General discussion (use of already implemented functions, etc.)

[franky317]

thanks for letting me know about the bug.
I hadn't really noticed.

I did not understand the question....the game does not crash due to the absence of the name, it is not displayed and that's all.

[youneuoy]

thanks for letting me know about the bug.
I hadn't really noticed.

I did not understand the question....the game does not crash due to the absence of the name, it is not displayed and that's all.

ok, in that case I’ll just add a check for the existence of a name in the program (I had previously seen anonymous characters in the game, but thought they had a name, but it’s “empty”).
Probably next week I will make a small update, I will include a fix for this problem in it.

[franky317]

perfect! thank you

[youneuoy]

[leo.civil.uefs]

I am ignorant when it comes to coding, not to mention .exe editing. So it is not interesting that I participate in this project at its current stage. I couldn't help it, I don't even understand what you're doing here. I just know it's good.


For me this project will only become interesting when the tool is fully functional and then modders start creating interesting scripts. I am more interested in the scripts that will be created in the future than in the tool itself. Again, it would be different if I had the ability to help, but I don't.


So I would like to ask if the moment will come when modders will simply place the tool in their mod's folder, as an icon to start the game, and simply edit campaign_script.txt and other files as usual, as they always did, but now with new commands and possibilities. In other words, modding med2 normally without even care about the tool there in the mod folder, no need to adjust it or anything like this. Just easy, good, pleasant script creation in campaign_script.txt, but now with more possibilities. Will this happen in a foreseeable future?

[youneuoy]

leo.civil.uefs,
This project is being developed precisely in order to be able to add new interesting things to the game. I also want to see their implementation.
And so on:
everything is created in such a way that you can add files to the folder with the mod and write new things. You can already use the program now, in its various versions backward compatibility is preserved, so that you can replace executable files with new ones, and leave the old config files.
What's the difference where to do it, in campaign_script.txt or in any other file? On the contrary, everything lies in different places and it is quite convenient. Actually, I don’t really want to add scripting capabilities because scripting in mtw2 is very limited, there are no variables in the scripts, they are in the same file, in which it is difficult to find the desired one, and it also works very slowly. Nevertheless, I can add small functions for scripting, but I need to know what exactly to add))
Most likely, later it will be possible to write code for mods in C ++, but few modders are engaged in programming, and for many of them it is much more convenient to configure via config files.
If you have suggestions on how you think the interaction with the program should look, write about it.

[Lord Baal]

My dearest Leo, what our friend youneuoy is doing here most likely won't give us a new script command to use on the default game files. Think about it as an add-on or expansion pack to the already implemented system, were you can execute special commands beyond the current scripting, but also in conjunction with it, so you can now plan your scripts with the added featured in minds.

So far the tool is shaping towards a fire and forget system yes. Once it can launch mods then one could do the regular mod, configure the add-on functions, pack the mod with the tool and it's config files and simply point out the new way to start the mod. Even thinking now, if the tool can become automated enough by a set of instructions on a config file then I guess it would be possible to simply modify current .bat launch files so the tool is fired up first?

Of course I'm taking lots of liberties with this post since I'm not the one making this tool, just guessing within the realm of what are real technical possibilities.

[youneuoy]

Lord Baal,

After the last update, the program launches the mod itself, the .bat file is not needed (settings for launching are specified in the config file).



Also 2 script commands were added, I can add more, but as I already wrote the script system in the game is very limited.

[Dismounted Feudal Knight]

I'd rather have the option or the default of a mod's batch file invoking this tool so it is not required to be fiddled with on the end-user in any way through executables, correct me if it does this already.

I believe what Leo is asking for is the ability to simply make the changes within the game data natively while having this project simply fire in the background without needing any particular configuration unless it's to turn options on/off.

[youneuoy]

So you want me to make a different hardcode instead of game hardcoding?
The option to start using the .bat file is not needed because this does not guarantee the correct launch of the program and game. The development of the program is also as open as possible.

[Dismounted Feudal Knight]

What I'm wanting is natural integration with current mods that use batch files for as clean a system as possible. Conceptually, it is to execute the tweaker first, put in a delay, then launch the game. The correct launch is guaranteed until someone goes in and manually screws it up or their system is befuddly, and a slightly smarter script can shut down the tweaks if the game does not launch properly. I believe it is ideal for this project to consider what would best integrate with the masses rather than lean heavily into its own novelty. Approachability en masse seems like the greatest holdback of the project so far, but being in development, that's just one user's opinion for future priority. I'm settled on other matters and my dreams for medieval 2 are probably not achievable by the program anyways for how odd they are - ultimately, just my two cents as a relative outsider.

