modfile.exe works?

[piperone]

Okay, trying to install a mod. Run a command line window and run modfile.exe in the SS home dir (Mod SDK). Give it a .dat name, such as modfile mymod.dat. Builds the file, see the mod in the mod section, nothing's available from the mod in the ships and missions area. FYI...the first instance of running is using a mod that I got off the SSD2 site.

Also, whenever I activate a mod, if I go to the missions or campaigns screens I've got double everything, double # campaigns (each one repeated twice), etc.

Kind of at a loss since there's no doc on packaging these things once they are complete. Any help appreciated.

Thanks,

piperone

[Mehrunes]

Here's a copy of the original instructions for modfile.exe...

STARSHATTER(TM) MOD ARCHIVER
README FILE
12 December, 2002
Copyright © 2002 John DiCamillo

http://www.starshatter.com
milo@starshatter.com


INTRODUCTION

Thank you for downloading the Starshatter Mod Archiver. You
can use this tool to create "packaged" (i.e. compressed) archive
files of your custom mods that can easily be distributed to and
installed by your users. This file provides basic instructions
on how to use the archive tool.

The Mod Archive tool (modfile.exe) is a command line utility that
creates .dat files that contain all of the data needed to run your
mod in the Starshatter game engine. You run the archiver by typing

modfile [modname].dat

The archiver will then search through the current directory and
sub-directories for files that can be included in the mod. The
archiver will automatically include all files with extensions
*.def, *.pcx, *.mag, *.wav, and *.txt. It will always ignore files
with extensions *.exe, *.bat, *.cmd, *.dat, *.zip, and *.psd.

Each time you run the archiver, it will create a new copy of the
mod archive .dat file, overwriting the old one if it is still in
the same directory. It is a good idea to build your mod in a
subdirectory of the Starshatter game directory named after your
mod (e.g. C:\games\starshatter\DragonEye).

For more information, please join the online message board for
the game at the official website.


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Unzip this file into a *new* sub-directory of the folder where you
have Starshatter installed. Call the new directory "Deploy" or "Dragon"
or whatever the name of your particular mod may be.

2. You can delete the files ships.txt and weapons.txt - they are just there
to hold up the directory structure.

3. Copy all of your mod ships and weapons into the directories provided for
them. If you have missions that you want me to test, copy your
Mods/Missions directory into the deployment as well.

4. If you want to create a new scripted campaign, place your missions in a
new subdirectory of Mods, named after your particular mod (e.g. Mods/Dragon).
Place all of the scripted missions in that directory, and edit the missions.def
file to describe each of them in the order you wish them to be played. Add
a line to the mod_info.def file naming your new campaign (see the example
provided in the included mod_info.def file)

5. Edit the mod_info.def file to provide descriptions of your mod, including
your copyright notice, author name, and a logo bitmap (128 x 128).

6. Open a command prompt and cd to the newly created deployment directory.

7. Type "modfile dragon.dat" and hit return.

8. Copy the packaged mod file into the Starshatter game directory.

9. Run Starshatter, go to MISSIONS - MOD CONFIG and select and ENABLE the
new mod. Click ACCEPT.


CONTACT INFORMATION

http://www.starshatter.com
milo@starshatter.com


The Starshatter Universe and all related indicia
Copyright © 1997-2002 John DiCamillo
All rights reserved.

[Mehrunes]

Here's a sample of the mod_info.def file that gets placed in the mod's base directory. The logo.pcx file is a 128x128 pcx that gets displayed along with the info when the user selects the mod. Campaign are a series of single missions that are stored in the named directory.

MOD_INFO
name: "BlahMod"
version: 100
distribute: true

logo: "logo.pcx"
desc: "Blah Universe\n\n"
"Nothing ever happens here."
copyright: "Copyright (c) 2002 N Ott Mee.\nAll rights reserved."

campaign: { name: "Blah Vs. The Lazinites ", path: "Mods/BlahCampaign/" }

Each campaign needs a file listing the missions that are in it. That file is missions.def and it goes in the campaign's directory, here's an example...

MISSIONLIST

mission: {
id: 1,
name: "1. First Blah",
desc: "Blah fleet must avoid the dangers of laziness on the job.",
start: "01/09:23:00",
script: "firstblah.def"
}

mission: {
id: 2,
name: "2. Holy Blah!",
desc: "Taken by surprise, the Blah Fleet must do something... anything at all.",
start: "01/12:23:00",
script: "holyblah.def"
}

...etc.

[piperone]

Thanks!

[piperone]

Okay, no luck. I'm following these instructions. I've tried quite a bit variation on the theme. Here are some things I've tried:

1. Make .dat file, put in root game dir.
2. No .dat file, simply put in <game>/mods
3. Both 1 and 2.
4. Build, using modfile, both in the mods dir and outside (completely different).

The common behavior is as follows (in game);

1. Adding a mod (select, apply), causes double menu entries in the missions and campaign screens. Not the missions themselves, but Multiplayer Missions x2, Custom Missions x2.
2. If I go back to the mod screen, the package is back to the disabled side.
3. If I use the .dat file the nothing shows up in missions or ships.
4. If I don't use a dat file and simply unzip in mods, I get the mission, but the ship is nowhere to be found.
5. Specific example is the "Yorktown" by Dark Matter

I simply cannot coax the mods to work. If someone can point me to a mod that works and the procedure they used to install, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,

piperone

PS this is the first I heard of a "mod_info.def" file. Is this required? It's not on the Mod SDK link on starshatter.com

[Mehrunes]

You need to create a shortcut to Stars.exe and add the -filesys command line parameter in order for the game to use unarchived data in the mods\ directory (except for missions).

Modfile.exe is supposed to be in the base directory and this should be seperate from the Starshatter directory itself (it can be a subdirectory).

So, if I have a StarWars mod I can create a subdirectory in my Starshatter directory called Starwars to work in. All of my ships would go in Starwars\Mods\Ships, all of my weapons go in Starwars\Mods\Weapons and modfile.exe along with mod_info.def and the logo go in the Starwars\ directory itself.

[piperone]

I think I'm fast approaching the numb look. Believe me I've tried your suggestion above (as well as other permutations). It doesn't seem to matter what I do: the mod goes to enabled, going back to the option mod shows it disabled even after I "apply".

I have irunin.dat and start.dat as "mods" listed by default. I know this works because others have no problems, I simply cannot get it to work. Here's an example of what my mission screen looks like after I "enable/apply" ANY mod:



P.S. I can get the -filesys method of mods, but that kills MP and this .dat thing just wont work.

[Mehrunes]

You did try including a mod_info.def right? Enabling a mod without that will cause the problem in that screenshot.

[piperone]

Uncle!

I'll stick with -filesys until a FAQ on building package mods comes out. Thanks for all of your help, you've been very patient. Meanwhile, back to some gaming...

piperone

[Mehrunes]

Well, here's a link to a sample mod if you want to give it another try later. All you have to do is unzip it and run the createmod.bat file and it should produce a functional dat file.

Sample Mod Rar

[piperone]

Thanks Mehrunes. Downloaded the mod. Double checked my stuff, found an offending syntax item in mod_info.def and built 3 packages. Yours, my own design and the Yorktown by Dark Matter. Put the packages in the starshatter root, see them in the modconfig, can activate without double menu things, etc. All working well except I still cannot see the ships from any of the packages. If I take these same items and run with -filesys, I can see the ships.

Not a problem right now as I'm developing things but eventually I'll need to get this straigtened.

piperone

[Mehrunes]

You may need to restart the game after activating a mod in order for the ships be added to the catalogue.