[Koen]

Current build is build 11: 1.0.0.11

Everyone who wants to make a mod for BFME probably has found out by now: the game is incredibly picky when it comes to mods. It will only read BIG files if they are in the "X:\Documents and Settings\<user account name>\Application data\My BFME files" folder through the -mod switch. That's what I found at least.

The goal of BFME Mod Launcher is to allow you to easily deploy a mod, together with a launching program and an installer.
As an example of deployment you can try the RingMod example and see how it works.

Here's a screenshot of the launcher program:


What the program does:
- install your mod
- offer option to make a desktop shortcut to your mod
- install BFME Mod Launcher
- create start menu group 'BFME Mods' and puts your mod in there (preselects the mod in the launcher, should it launch the mod directly instead?).
- displays a screenshot of your mod, version, author, website and a custom icon (as I did in the screenshot, I gave my mod a Generals icon).
- installer with LZMA compression, giving much smaller files than ZIP.
- allows the user to configure command-line options once (-win and -noshellmap).
- custom files like asset.dat are automatically extracted from the BIG file and placed in the game folder (backing up the original file) upon launching the mod.

To do:
- only the following files will be automatically extracted from BIG files, I need a more complete list of files to support if you want to have them in your mod:

asset.dat
data\movies\*.vp6
data\cursors\*.ani

- not all command-line options are available: only -win and -noshellmap. Any others?

The package to deploy mods is not yet available to the public. Is there someone who would like to write documentation on how to package your mod? (After I explain things to them). Also, some help for the Mod Launcher end-user would be nice. Writing documentation is not my strong point so that's why I am looking for help.

Hope to hear!

[Hostile]

Question Newbie here. Where does it dictate the character length of asset.data?

Is it possible to edit this file without blowing up the game. I know you haven't yet addressed that but in general?

My question only lies with the assetdata, once you address the multuiple BIG files, will alternate asset.files be possible?

[DeeZire]

Very nice Koen, great work once again. As long as functionality with amending asset.dat is provided (or even better using your mods one instead of the games version) then it will do everything needed.

The only other thing I would suggest is adding the option to run the game with a choice of command line parameters included, such as '-win' etc.

[Koen]

Originally Posted by Hostile";p=&quot

Question Newbie here. Where does it dictate the character length of asset.data?

Is it possible to edit this file without blowing up the game. I know you haven't yet addressed that but in general?

We do not yet know, in the other topic we are now more or less at a point where we can (almost) make a modified asset.dat. We'll have to wait and see if it works then.
About the multiple BIGs: I may have been too unclear there. The mod launcher supports multiple mods fine, but all mod files must be in a single BIG. The game likes that.

Originally Posted by DeeZire";p=&quot

Very nice Koen, great work once again. As long as functionality with amending asset.dat is provided (or even better using your mods one instead of the games version) then it will do everything needed.

I think I'll take the route of using the mods one inside a .BIG (extraction into game folder?). Command-line options will do.

[Sy]

Not sure if your remotely interested, but I wrote a mod launcher for Generals and Zero Hour, when BFME came out I added the registry lookups to it, but I don't know if it works for launching mods for BFME as at this time I don't know to much about modding BFME.

But you are very welcome to the source code if you would like. Its available for free download at:

http://www.derelictstudios.net/cta/i...p?page=modswap

[Koen]

I added in the -win command-line switch and options in general (so the game folder can be changed). Which other switches do you want in Deezire? -preferLocalFiles is not useful as it breaks the -mod switch idea
Also, hyperlinks for websites now work.

Asset.dat support will have to wait until the next version... but hey, asset.dat editing has worked (read the asset.dat thread).

[Koen]

Updated to build 9. Now with asset.dat support and direct-launch from mod shortcuts. There is now a white-list of files which are automatically extracted from a BIG and placed in the game folder. Post extra lists which need to be white-listed here.
Looking for someone to write documentation, read the edited start post.

[Jemburula]

Hey Koen, I would like to do the documentation if you'd like? Just send me a reply to Jemburula@hotmail.com and we can sort it out.

[Koen]

Jemburula I have sent you an e-mail.

[Jemburula]

Recieved, I will start it once I get home from work.