For the second part, it would certainly be nice if the hardcode adjustments allowed things to happen from the data after launch rather than directly input those things that requires two different interfaces be worked with to actually happen. However, in the assumption that is not currently practical, the most I seek is a clean interface for those changes to happen; cleaner/more intuitive is generally better for adaptation, even in projects that offer quite a lot for the more techy users. Again, one outsider's two cents.

[Lord Baal]

The clean interface is already there. Currently you doubleclick the batch file and then the bat opens and then in turn it opens the game with the mod.

Now you open the tool and then you fire up the mod manually for now, but nothing stops the developer from making a setting in which would autolaunch a selected mod once you open the tool.

[Erken]

For me this project will only become interesting when the tool is fully functional and then modders start creating interesting scripts. I am more interested in the scripts that will be created in the future than in the tool itself. Again, it would be different if I had the ability to help, but I don't.


So I would like to ask if the moment will come when modders will simply place the tool in their mod's folder, as an icon to start the game, and simply edit campaign_script.txt and other files as usual, as they always did, but now with new commands and possibilities. In other words, modding med2 normally without even care about the tool there in the mod folder, no need to adjust it or anything like this. Just easy, good, pleasant script creation in campaign_script.txt, but now with more possibilities. Will this happen in a foreseeable future?

The tool is already fully functional...

And the config files coming with the tool are much easier to use than a campaign_script or an edct. It could even difficultly be more basic. Moreover there is file for each feature, so it's also easier to manipulate than a single file with hundreds of thousands of lines.

Otherwise, without even create new scripts, the simple simplification/enhancement of those existing with the new label system is something already immediately exploitable.

[leo.civil.uefs]

I guess Imperator Majora got my idea.

I apologize, in case my comments sounded like a demanding or a nonsense request.

Im just an ordinary modder who has no knowledge about coding, not to say about memory patching.

As a 'final customer", I would like to put my hands in a tool that could simply be put inside my mod's folder and voila, the game now has expanded capabilities beyond the original hardcoded ones (expanded religions number, units number etc), and I can mod the game via data folders normally as I do now, ignoring the original hardcoded limits.

That would be a dream. But I dont know if it is possible.

[Lord Baal]

It's what the program already is. You just have to config it once (set number of religions, size of specific units, whatever changes you are doing), this settings are saved on some specific files inside the mod folder that you can pack up along with the tool and the rest of mod like any other mod. Then, in any computer were the mod is unpacked and installed the changes you made will work like it did in yours, as long as the tool and the files are unpacked along with the mod, and why wouldn't they, if "filewise" speaking they are exactly like any other mod files? The only difference would be that now you start you mod from this tool instead of the .bat file, which as I said, I see no technical reason for not having it a setting where it starts the mod you choose automatically every time is fire up, so the result would be exactly the same as opening the mod with the .bat

To be more clear, the program works like your dream, more or less, only that:

- You have to define which will be the new limits and functions, at least once. Once you do this you can replicate it in any other pc without manual input from the user, just like all the regular mods works now. The only new thing the users would need to do is to start the mod from this program instead from the .bat, that's all. You have to execute the program before the game and mod. This is a must because how on earth would the tool read the medieval executable and alter the memory?

- Using this to make mods doesn't require codding abilities, at least no more than the ones needed for your regular scripting. Using this to play mods doesn't require anything from your side besides a single additional click for now.

- Not all limits are done yet, in fact only religion has been tackled so far. And even then there's an absolute limit for the limits, so is not limitless but expanding the limits (albeit greatly). On this regard more factions, cultures, regions and units limits will have to wait since they aren't a priority or not even a goal (yet) of the developer, not because he doesn't want to, but because it would mean months or years of work looking for all the memory addresses and how they interact with the rest of the game to make them work, but as work continue in other areas all this instances and interactions could begin to show themselves so eventually, breaking those limits could be "easily" doable.

But the capacity to apply labels to any and ALL characters, even the general and agents you normally spawn already allows lots of new trickery with them, just to name something already doable. And this is precisely the intention of youneuoy, so we can already start making things not doable before with this tool, to drawn more attention and with luck support to it, allowing it to expand towards all the goals and capacity it could have, including those faction, cultures, regions and unit limits that have tormented us for years, and then some more things.

