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Warhammer Dark Omen Forum | Modifications | Tools
Mod Selector

[Ghabry]

This program allows you to select between different Dark Omen Mods without overwriting any original files.

Please report any problems!!!

Mod Selector

Latest version:

Sourcecode: https://github.com/Ghabry/Dark-Omen-Mod-Selector/

Installation:
Extract EngRel.exe and darkpatch.dll into your PRG_ENG directory (or any other subdirectory of Dark Omen folder, yes it must be a subdirectory).

To install Mods create a folder "Mods" in your Dark Omen directory.
In this directory create a subdirectory (name not important, but its recommended to not use special chars).
In this subdirectory create a File "Mod.ini". Open the file in a texteditor and write the name of your mod in the first line of the file. Save it. (If the file is missing or empty your mod will be ignored!). (If you want you can write your name in the 2nd line, it's currently ignored but will be probably used later).
Place all your mod files in this subdirectory (structure must be the same as Dark Omen directory layout!).
E.g. if you have a modified PLYR_ALL.arm, you must place it in [subdir]\GameData\1parm\.
If you have a modded Engrel place your EngRel.exe in a folder "PRG" in your mod directory, the mod selector will then use this file.

Now start EngRel.exe, click "Select Mod", select your mod in the list and press "load". (if "Select Mod" is disabled it couldnt find the "Mods"-folder). The currently active mod is selected in the list when the "Select Mod" screen is loaded btw.

Notes for Singleplayer Mods:
The SaveGame directory is always redirected, this prevents loading incorrect savegames.
That folder is autocreated when missing.

To load a custom WHMTG script place a "whmtg.txt" in your mod directory (the one with mod.ini).
Modifying an existing whmtg.txt is recommened:


Notes for Multiplayer Mods:
The GameData\2parm directory is always redirected, so you can only load armies of that mod.
If you dont supply any *.aud-files the original ones will be used.
That folder is autocreated when missing.

If you are having problems:
Create a file called trace.txt in the folder where EngRel.exe is. Execute EngRel and try to load your mod. Then close EngRel and paste the content of trace.txt somewhere, e.g. on pastebin.com.

Make sure that you got the file extension right, Windows hides it by default: Select Tools -> Folder Options and Untick "Hide extensions for known file types" in the Windows explorer

2parm folder must be placed inside GameData, not directly in your mods folder!

How it works:
Basicly the program checks if the file Dark Omen tries to access exists in the moddir. If it exists it will use the modfile, otherwise it uses the original file. If the original file is also missing (not checked by mod selector) it will usually trigger the default Dark Omen behaviour for error handling (= crash).
File access to 2parm and Savegame is always redirected to the moddir. This allows you to have unique savegames and multiplayer armies for every mod.

The last used mod is saved and will be loaded on startup. This allows you to use these mods in Game Ranger.

Sample Files:
Mod Selector Sample Files
Contains a Mods-Folder with Fair Omen, Flaks Goblin and Dwarf campaign, Rise of the Dead and Chaos Dwarf invasion.

Release Notes
2012-05-01: First Release
2012-05-11: Fix redirecting of some files
2012-05-19: Support modded EngRel files, use original *.are and *.aud files if they are missing.
2012-05-20: Redirect DeleteFile. EngRel patched when started from GameRanager (untested). Added debug trace.
2013-11-25: Add overhead map patch (kudos to aqrit)
2013-12-08: Add WHMTG compiler, add 3D mode fix (kudos to aqrit)
2015-01-10: Works with Windows 8 now
2015-11-01: Redirect Get/SetFileAttributes and CopyFile
2015-11-05: Redirect GetSetCurrentDirectory and WindowProc. Fix crash when window loses focus by filtering focus messages.

[olly]

wow this is great news, just downloading and reading about it, can't wait to try it out!

Thank you

 


*This is amazing and makes it so easy to switch between Mods! Big Thanks on behalf of all the Dark Omen Community*

[kilowic]

Cool !!! Can't wait to check it

[cuthalion]

Hm, I tried it with my new campaign.
It doesn't pick up army file and ctl file from modded B1_01 though seems to have picked up .btb file: Those 4 default units from B1_01 had new positions.
Sprite files, picture files seem to work alright (at least what I managed to see after B1_01 start)

I had only 3 modded files from B1_01 at first: btb, ctl, arm. Now I tried to copy all B1_01 files in my Mod subdirectory, including unchanged .prj and others, but it doesn't work this way either.

[Ghabry]

Should be fixed now. Everybody: PLEASE REDOWNLOAD!!! (Note: You only need the new darkpatch.dll)

Sometimes Dark Omen used relative paths, I'm converting now everything to absolute paths, should fix this...

Not sure if this fixes everything, report it if still something fails.

[kilowic]

I don't know how to create .ini file I put all mods and campaign to the "Mods" folder in Dark Omen directory (without .ini file so far). Next part of the instructions I just don't understand. Could you put some more "help" how to do it ? For somebody who is'nt very good at making such things ?

[Ghabry]

Download the linked Sample Files and look how its done there.
If you have file extensions disabled you will see Mod as a filename btw.

Basicly you just create a file that has the filename Mod.ini in your mods subdirectory. And in the first line of this file you write the name of your mod.

[kilowic]

So if I have 4 mods I have to make 4 .ini files ? Ok I will just copy .ini files from sample files

[kilowic]

It works I got problem now with this:

"Notes for Singleplayer Mods:
Create a (empty) folder SaveGame in your moddir otherwise you cant save.

Notes for Multiplayer Mods:
Create a folder GameData\2parm and place the three *.aud and *.are files in it otherweise you cant save or it will crash."

What's "moddir" ? And in my Gamedata\2parm there are many files *.aud and *.are already. I added three files *.aud and *.are but Fair Omen crash when I want to edit army.

[Ghabry]

Moddir is the dir where you placed the Mod.ini (so its a subdir of the Mods-Folder).
So savegame must be created under [your moddir]/SaveGame and multiplayer stuff under [your moddir]/GameData/2parm

[kilowic]

It still crashes maybe it's becouse I made those *.aud and *.are files by copying those from the orginal DO and just changing their names to "1" "2" "3". I just don't know how to make such files without copying something that already exists

[Ghabry]

dont rename the *.are files, they are template files for new armies.
You just have to copy them from the original because the mod selector always redirects the 2parm-folder.

Maybe its worth to improve this in the next version of the map selector (use original are-files if they are missing)

[kilowic]

In my Fair Omen "moddir" there are already 3 files *.are and *.aud. If i want copy more from orginal DO it wants to overwrite them. Should I do it ? It crashes all the time.


I think I know what you mean becouse when I run the game - pick Fair Omen - go to multiplayer, there are no default armies. And this is the problem right ?

[cuthalion]

Hi,
In case you didn't figure out everything yet, I advise you to look at the subfolder structure of my Chaos Dwarf Invasion.
It uses Ghabry's mod selector, and all the campaign files (.ini file including) are placed in right order to work with the mod.

Basically, the campaign files are placed in the same subfolders as original files, but those campaign subfolders are placed inside mods/MODNAME/ subfolder. So you just copy Fair Omen patch into 'Dark Omen/mods/Fair Omen/'

But now there is a problem with the fact that Fair Omen uses modified EngRel.exe, and it's not directly compatible with Ghabry's Mod Selector. There are a few ways out, the easiest of them - if you ask Ghabry or me to make EngRel.exe that's compatible with both Mod Selector and Fair Omen. I can try to make such file tomorrow.

[kilowic]

I tried making all mods again and now everything works fine It must have been my mistake.

Fair Omen doesn't crash but prices of items didn't change.