20 replies to this topic

[Stealthsnake]

i have abit of a problem. i have made an installtion prgram for my mod, but where should i set it up to install the .big?
i cant set it up to install into the my bfme folder, cus i dont know their user name. I cant set it to intall into the main bfme folder, cus it does not read the .str.
so how should i do this?

i noticed that in bfme1 the elvenstar mod installed into the main bfme folder, and still kept the strings, how did they do that?

[zimoo]

I'd recommend extracting your .big file to a folder somewhere (C:\BFME 2.5 for example) and then set up the shortcut so it reads "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Battle for Middle-earth ™ II\lotrbfme2.exe" -mod "C:\Bfme 2.5"

[Stealthsnake]

yes i knew of this way, but i presume u havent made an installtion program, cus that way can be a pain to do.
Does anyone know how the elvenstar mod team did it?

[King of Universe]

i have abit of a problem. i have made an installtion prgram for my mod, but where should i set it up to install the .big?
i cant set it up to install into the my bfme folder, cus i dont know their user name.?

%appdata% takes you to Applicationdata. Just place %appdata%\My Battle for Middle-earth™ II Files
in the install

[Stealthsnake]

ah thanks u all my problems solved

[Stealthsnake]

ive now tried that and it doesnt work, when installing it says could not install %appdata%\My Battle for Middle-earth™ II Files or something like that.

perhaps i wasnt claer about how im trying to do this. i uploaded the ini.big and bfme2.exe. i then set the sefualt path for installation to be the main bfme2 folder (C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Battle for Middle-earth ™ II).
I then set up the installer to make a shortcut of the .exe file with the command -mod bfme2.5.big .
i then put other under installtion paths under the ini.big file, and set it to install in %appdata%\My Battle for Middle-earth™ II Files.

have i dont this right> or is there a better way? if not then what is the solution to my problem?

[Stealthsnake]

i knew elven start mod had managed this so ive had alook at how it installs. They have done all their files like this.
_EM2__norespawn ------
contains some cah data
_EM2_data -----
contains the ini
_EM2_english ---
contains all the audio and strings
_EM2_textures ---
contains all the art

they ahve then made a .exe file. im not sure how .exe files work. Have they made the .exe read all the files with _EMT_ at the beginning of the name? can someone wal me through how it works, and how to make one please?

[Sûlherokhh]

That's an interesting question that i've never had to ask, because our webmaster bsemf always took care of it. But it can't be that hard. My guess is that the exe-file reads the entry in the registry where it tells you the location of the installed game. I have to ask him. To let the program priority-read the lotr.str file (and anything else for that matter) you need to give the new big-files a name starting with '_'. And make sure there is no big file containing the file lotr.str or lotr.csf in the 'lang' folder. If that is the case, you have to move those bigs into the main folder (via installer or by hand) or they get priority-read. For an idea of how the starter exe works take a look at the batch files of Elvenstar-Mod 1 (still available for download). It's primarily a renaming procedure. All files that are not to be used in the game are tagged with a .bak or .mod at the end.

I hope i could already help you.

Edited by Sulherokhh, 05 May 2006 - 08:28 AM.

[Stealthsnake]

i think i use a diferent install creator to what they used, im using clickteam install creator. i cant see anything that can move files around, or i may be a bit blind. if someone told me how to make a .exe would this work. I put everything into a .big, and put the .big into a folder in D:\bfme2.5 .

Then could i set the .exe to read bfme2.5.big?

im not sure if this way is possible but could i create a shortcut and put -mod "D:\bfme2.5\bfme2.5.big" would that work? or would it have to not be in .big?

[Feanor]

I've got that one you have to create the same file structure as where you want to put the files it only works then I'll talk to you about it on msn

[Kelso]

Our installer for Rise of Rome simply ran a search for lotrbfme.exe and then store where it was located. It then read the registry to find where the users app data folder was located and installer the .big there. We then installed a file called ini.ror into the main game directory and when the user launched Rise of Rome, we renamed ini.big to something else and replaced it with ini.ror. We then ran the game using the -mod switch which pointed to our other .big file, which contained mostly artwork.

[Stealthsnake]

what install crator did u use, i cant see anything like that in this one?

[Kelso]

Don wrote it himself.

[Argolis]

Why cant you install to the main directory.

And clickteam install maker can pick up values from the registry.

To install to Main Directory.

Options --? install directory.

root key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
key: SOFTWARE\Electronic Arts\Electronic Arts\The Battle for Middle-earth II
subkey: InstallPath

for application data it would be install directory: %appdata%\My Battle for Middle-earth™ II Files

If you have any trouble, email me, Ive set up a clickteam installer for my mod and it works fine.

Edited by Argolis, 07 May 2006 - 09:15 PM.

[Stealthsnake]

i cant install to the main directory, cus it does not read the strings.



and next time im gonna try the aplication data thing.

[Argolis]

why doesnt it read the strings in the main directory.

Hold on...Thats probably why MY strings arent working.
I assume they work in the appdata then?

[Solinx]

why doesnt it read the strings in the main directory.

Hold on...Thats probably why MY strings arent working.
I assume they work in the appdata then?

If you put your big file in the main game folder, it will still use the old strings, because the big files in the "lang" subfolder are loaded first.

Edit: Maybe this works: Put the big files from "lang" in the main folder and add an underscore ( _ ) in front of your big file. While the full paths are stored in the big files from the "lang" subfolder, they shouldn't cause any trouble while in the main folder. And adding an underscore will give your big file priority.

Solinx

Edited by Solinx, 08 May 2006 - 07:13 PM.

[Stealthsnake]

thats what the elvenstar mod does, id do it that way, but it makes it harder for other people to install

[Solinx]

thats what the elvenstar mod does, id do it that way, but it makes it harder for other people to install

Write a simple batch file. That could copy the files from the "lang" map to the main map. You can also use a batch file to rename your big file each time you want to play with the mod. The same batch file could also start the game and rename the big file again after the game is closed.

Solinx

[Stealthsnake]

u use notepad and to make 1 dont u? can u tell me what commands id need for that?