I AM biased, yes. But I didn"t become biased without a reason.
Personally, I've always found compilers to make life easier.
Granted, with Java I just use Notepad++ and commandprompt to compile, but that's because I'm too damn lazy to install the IDE.
Say I want the output directory to not be Packages but toto. How can I do that?
Say I want the output directory to be in All Users/Shared Documents instead of mine, how do I do that?
IIRC, the first isn't possible. But then, I have no interest in that amount of control in this case; I control the folder where the project is, so as long as I have that, I don't care what the hell it calls the folder it stores the built project in.
The second one isn't possible, because that's because there is only one location it works properly from.
The only way it makes life easier for me is the md5 generation.
For the rest, see above. Plus sometimes you just want to modify a single file but the IDE will not work if you do that. This particular IDE also duplicates files and spams the hard disk a lot: A script will be -where you put it first, - in the Build output directory, - in each user that would use it directory (rather than the shared documents or program file directroy once). The last point is more an issue with the game or maybe Steam, though. Now if I want to change my script while using the worldbuilder, I have to change the script in the directory used by the game, not the one used by ModdBuddy. And since the used script is an output, there's no way I can easily change it to point to the output script as an input. And I don't want to have to Build the project to test since I don't need it. Overall, for map scripting, ModBuddy is only useful for packaging the mod and uploading it.
Wait, you're making maps? Then yes, it's only really useful for packaging. You don't need it to generate files, you don't need it's syntax and error checking, the only thing you use is the package tool.
And how will the IDE not work if you modify a file?
I don't care what other IDEs do. And no, files aren't stored in the project directory. The Packages directory is not a sub directory of your project for instance. The modinfo file is an output put into the Build directory;
....Yes, they are. You have Documents\Firaxis ModBuddy\YOUR MOD NAME. Within that last folder, you have three subdirectories: One with your mod name, for the project files, one named Build, where it stores backups of old versions, and one named Packages, where it has the built civ5mod file.
A pain for me. So yes it is a pain for some users. And it won't be patched unless someone tells about the issue in the first place.
This much is true, yes.
This is still a reason, and a valid one, and I doubt the file size matters that much. On the other hand, I think the best thing would be not to distribute the sln but to have ModBuddy be able to open the civ5mod instead of sln. Unfortunately, it only sees a binary if you try.
I think there are plenty of valid reasons for it to NOT be distributed, that far outweigh a consideration based on shaving 3 minutes of a build time.
- The vast majority do not need the file, and it just contributes bloat as far as they're concerned.
- I see no reason my project file should be distributed unless I choose for it to be so, in which case it will be in my thread.
- Any information that can be gleaned from it is already in the modinfo file, and formatting of the mod.
Really, I'd be quite unhappy if the file was distributed. It's unnecessary and part of my private build files; I don't want or need it distributed. Having it open the civ5mod file would be useful... If you download it, and don't install it, after which the file is gone.
Better to load the modinfo file.