The new -mod switch

[Koen]

Added a new command line for mod developers that lets Generals runuser-created content. Simply add the "-mod" command line after the generals.exetarget path, followed by the name of any user-created .big file or user-createddirectory. The correct path would like this: "C:\Program Files\EA Games\Commandand Conquer Generals\generals.exe" -mod MyGeneralsMod.big. All user-createdcontent must be placed in the "Command and Conquer Generals Data" folder withinyour "c:\Documents and Settings" directory.
I have been testing this... or at least attempting to use it. However, I have not yet been able to get it to work with an user-created directory. Anyone else has experience with this?

"C:\Program Files\EA Games\Commandand Conquer Generals\generals.exe" -mod mod0001
I have tried with a fully qualified mod0001 path as well, no effect.

with files in

Command and Conquer Generals Data\mod0001\data\ini\object\FactionBuilding.ini does not work.
Command and Conquer Generals Data\mod0001\FactionBuilding.ini does not work.
Command and Conquer Generals\mod0001\data\ini\object\* does not work.

What am I doing wrong?

Note: I have yet to try it with .big files, that'll probably work (I hope).

[FatJoe]

[quote]Note: I have yet to try it with .big files, that'll probably work (I hope).

Well.. maybe you should check out if it works.. if it doesn't.. then you should worry about what your doing wrong.

Cheers
Joe

[Black_Eagle]

it DOES work with big files, i have tested it and it works fine, but i also cant get it to work with directorys

[TylerD]

I have been testing this... or at least attempting to use it. However, I have not yet been able to get it to work with an user-created directory. Anyone else has experience with this?
Er, I get the feeling you placed your directory in the wrong place, the readme says in the C:/My Documents/Command and Conquer Generals Data folder rather than in the Program files directory. I havent tried this, but this seems to me to be how it would work:


All user-createdcontent must be placed in the "Command and Conquer Generals Data" folder withinyour "c:\Documents and Settings" directory.

[DeeZire]

Has anyone found any exceptions to this? I mean, will the game read W3D, DDS, WND files etc from your own big files too?

[FoxMcCloud]

I was under the impression that the new extension in the target shortcut was so that when people make mods they pack it in a big and the path tells it to load that big before others. :/ But i know little

[Koen]

Er, I get the feeling you placed your directory in the wrong place, the readme says in the C:/My Documents/Command and Conquer Generals Data folder rather than in the Program files directory. I havent tried this, but this seems to me to be how it would work:


All user-createdcontent must be placed in the "Command and Conquer Generals Data" folder withinyour "c:\Documents and Settings" directory.

I did not fully prefix everything, with
Command and Conquer Generals Data\mod0001\data\ini\object\FactionBuilding.ini does not work.
Command and Conquer Generals Data\mod0001\FactionBuilding.ini does not work.
Command and Conquer Generals\mod0001\data\ini\object\* does not work.

I meant

(My Documents)\Command and Conquer Generals Data\mod0001\data\ini\object\FactionBuilding.ini does not work.
(My Documents)\Command and Conquer Generals Data\mod0001\FactionBuilding.ini does not work.
(Program Files)\Command and Conquer Generals\mod0001\data\ini\object\* does not work.

[Black_Eagle]

it reads DDS, W3D and ini files but i dont know about WND havnt tried tht

[Koen]

I've just been testing with .BIG, and good news:
Generals.exe -mod Something.big
works if the .BIG file is in the "My Documents\Command and Conquer Generals Data", but not just that, there's also another way which the game accepts:

Generals.exe -mod "(Program Files)\Command And Conquer Generals\Mod0001\Something.BIG" :D

How much of the path should be included I haven't checked yet, but since this works, it's good enough for me :)
Single-file mods, here we come!!!

I have an idea for a Generals Mod Selector, where you can select which mod you'd like to run (and the mod is in a single .BIG file in the \Mods subfolder in your Generals folder (in the Program Files)). The program would automatically detect any big files in this folder, and for example would extract something like "modinfo.txt" from the .BIG file to get the mod name and an icon. How does that sound?

[Black_Eagle]

sounds good to me

[Spy98]

Yeah Koen.
That sprobably easy to do, as you only ShellExec generals.exe together with the -mod string followed by a boxDir.ListItem.
I made something like this for private use on other games. If you need any help gimme a shout, k? :)

[Curator]

It appears the game will not recognise a directory no matter where you put the file. A .big file works fine though. Possibly a bug with the 1.4 patch.

[RVMECH]

Has anyone found any exceptions to this? I mean, will the game read W3D, DDS, WND files etc from your own big files too?

Still doesn't work for some ini files..Video in particular. I still use the expandRV.big file for the video and just add the video strings into the original so the end user never see's any errors. Seems custom Videos and Audio stuff isn't parsed from anything other than the data\INI\***.ini, well default also works.

[jonwil]

it would be a good idea to make a proper list and let Havard and EA know so that if it is a bug, they can fix it or if its intented, they can explain why :)

[RVMECH]

It was intended...don't ask.

[Koen]

A complete list of files which can't be overriden through big's would be handy.

Sidestep: what information should be shown in a Mod Selector? Currently I'm thinking 32x32 icon + mod name, and when you select the mod some additional info. But how much additional info? There's not a lot of space left in my current UI (and only I know what it looks like at the moment).

- website?
- authors?
- readme? (and how long would one allow this readme to be?)
- version?
- release date?

And some metadata perhaps:
- ModSelector version required?
- game version required?

[DeeZire]

So basically, if youre doing a TC and want to add audio/video, you may as well just stick to the tried and tested way of your own custom big in the Generals dir :|

[RVMECH]

Exactly. The audio (tracks anyway) has to be handled the same way. I ported Act on Instinct and Rain in the Night over to a mission and only when it is placed in the custom big without the switch did it work.