[Warhammer Dark Omen Forum]

Warhammer Dark Omen Forum | Modifications | Tools
Mod Management Tool

[jext]

Hi,
I recently got into DO and am trying some mods now. Coming with a GNU/Linux background I find it somehow annoying to must do file handling by hand. Is there some tool to handle mods/maps?

And if not, is there interest in it? I will have 6 free weeks and need something to do, so I could try to build a little management tool.

[Ghabry]

Hello,
no there isn't any mod managment tool.

I'm not (often) playing DO anymore but I solved it the following way (at least for Singleplayer Campaign mod):
I create a new Dark Omen folder and added all changed folders of the Mod in it and used a hex edited EngRel.exe so I can change the paths in the registry for the specific mod, but this is not really usable by the average user .

As you can see there is not many feedback about modding tools but I think that this would make the live of the "normal player" easier.

And please don't use GTK

[alavet]

hmm, do you meand mods for multiplayer or for singeplayer?

first off i think we need to create list of all mdos we have. i belive its soemthing like 9-12 to singleplayer and about 7-9 rulestes for multiplayer

[jext]

Could you give the places where to change paths?
Perhaps I can automate producing new EngRels/creating them by and and provide patches. And are you legally allowed to change/copy them (not from the web, but locally?).

I dont think that it matters if it is SP or MP if they only change files/folders, or is there something more?

Nah, I never do stuff in GTK. Desktop Apps either in GnuStep or Java.

[Ghabry]

Could you give the places where to change paths?
Perhaps I can automate producing new EngRels/creating them by and and provide patches.

The registry entries can be found under (using regedit):
HKLM\Software\Electronic Arts\Dark Omen\1.0\paths

The strings in EngRel have the same name as these paths put in [].
So 1parm is called "[1PARM]" in EngRel. In order to read the 1parm path from 1pgob you have to change it to [1PGOB] (must be same lenght or shorter).

And are you legally allowed to change/copy them (not from the web, but locally?).

No. Altering the binary files is not allowed. Every modding is not allowed but I guess it's too late to go a step back now .

I dont think that it matters if it is SP or MP if they only change files/folders, or is there something more?

Nope, only the registry keys that point to a path.

Nah, I never do stuff in GTK. Desktop Apps either in GnuStep or Java.

Great. Never heard about GnuStep, sounds too Linux for me .
Java is nice. One of my favourite programming languages.

[jext]

Ok, registry should make things even easier.
Thoughts on it:
KISS 2 Lists and 2 Buttons, 1 Textfield. One list for available extensions, one for installed. One button installs the selected, the other button starts the selected. Textfield shows description.
XML file (from web?) with a list of all available: id, name, shortname, description, linktozip
XML file with all installed: id
To install: download zip, unpack to tool folder in shortname folder
To start: crossreference folders in shortname folder with registry entries, change registry accordingly, launch DO

[olly]

Both Ghabry and Rob made Beta Mod Installers that can switch between Single Player Campaigns etc., by adjusting the Registry, as described above, so perhaps in the future we can create a mod pack.

[jext]

Are they(and their sources) available anywhere? I dont find them on the page.
And what is the state of them?
With modpack you mean a combination of mods or just a single archive with all mods and a launcher?

[Ghabry]

My Mod installer never reached a useful state. It was basicly a GUI without any functionality. I don't think that I can find the source but it was written in AutoIt3 (some Basic dialect), yes is some years ago before I used "normal" programming languages .

About Robs no idea. It is written in C# and was able to do some basic move operations. But he also never finished it too. Maybe he can give you the source (when he is around)