.
- No-CD-cracks: Actually, making the patch kinda "anti-no-CD" would improve our position a lot if EA ever starts to question this project.
- TX-lite: I'm against this. All or nothing. Either you have the connection to download 10 megs in reasonable time, then you don't want half a TX, or you're on 56k, then 5 megs are too much for you as well. I know I'm on DSL, and it's easy for me to say this, but: 10 megs ain't that much. As I said before, a normal patch nowadays is a lot bigger. Let's just include a good, stable version of it, then all 56ker will cry as long as the download goes, but will be happy afterwards 'cause they can play all the cool new maps. Half a TX is worth nothing.
- All maps everywhere: While I am a fan of "more", I think this won't work out, simply because of the way the maps are designed. All modes have those maps enabled that fit them. It's no use enabling land-only maps for naval war or similar. What we could do, however, is get over to our favorite pussy, Da Lion, look for the best maps for YR, and include some of them...

[Marshall]

To find out about the Playlist Modifier, check out marshall.cannis.net/yrpm.htm

As for the maps, I think pd is specifically referring to allowing team alliance maps in standard and vice versa - I do this in Purple Alert and think it's a marvellous idea. If we could do like what Mooman does which is have dividers in the maplist to indicate different sections of maps (normal/team alliance/custom) I'm all for it.
Further more, in Purple Alert, not only are both types of map available, but Team Alliance doesn't force you to choose a team in the first place - meaning you can do Free For All in Team Alliance or even have 8 seperate teams (provided teams 5/6/7/8 are all on opposite sides)

I'm definitely for allowing both map types in both modes but not sure about the Team Alliance/FFA thing - I think that should be left to modders.

As for the TX, I agree. I didn't think it would work to do half-way versions. So do we include it as a compulsory part of the CP or not?
I think this one would have to be put to the vote.
My vote is 'abstaining'.

[pd]

Yep that's what I mean - all FFA maps available for TeamAlliance.
It's also much fun to play in teams on non-Teammaps or on random maps.

The soundtrack mod's a cool thing we shoul include it, as well as the TX expansion.

[Blade]

IMO, there is no point of making a lite TX...largely because of the way it has been structured to avoid corrupting existing maps that rely on the order that tiles are listed in the control files. You could dump the MM tiles into a map developer package, but that won't save much of the filesize and just adds confusion as to what needs to be downloaded. Personally I'm all for adding the TX to the patch since it means modders and mappers don't have to worry as much about downloading different packages to run their mods, they just say it requires the 1.002 community patch or whatever this ends up being called. BTW, couldn't we just patch the existing pkt file for the assault maps and any extra maps we want to add so that modders can add their own pkt file to add their own maps? If we are going to patch the main mix files anyhow, this makes sense.

[Marshall]

But can't maps load themselves into the list? I don't really know why the assault maps need to be in a PKT file...

[~Guest~]

TX-lite: I'm against this. All or nothing.

I vote nothing "nothing", if you start adding pack maps (i.e. assault Map Packs and TX) this will look more a "mini-mod" and not a "Patch"... :blink:

Could be better only do a patch to enable things (a little file size) & with tutorials explain how use the new code in your ini files & what new graphic files will be required for the new things & if modders wish include assault maps or TX compatible maps (or another type of theme/file/pack/stuff/...) if their problem (i.e. for Total Conversions could only be necessary the patch & not the rest of graphics/Game Modes/New Maps).

This is my idea of a "Patch" (a file of 5KB or 150KB or 589KB or a bit more with the minium to work & not a file of 5MB or 10MB or more of "patch+gift" )

PD: sorry by my english :unsure:

[Marshall]

Well certainly, we don't want to add any map packs.
The TX is what needs to be decided upon. Unfortunately, it would make up the bulk of the download : it would increase the filesize by somewhere in the region of ~450%. But it does improve the terrain visuals immensely. Tough decision.

[Blade]

Patches for many games also come with 'value added' features. The Dune2k patch came with extra MP units and maps for example and patches for many other games have provided additional maps and features. I was going to suggest integrating the official map packs into the patch just to make sure everyone has them. Making maps add themselves to the list involves leaving them as naked .yrm files in the directory which just adds clutter and also means that they look like a bolt on part of the package. It also stops the risk of map name collisions (where maps downloaded for players have the same name and the last one you played overwrites older ones) overwriting any maps included with the patch. Personally I don't consider a patch file of 10Mb large and didn't even when I was stuck on dial-up (I downloaded patches for halflife....huge patches if you are on dial-up).

[Marshall]

True.
Official Map Packs sound like a good idea to include. Possibly as optional install components, but still provided by the one CP download.
But only the YR maps - if this CP is for YR only then there's no point providing the RA2 maps again.
The YR maps only add another ~850KB

The problem with the Assault mode is that you get bugs in the map select menu (the PKT says you have the maps, but in fact you don't). If the maps added themselves then when you choose to play the Assault mode your map list would be empty unless you had the maps.
There must be something we can do...

[Renegade]

I vote nothing "nothing", if you start adding pack maps (i.e. assault Map Packs and TX) this will look more a "mini-mod" and not a "Patch"...? :blink:
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Weird...adding extra functionality, improving the overall look of the game and adding maps sounds like a typical patch to me...

On the same note, adding the official map packs sounds like a good idea. As it was noted before, adding maps is not uncommon for patches, and in this case, they're even official.

[Marshall]

I can understand with Assault/TX maps because they are essentially custom maps (except maybe some of the Assault conversions).
I'm all for the official maps though.

Back to assault mode though, the problem as I see it is that the game won't read map information from a pkt or map inside a mix file. Can anyone think of another way around this?
And how come the game will read, say, amazon.mmx - it contains a map and a pkt, how does that work?
I don't suppose there's any way pd could do something to get the game to be more helpful in this respect...?

[Blade]

The game already has strings for those maps inside the CSF file...WW had already planned for the mmx and yro additional maps when they released the game. I don't know what else the game looks for with those files though.

The only option with the assault maps then is either don't include the mode by dafault (just have the option to add it as part of a mod as you currently have now) or when the time comes see if cannis is willing to let us distribute the assault mode mix files as part of the patch.

[Marshall]

Or consider seeing if Cannis would distribute the maps loose (as in an executable installer for each map pack that provides the maps loose).
Sure it may add a little clutter, but is that a big problem?
Perhaps a new naming convention for the assault maps would be needed too. Cannis may not like the idea though.