A modest proposal

[Bombur]

hate to be a naysayer here but the graphics, lines and other 'added' features are a bit much. Andrew's map with some of SC's artistic touches....now that I would support

-Is it so hard to add separated directories for alternate graphics? If it was implemented there would be no necessity to make double instalations, otherwise, we still will need two installations to play CHS (not to mention other mods that are coming) or to change graphics all the time you change a scenario.

[testarossa]

If AB's map is going to be "official" than all "official" scenarios (included into release) will have to be redone too. and Matrix will have to repack the installation. I don't think 2by3 will ever going to do that. Anything else will be "unofficial" (mod).

[Captain Cruft]

Bombur I doubt your idea will ever be implemented, good though it is. What would be possible though is to create a "wrapper" program (or even a batch file) which would achieve some of the same thing. This program could set up the "environment" for each mod prior to invoking the WitP EXE file. The user would not need to do any manual file manipulation.

AB's install utility does something like this but it does not include the WitP EXE invocation bit. It also requires the user to change folder and specifically run it, whereas with a wrapper program you could change the "War in the Pacific" shortcut to run the wrapper instead of the generic binary.

[Bombur]

Bombur I doubt your idea will ever be implemented, good though it is.

-Me too.....but it seemed so easy in Civ3 editor....of course, I know nothing about programming

What would be possible though is to create a "wrapper" program (or even a batch file) which would achieve some of the same thing. This program could set up the "environment" for each mod prior to invoking the WitP EXE file. The user would not need to do any manual file manipulation.

AB's install utility does something like this but it does not include the WitP EXE invocation bit. It also requires the user to change folder and specifically run it, whereas with a wrapper program you could change the "War in the Pacific" shortcut to run the wrapper instead of the generic binary.

-A different executable for each mod? How it would deal with graphics, since different graphics for different mods share the same names. I still have the Bioeditor for ACOW, an exe file that loads speciffically databases for certain mods, however, it´s already possible to create new equipment databases for WiTP, actually it´s possible to create virtually any mod, as far the player is willing to accept that a G8N looks like a G4M[:D], so the big question is how to have the separate graphics, a trouble that is more similar to that one presented for Civ3 modders

[Andrew Brown]

ORIGINAL: Captain Cruft
AB's install utility does something like this but it does not include the WitP EXE invocation bit. It also requires the user to change folder and specifically run it, whereas with a wrapper program you could change the "War in the Pacific" shortcut to run the wrapper instead of the generic binary.

I have always wanted to write a better, GUI based, mod switcher that would also launch the game, but realistically I don't have the time to do so. I was actually hoping that a better programmer than me would see the need and write one, but it hasn't happened.

You can make a shortcut to my utility, to make it easier to run, if you want to.

Andrew

[m10bob]

Have always loved Andrew's maps, if not for the visuals, for the simple fact they are more accurate with the distances from one point to the next. Since he had to start from an existing map and "stretch" it in some places, it was likely harder (in the end) than if he had started with an entirely new map from scratch?
Now, if only the water could "glint" as if it had moving waves with a hot sun reflecting off of it ??(like some of those video games) [:'(](just kiddin' there guys)..

[Captain Cruft]

ORIGINAL: Bombur
-A different executable for each mod?

No, one executable which asks the user which mod they would like to use. It would then move all the graphics files around to the right places before starting the WitP EXE.

P.S. To m10bob - I have been messing around with editing the map a bit recently and yes, it takes forever It's a 6301x5215 image split into 20 chunks ...

[Bombur]

No, one executable which asks the user which mod they would like to use. It would then move all the graphics files around to the right places before starting the WitP EXE.

-And where should we place the alternate/original graphics? In AB map they are in different directories.

[Captain Cruft]

ORIGINAL: Bombur

No, one executable which asks the user which mod they would like to use. It would then move all the graphics files around to the right places before starting the WitP EXE.

-And where should we place the alternate/original graphics? In AB map they are in different directories.

It doesn't matter and the user doesn't need to know. The wrapper program knows where all the files are and just moves them into the "live" locations before starting the executable. If we were on UNIX I could knock such a wrapper script up in about half an hour and show you. However with Windows it would probably take me a month at least since I have no clue how to make programs on it.

Bodhi or michaelm would be good at this sort of thing. Maybe make them an offer?

[Bombur]

It doesn't matter and the user doesn't need to know. The wrapper program knows where all the files are and just moves them into the "live" locations before starting the executable. If we were on UNIX I could knock such a wrapper script up in about half an hour and show you. However with Windows it would probably take me a month at least since I have no clue how to make programs on it.

-I will contact them, but I don´t understand a thing: alternate graphics must be somewhere in order to be located by the wrapper program, and the wrapper cannot copy them to the default directory withouth deleting the originals, so how it would be possible? Sorry for my ignorance but I´m interested on this idea.