Finally! How to Install Non-Extracting Mods (Written By A Non-Tech Writer, aka For the Rest Of Us)

[Texashawk]

Well.

After a few hours of wrangling with multiple threads, forums, downloads, instructions, rumors, and a system crash, I was finally able to get the Frankenmod working.

Now, I am a very bright, computer-savvy person.

Frankly, it should not have taken me this long to install this mod.

So here, for your viewing pleasure, is my unofficial, B-Stupid, drop-dead easy, how-to guide for installing a non-extracting mod.

STEP 1: BACKUP YOUR 'data' FOLDER
Process: Right-click on the 'data' folder in your UFO:Extraterrestial folder and drag the ghost icon to your desktop (or wherever you normally store files) Select the 'copy here' option. This is not specifically necessary, but very helpful if something goes wrong and you need to restore the data folder without reinstalling the game.

STEP 2: DOWNLOAD 2 FILES: xbig.exe and blank.xbig.
Process: I recommend sticking them on your desktop, since you'll be accessing them very soon. You can get them here. Simply click on the filenames on the first post - they will take you to a file server where you can simply left-click the filename and save them to your desktop (or other place).

STEP 3: OPEN YOUR ORIGINAL 'data' FOLDER AND INSERT NEEDED FILES:
Process: Go back to your original UFO:ET folder and open it on your desktop. Open the 'data' folder in a separate window. Now right-click and drag 'xbig.exe' into that folder. Select the 'copy here' option.

STEP 4: PREPARE THE EXTRACTION BATCH FILE
Process: This is the easy way to do something that could be rather difficult. Create a new text document by right-clicking in the 'data' folder, selecting the 'New...' option on the menu that opens up, and select 'Text document'. You will have a shiny 'New Text Document'. Now, you need to open it and paste this code: xbig.exe e system.xbg. Or, you can type it exactly as written. Next, go to the 'File' option in the upper-left hand corner and select 'Save As...'. A dialog box will open. I recommend you save the file as "XBig.bat". YOU NEED THE QUOTES!!! VERY IMPORTANT!!! After you save, you should have a new icon with a gear in the middle entitled 'xbig' and is a MS-DOS Batch File. If you don't have this file, retry this last step but do not put in quotes when you save the file.

STEP 5: RUN BATCH FILE
Process: Double click the xbig batch file (the one with the gear you just made). A console app will open. Let it do its thing. Easy, no? You're almost done!!

STEP 6: REPLACE SYSTEM.XBG
Process: Now, go back to your desktop. You're going to use that other file you downloaded - empty.xbg. Rename that empty.xbg file to system.xbg. Right-click and drag that renamed system.xbg file into the UFO:ET data folder. Select the 'Copy Here' option. A dialog box will open informing you that you are about to replace a large system.xbg file with a very tiny system.xbg file. That's right! Click on 'Replace'.

STEP 7: PUT YOUR SELECTED PATCH FILES INTO THE UFO:ET data FOLDER
Process: Many ways, but the easiest (for me) is to right-click and drag-select all files that are in the folder of the mod you wish to install, then drag them into the data folder. You will get the overwrite box. Select 'Yes to All'.

THAT'S IT!!!! ENJOY YOUR MOD!!!

I hope this helps someone who does not reprogram calculators for fun. [;)]

THawk

[PDiFolco]

Yep, good procedure helper !
Two remarks :
1/ you don't have to backup all the data folders, as far as I know all mods only change system.xbg scripts, so you can backup this one only
2/ You don't really need a batch file : you can run the file from "console" - MS DOS prompt. ("Run", type "cmd" to get console) - BUT you need to go to the ET data directory with DOS commands (command is 'cd "directory name"' with the " to be typed if directory name contains space, like "c:\program files\Matrixgames\UFO Extraterrestrials" for example).
Then type the "xbig e system.xbg" command line...

[Mister B]

Further clarification, the game looks in XBG files first for the data files it needs. So, as stated above, you don't need a backup of your original data folder, just a backup of your original system.xbg. If you later want to 'uninstall' the mod, all you need to do is replace the empty system.xbg with your original. You can leave all the modified files lying about in the data folder, because the game will never look at them.

[UndercoverNotChickenSalad]

Two thumbs and a snap

[watchtower]

Excellent work. Thanks. I had put this game away until someone made an install for non techie idiots. The Vanilla version was a bit pants now It may be worth spending a few hours on this game. Suggest making this a sticky.

[Texashawk]

A big you're welcome to anybody this might have helped.
 
I just figured if I was having trouble, being reasonably computer/mod savvy, others were too, and I hated to think people were missing out on what incredible improvements were taking place by using the mods.
 
FWIW, numerous help threads on the official forum reference this topic. [:D] So that's nice.
 
THawk
 
 

[Shakespeare]

Thx Texas[:D]

[Traveler]

"STEP 2: DOWNLOAD 2 FILES: xbig.exe and blank.xbig.
Process: I recommend sticking them on your desktop, since you'll be accessing them very soon. You can get them here. Simply click on the filenames on the first post - they will take you to a file server where you can simply left-click the filename and save them to your desktop (or other place). "
 
This link just points to anoter forum.  Can someoe please post a link to a working FTPP site for these files?

[Iskandar]

as a note, frankenmod now comes packed into system.xbg.  you just have to replace your system.xbg with mine, and you are good to go, after backing up the original.

you only have to unpack if you wish to modify my mod in some way, or add another mod on top of it.