Matrix Games Forums

I am updating my Surface for the new Live scenario and 1147.4. The last few times I have updated CMO, it gives me no options to select anything but the default directory. There is never an opportunity to change the install directory if I have moved it to a new folder.

Ditto. I can do some manual changes after the install but it would be much more user friendly if the installations directory could be specified and not defaulted.

-WS

Not just easier, but why go through the effort of creating an exe installer if I'm going to have to run around copying files from a temp install directory to the actual game directory. I am incredibly disappointed in Matrix installers and start up apps. None of them have worked on any of my machines for years. I am split on updates to Matrix games. Excitement about new features and fixes, yet dread at having to go through manual processes on all my PCs.

Matrix should make it easier for everyone and provide the raw files in a zip. Save everyone some time.

Hi everyone,

If you install CMO (or any of our games) using the Matrix installer, you can specify the installation folder.
It is correct that you cannot change the installation path of a patch/update. This is to prevent human error in patching. The patch will always go to the original install location.

It is never advised (this holds true for most software), to manually copy installed files to a new location. If you want to play from a different drive or folder, you should uninstall and reinstall your game.

Hope it helps.

- Surtur

Perhaps in general. But this is not always practical when you have multiple copies of the simulation installed:

CMANO Public,
CMANO Beta,
CMANO PE,
CMO Public,
CMO Beta.

Each within their own directory structure to prevent "cross pollination" of various necessary executable and configuration files.

I still believe that the user should have the choice of where to install.

My 2cents.

-WS

ORIGINAL: Surtur

Hi everyone,
It is correct that you cannot change the installation path of a patch/update. This is to prevent human error in patching.

- Surtur

All other non Matrix games I deal with, and there are many, provide a choice as to where to install an update. It is easy and works just fine. I don't think my cognitive abilities degenerate upon installing a Matrix/Slitherine update.

I wonder what is more customer friendly? Having a choice where to install your game and and following updates, or having to reinstall the game if you want to move it to another drive.

All I can say is this is crazy. If you wouldn't create a game, then create a "Wargame of the Year" that is and almost the exact same game in a completely different folder, you might find it a little less confusing.

As people have brought up just having the update installer allow the the option to change the folder where it will apply said update in the first place is more user friendly.

For now those wanting to apply it to some other or alternate folder they will need to adjust the registry entry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Matrix Games\Command Modern Operations\'installed to',first, then run the updater, and then flip it back if so desired or applicable to their situation.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Matrix Games\Command Modern Operations\'installed to

Knight,

Excellent information. Thanks for this.

-WS

I'm sure Matrix's goal was to have the unwashed masses rooting around in the registry. That's much less dangerous than just being able to change the directory.

Thats sarcasm. This isn't sarcasm...thanks for the suggestion on changing the registry.

Since the other thread was locked for some reason, I'll bring this one to the top so people can see Knighthawk's solution in the registry that I had forgotten about.

I also want to point out that locking the install directory is a poor solution to a problem Matrix created. A lot of the directory issues came about because Command changed its default directory name to have the term Wargame of the Year in it. If you installed prior to that, future updates were installing to the wrong directory for quite a while. You had to be paying attention to the install directory to avoid that issue.

ORIGINAL: thewood1

Since the other thread was locked for some reason, I'll bring this one to the top so people can see Knighthawk's solution in the registry that I had forgotten about.

I also want to point out that locking the install directory is a poor solution to a problem Matrix created. A lot of the directory issues came about because Command changed its default directory name to have the term Wargame of the Year in it. If you installed prior to that, future updates were installing to the wrong directory for quite a while. You had to be paying attention to the install directory to avoid that issue.

Just curious, but why would a person want to install the game to another location rather than the default?

Three that have impacted me recently:

Reorganizing my Hard drive - Every now and then, I reorganize my drive to make finding files easier. This is especially important with small hard-drives as I remove and place apps on the drive.

New drive - I have a laptop with a 500Gb C drive. Bought a new 1 Tb m2 SSD. Moved Steam and Combat Mission over to the new drive. Wasted almost two hours of my life trying to find a way to move CMO, uninstalling, and reinstalling CMO to D.

And a third that bit me a couple months ago was typo in naming a directory. Instead of fixing it, have to waste 90 minutes of my life.

The main reason for installing beyond the default is usually having a smaller OS drive and having to install a larger drive under another letter. I hazard the at least 50% of regular gamer store Steam and other games on a separate drive. The reason for that is the cost of SSDs for many years drove PC builders to minimize the size of the OS drive. They then use a larger spinning drive to hold data and games. We have 12 PCs in my house and every single one of them has an OS drive less than 500 Gb and a second drive over 1 Tb.

Also keep in mind I have multiple copies of CMO...Commercial, private beta, and public beta. Having to manage a locked directory is a time waster. I have been playing PC games at least 30 years. Have never come across locked install directories. Even Steam has a somewhat painless process for moving games.

btw, one other point...I missed the announcement that this was happening. I use two different laptops and only noticed the locked directory after completely screwing up three CMO installs by moving their directories. SPent a week trying to figure out what was going on.