[leo.civil.uefs]

It's what the program already is. You just have to config it once (set number of religions, size of specific units, whatever changes you are doing), this settings are saved on some specific files inside the mod folder that you can pack up along with the tool and the rest of mod like any other mod. Then, in any computer were the mod is unpacked and installed the changes you made will work like it did in yours, as long as the tool and the files are unpacked along with the mod, and why wouldn't they, if "filewise" speaking they are exactly like any other mod files? The only difference would be that now you start you mod from this tool instead of the .bat file, which as I said, I see no technical reason for not having it a setting where it starts the mod you choose automatically every time is fire up, so the result would be exactly the same as opening the mod with the .bat

To be more clear, the program works like your dream, more or less, only that:

- You have to define which will be the new limits and functions, at least once. Once you do this you can replicate it in any other pc without manual input from the user, just like all the regular mods works now. The only new thing the users would need to do is to start the mod from this program instead from the .bat, that's all. You have to execute the program before the game and mod. This is a must because how on earth would the tool read the medieval executable and alter the memory?

- Using this to make mods doesn't require codding abilities, at least no more than the ones needed for your regular scripting. Using this to play mods doesn't require anything from your side besides a single additional click for now.

- Not all limits are done yet, in fact only religion has been tackled so far. And even then there's an absolute limit for the limits, so is not limitless but expanding the limits (albeit greatly). On this regard more factions, cultures, regions and units limits will have to wait since they aren't a priority or not even a goal (yet) of the developer, not because he doesn't want to, but because it would mean months or years of work looking for all the memory addresses and how they interact with the rest of the game to make them work, but as work continue in other areas all this instances and interactions could begin to show themselves so eventually, breaking those limits could be "easily" doable.

But the capacity to apply labels to any and ALL characters, even the general and agents you normally spawn already allows lots of new trickery with them, just to name something already doable. And this is precisely the intention of youneuoy, so we can already start making things not doable before with this tool, to drawn more attention and with luck support to it, allowing it to expand towards all the goals and capacity it could have, including those faction, cultures, regions and unit limits that have tormented us for years, and then some more things.

Aaaah... thats my language! Thanks for explaining!
It seems like things are even betetr than I thought, I have no words to express how fantastic this project is.
Thanks everyone involved!

[youneuoy]

Yes, I do not seem to understand what is happening here
In fact, everything is described in the instructions for the program. If someone is not happy with something, I can fix it, but it is advisable to justify all the proposals.

The program should be in the folder with the modification for which it will be used. Those. this affects only one modification, different modifications may have different configuration files.
Also, if for some reason someone really wants to use a .bat file, he can do it, but in this case, you will need to remove the game’s launch from the .bat file and leave only the program’s launch.

[Jadli]

With all respect to low or zero coding skills, I think you guys are really kinda overstressing this... Have you guys actually tried to run it?

It simple, 3 steps only pretty much.

1) You download and extract into your mods folder
2) You open limits.youneuoycfg, here its obviuos. You either just write 0 or 1 (or relevant numbers) to each line, to enable, disable or set the number of something you want (such as religions)
3) You edit your .bat launcher by writting "start applyHotSeatToolPatches.bat" to the beginning of it (or perhaps even anywhere in it)

And thats it. You have expanded abilities of your mod

Of course, for actually including some of them, you have to make relevant changes in your mod. For example if you increase religion limit, you have to add new religions into descr_religions, and other relevant files to use the expanded limit...

(perhaps it would help if you write the installation more clear in your post youneuoy)

[youneuoy]

Instructions for launching the game with the latest version of the project:


Patches defined in the configs are applied if you run HotSeatTool with certain settings. Program files should be in the folder of the launched mod.
The launch is configured with the following parameters:
Starting_mod - start a mod, vanilla or the program itself.
May take the following values:
0 - run vanilla
2 - run only the program (in this case, no patches are applied to the game)
1 - start the mod. In this case, you need to specify the name of the modification file config in the line Mod_CFG_Name, for example:
Starting_mod = 1
Mod_CFG_Name = TATW.cfg
(* here is a video with an example *)
Also, comments appeared in the config files that say how to use them and what values are used by default ..

[Lord Baal]

youneuoy I'm neither a native english or russian? ucranian? speaker, but if at any rate or moment you feel like needing help on explaining something Im willing to help you the best I can.