[Feedback needed] AND2 Checker: Easy installation and update v0.3

45°38'N-13°47'E;13274312 said:

[*]As soon as I started the game for the first time, I got the yellow button "Update available" but there are of course no updates. It happened only once. I'll see if I can reproduce it.

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I've previously noticed this behavior but i don't know how to reproduce it :S

45°38'N-13°47'E;13274312 said:

[*]I can't click on Menu or Community unless I first click on Tools and move to Menu or Community from there.

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I've found this too and i'll try to fix it.

45°38'N-13°47'E;13274312 said:

[*]First time I installed the launcher it got the wrong path and it started Warlord instead of BTS (but this could be a registry problem in my pc).

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That bug is really strange because it grab the value from registry at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Wow6432Node\\Firaxis Games\\Sid Meier's Civilization 4 - Beyond the Sword" so i don't see how it could get the warlords path.

45°38'N-13°47'E;13274312 said:

[*]There's no option for Blue Marble terrain graphics

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I thought the default graphics are blue marble. Do you know which file is responsible for enabling / disabling blue marble ?

45°38'N-13°47'E;13274312 said:

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Do you think the launcher could be included by default with the mod ?
It became to be mature and the installer / launcher is now translated in english, french and sinhala. I would just have to rewrite the update part.

I suggest this because i think this is an easy way for players to install the mod, update it, change some parameters and it could be a way to make the use of tools easier for devs. It would also ease the support of non-latin language (russian, sinhala...)

I can also make it compatible with a stable version later, when 2.2 will be published.

The source would still be on github but you would have full rights on it too.

I am encountering some major bugs as well. This is a clean/fresh Civilization/AND2 install (have never installed AND2 before) I tried using the launcher. The core mod and the launcher installs fine. But I am encountering major bugs with the Addons' installation. I selected "Install" for all three addons. All three downloaded, extracted, and claimed successful installation in the end.

However, the Mega Civ pack "local version" only showed "1.2," despite the "distant version" showing "1.2.1." And the More Music continued showing "Not installed," despite the launcher claiming it was successfully installed. The More Handicaps correctly showed matching "1.2" versions. I launched the game/mod, exited, closed the launcher, re-opened the launcher, and the same problems were still there. I then selected "Update" for all three Addons to see if that would fix the mismatched Mega Civ versions and the "Not installed" More Music.

Once again, they re-downloaded, re-extracted, and claimed again that they successfully installed. But, the same Mega Civ mismatched versions and the "not installed" More Music remained. I checked to see if More Music was actually installed despite saying "not installed," and it was definitely not installed. So I manually installed More Music using the download/instructions in its thread, and now the launcher detects it as installed (since it is now). However, even though the launcher shows the Mega Civ "1.2" local version as installed (though not 1.2.1 distant version), it actually is not installed, since extra civs are not available for selection in the game setup menu. Now I am going to manually install the Mega Civ pack.

Great start on the launcher - any quality mod should have an automated setup and updater. But there are definitely some bugs still Hope my information is helpful.

I've had the same problems. Manual installation for the Mega Civ Pack worked for me, although the launcher still indicates 1.2 as the local version.
Even with these bugs, it's still the best way for me to keep up with the latest SVN revision.

dbkblk said:

Do you think the launcher could be included by default with the mod ?
It became to be mature and the installer / launcher is now translated in english, french and sinhala. I would just have to rewrite the update part.

I suggest this because i think this is an easy way for players to install the mod, update it, change some parameters and it could be a way to make the use of tools easier for devs. It would also ease the support of non-latin language (russian, sinhala...)

I can also make it compatible with a stable version later, when 2.2 will be published.

The source would still be on github but you would have full rights on it too.

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Yes, sorry I forgot to answer when you first asked. Sure, I think the launcher should be included by default. There's only one thing that bothers me a bit and it's addons. Maybe we should put a disclaimer until we're 100% sure addons work, telling people that addons are work in progress and they might not work (and make sure it's always possible to uninstall them). Judging by reports, people are having troubles with addons, sometimes because they need to be updated. Main mod is changing usually more quickly than other addons do, especially MegaCivPack. As for additional handicap levels, that will probably need to be changed once I'll update handicap levels for the main mod.

Will there still be a way to acquire a non SVN release version?

SerisJilerin said:

However, the Mega Civ pack "local version" only showed "1.2," despite the "distant version" showing "1.2.1." And the More Music continued showing "Not installed," despite the launcher claiming it was successfully installed. The More Handicaps correctly showed matching "1.2" versions. I launched the game/mod, exited, closed the launcher, re-opened the launcher, and the same problems were still there. I then selected "Update" for all three Addons to see if that would fix the mismatched Mega Civ versions and the "Not installed" More Music.

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OK. Thank you for the feedback ! The addon installation is still precarious as i introduced in the last version. I'll try to improve the installation !

Did the bug persist when you restart the launcher ?

45°38'N-13°47'E;13278121 said:

Yes, sorry I forgot to answer when you first asked. Sure, I think the launcher should be included by default. There's only one thing that bothers me a bit and it's addons. Maybe we should put a disclaimer until we're 100% sure addons work, telling people that addons are work in progress and they might not work (and make sure it's always possible to uninstall them). Judging by reports, people are having troubles with addons, sometimes because they need to be updated. Main mod is changing usually more quickly than other addons do, especially MegaCivPack. As for additional handicap levels, that will probably need to be changed once I'll update handicap levels for the main mod.

