May 2011 updates & 3rd party mods

[Emp_Palpatine 501]

Hey guys!

 

In order to avoid mod-related question clogging the May 2011 updates thread, I create this one...

I guess a lot of players, like myself, do enjoy a lot more TK sims with pure downloadable awsomness like most mod here at CA.

 

This being said, I am still familiarizing my self with Gen2 games and their architecture, so I want to be sure I can patch before doing it.

First question: when I do patch the root file of my games, all are updated, except the custom .exe like Falklands?

And a little list, feel free guys to add your mods:

 

* Falklands Mod: not compatible? I guess so because of the CAT issues...

 

* NF4+: Don't know yet, some reported issues...

 

* SF2:V Air & Ground Expansion 2: don't know yet

 

* Taiwan Modern Warfaire: don't know yet

 

* 48-56 add-on for exp1: don't know yet

 

Feel free to add any. My goal is to help mod users like me to know if, when, and how they can patch.

[+Piecemeal 450]

Personally I don't think anyone'll know much about what can or can't be done with which mod until the new extractor and weapon/gun editing tools are released by TK.

 

Although on a good note I can say that I tried my Desert3 terrain mod out in SF2 and it seems to be OK, though I didn'y bother adding any modded groundobjects. Like a lot of others, I've got an itchy trigger finger waiting to download these tools when they appear. Until then my installs are staying in 'vanilla' format.

[+paulopanz 2,853]

I haven't try any full install mod yet but if they haven't old cat packs maybe they could work (as with previous patch) simply changing the old exe file with new renamed one.

 

With cat pack we could try (waitng new tools) opening them.

Edited May 17, 2011 by paulopanz

[Slartibartfast 153]

Decided not to reinstall until everything is back to normal but saying that my setup is messed up anyway...

[Wrench 9,417]

the new tools are out...what I find interesting is a new gun and new weapons editor

Does that mean the previous Weapons Paks are about to have issues, and will need rebuilding? Or is this for something else, due to cat restructruing?

 

With the privious patchs, we've have to do the 'copy/rename/cop back the exe' thing on all seperate mods folders. (KAW, Iran/Irag, IndoPak, all the WW2 -if you have any-, etc). So, it may be safe to assume (OH! that word!!) the patch exe patches ALL 4 (6 w/expansion paks) exes.

 

So far, it seem that those modders that chose, for whatever reason, to issue cats fro their mods paks will either have to

a) rebuild them with the catpak IF --and a very big IF- TKs new extractor repacks them (unlikely) or

b) end users will have to use gerwin's extractor and pull them apart, placing the various and sundry bits into their proper folders (on a personal note, one reason I've always disliked 'mods cats', and won't use them)

 

Anything that is in a folder already, with particular reference to 3rd party terrains (and NOT objects in non-backuped mods folders), will (usually) be unaffected . It's been this way since patch1, SFP1. HOWEVER ... there may be additions to the stock terrain cats being referenced, so it might behoove us terraformers to extract the data inis from the patched terrain cats, and look for changes (with particular scrutiny on the shaders)

 

We go through this everytime we get a patch ... the main difference is now, with sf2, we can hide the mods folders (yeah, all 10 of them!!!) safely out of the patch exes sight, and hopefully rebuild with a minimal amount of backtracking.

 

wrench

kevin stein

 

edit: this one wonders if the new extractor will even see the older cats at all?

editx2: yes, it does

Edited May 17, 2011 by Wrench

[+PureBlue 71]

Can anybody extract ObjectData002?

The Utility says 'none of the files in cat2 can be extracted'

[tn_prvteye 36]

Same here, can't open it. Maybe that's where he keeps the free ponies.

 

Also, anyone figure out how to increase the fading tree distance, yet? Can't find an entry that looks appropriate. Even on Very Far horizon settings they fade to close.

[+Stary 2,426]

I'm looking into the trees fade distance, no luck so far

 

ObjectData002.cat holds all(?) the LOD files locked in safehouse (you know, the shall-not-be-named-converter thingy...)

[Spinners 15,966]

Before this update there were about 10,000 'skin' decals now there are 15,600 decals! Someone's been busy...

[Emp_Palpatine 501]

So guys, where do we stand, a month later?

I guess, reading other threads about May updates, that waiting and keeping the old patch with 3rd Party stuffs is still the best course of action?