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OK. I have three goals in mind:
- Separate the updater from the launcher (because svn can't erase a file which is used)
- Remove the update code from the launcher because it would be handle by svn
- Enforce the addon installation.

When these will be reached, i will offer you to test a version for inclusion !

oldnooob said:

Will there still be a way to acquire a non SVN release version?

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Of course ! We think about people without internet or which want to play a "stable" version.
Basically, we just need to use the same installer and upload a stable version on our server.

45°38'N-13°47'E;13278121 said:

(...)As for additional handicap levels, that will probably need to be changed once I'll update handicap levels for the main mod.

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I know and keep an eye on it.
The same stands for erainfos in MoreMusic.
I am planning to make those addons modular somtime, so they would change only things that are really neccesary.


@dbkblk:
A few ideas

-Does the launcher run or offer to run the Woc installer? It is neccesary for MCP (and anything else in the possible future) that includes sound files.

-Is there any description needed to add to the addons, so that players can decide whether they want to instal an addon or not? I can can provide it if you want for my stuff, just let me know how long should it be.

-I have created a tiny little 3rd addon: Dinosaurs are back! as you see can in my signiture. Maybe you could include that one too? It has an ini file too.

Sogroon said:

Does the launcher run or offer to run the Woc installer? It is neccesary for MCP (and anything else in the possible future) that includes sound files.

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I don't have any idea of what it is but i will try to read infos about it !

Sogroon said:

Is there any description needed to add to the addons, so that players can decide whether they want to instal an addon or not? I can can provide it if you want for my stuff, just let me know how long should it be.

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Yes that would be nice to add a litte description. In fact, i think i'm stuck with the GUI because i am not satisfied about the current addon manager and i don't really have ideas about a better design. Do you have an idea about that ?

The informations that need to be in the window are:
- Mod version (local / distant OR just an update warning)
- Each addon (3 + dinosaurs and blue marble)
- A button to see changelog for each mod
- An option to select update
- I may need to remove the "revert to rev x / clean up" from this window

The version of the launcher don't need to be in that window as it will be part of the svn in the near future.

Sogroon said:

I have created a tiny little 3rd addon: Dinosaurs are back! as you see can in my signiture. Maybe you could include that one too? It has an ini file too.

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Of course i will add it I'm currently reworking this part of the launcher, so maybe in the next revision (don't need to make the work two times)

dbkblk said:

I thought the default graphics are blue marble. Do you know which file is responsible for enabling / disabling blue marble ?

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No, it's not. I'm sorry I can't help you more, all I know is that since Vokarya reworked grapichs files some revision ago, default graphic used with SVN version has changed (it was blue marble before). Now ir's not default and not blue marble. Only way to get blue marble back is to use the full installer.

45°38'N-13°47'E;13278856 said:

Now ir's not default and not blue marbel. Only way to get blue marbel back is to use the full installer.

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I've noticed too that the terrain graphics are nicer since Vokarya update !
The blue marble file are in the repository, outside the trunk folder. I'll try to make a fpk so that will be easy to add/remove.

Here is a tryout of the component manager redesign. What do you think about it ?




Below is the .odg file (open with libreoffice) if you have a better idea
LINK

Woc installer is found somewhere in the main mods folders (modules or art I think). It is always included (with the full installer atleast), so a shortcut to the exe would be easy imo.



I like how it looks like.

Sogroon said:

Woc installer is found somewhere in the main mods folders (modules or art I think). It is always included (with the full installer atleast), so a shortcut to the exe would be easy imo.

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I've read some infos. I don't think this has anything to do with the launcher as its role is to download and save the folder into the Modules/ folder.
However, you might use WoC for your addons !

dbkblk said:

I've read some infos. I don't think this has anything to do with the launcher as its role is to download and save the folder into the Modules/ folder.
However, you might use WoC for your addons !

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AFAIK, WoC installer should be run each time you install Mega Civ Pack. At least it was so in previous revisions, before Maska_zgz started working on it. Not sure how it works now, it's a very long time since I last played with MCP.

dbkblk said:

Here is a tryout of the component manager redesign. What do you think about it ?

Below is the .odg file (open with libreoffice) if you have a better idea
LINK

Click to expand...

Looks ok to me, especially since I don't have other proposals.

dbkblk said:

I've read some infos. I don't think this has anything to do with the launcher as its role is to download and save the folder into the Modules/ folder.
However, you might use WoC for your addons !

Click to expand...

WoC is important to import crazyeye lines from a modul's Audio2DScripts.xml and AudioDefines.xml to the main mod's same files. If it is not run after the modul's instal, the game will run properly, but without the new custom sounds.

Mega Civ Pack (and maybe Custom Leader Heads) requires Woc installer.
MoreMusic doesn't need it, since MM is replacing the original files.

Ok, my fault. I'll try to understand how i have to do when redesign will be done.

Here is the preview of the next version of the launcher.
WARNING: The module manager does not work yet, so you cannot install or update components yet. I'm currently reimplementing it in a proper way !

AND2 Checker v0.11 Preview

To revert to 0.10 stable, just download and erase with that link:
AND2 Checker v0.10