51 replies to this topic

[The Imp]

Second, I cannot see what Windows-only APIs make BWS glued to that platform. WeiDu does all sorts of things, moving and copying files, patching files, patching executable files, yet it works fine on different filesystems. Near Infinity does all of that and more, and adds a nice GUI, and it works everywhere.

Ahh, yeah, that's why the beta of the weidu was missing or erratic between the v23100 and v23600 on those OS'es, with the different bit versions especially.

BWS just has to deal with logic detailing the order in which Weidu is called for different mods, and a basic GUI, and remembering identified conflicts. That could be coded in Java, or Python, or Applescript or Basic. It just needs people who have the ability.

This must be the reason why the TDD for example still uses a .bat to do it's diffing instead of using the more modern weidu coding. Yeah, Lollorian moved those bibs and bobs from the .tp2 file, but it's done by running a .bat file, making sure that one can do all the same things in the other OS'es is the sort of work the Aperture Science Laboratories makes research on.

Edited by The Imp, 25 December 2015 - 10:40 PM.

[Mike1072]

@ALIEN first of all nond of that is true. Plenty of OS X users use plenty of mods (I use 100+ on BGT) but unfortunately we have to do it manually. I don't know where you get your numbers from - the fact that not many OS X players post around here? Why would they post on boards dedicated largely to BWS when BWS is not available to them. I certainly wouldn't, if I didn't make a mod.

If you check the stats in the Gibberlings 3 download center for any mod that has Windows, OS X, and Linux versions, you'll find on average that the Windows file gets about 100x as many downloads as the OS X and Linux files combined.

I know that when BWS launched, it affected the download stats quite a bit, but it's always been the case that the majority of people modding their games did so using Windows. You mentioned that you helped fix some of the mods that didn't work properly on recent Mac systems (because they were including an old version of the sox program). That problem went unnoticed for years because nobody was actually installing mods on OS X.

The number of Mac users in the community could have increased recently, since native versions of the game have become available on OS X with the release of the Enhanced Editions, but I think it's a very small audience still.


That being said, I don't like that BWS was written in AutoIt. I hadn't heard of AutoIt previously, and what I learned didn't make me think that it would be a particularly good tool for the job. Based on what I see in BWS, the GUIs you can create with it are simplistic and ugly. The only thing AutoIt has going for it is that dabus is comfortable using it.

I feel like a lot of the BWS functionality dealing with mod info, dependencies, conflicts, and selections could be better handled with a web application and database. The downloading and install-management stuff might still work best as a desktop application.

Edited by Mike1072, 26 December 2015 - 02:07 AM.

[Roxanne]

Is it possible to change the title of this thread to

*BWS operating system* or something like that?

[The Imp]

Is it possible to change the title of this thread to
*BWS operating system* or something like that?

Just ask vGur to edit the first post. Or you could multi-quote a few of the messages, make your own thread and start from there. It shouldn't be that difficult. Unless you are on a phone, then just don't even try until you get to an actual computer.

Based on what I see in BWS, the GUIs you can create with it are simplistic and ugly.

You are always welcome to provide better tools for the community... yeah, this isn't for just Mike.
The .pdf & .bat's weren't pretty enough ? The .vbs to the rescue. When that will be not, we'll see. Yeah, the maintenance will be also required, so don't go in with shorts and snorkel, you'll need proper scuba gear.

The only thing AutoIt has going for it is that dabus is comfortable using it.

A small remark, it's not just dabus or AutoIt, as if we look at the BWS'es (aka the compilation as a whole) revision history, we see: agb1 and ALIENQuake & omni-axa(aka Lollorian) as of late, and a few others and Silent_AC. Before dabus.

There has been a few of these megamoding tools, if we remember, there was the first: Big Picture the compilation, not the mod in the past, and a net based sorting tool I need to find a link again, it might not even exist anymore, anyways it shut down because there was no body to update it.

Edited by The Imp, 26 December 2015 - 03:41 AM.

[Almateria]

That problem went unnoticed for years because nobody was actually installing mods on OS X.

i think youre missing the broader scope here which is: nobody plays any fucking mods ever. dozens of times people report a literal game-stopping bug connected to a mod a couple years after its release. modding is dead and bws killed it because everyone installs 50 gigabytes of trash content and then is stuck in BG1 until he retires

[@vGur]

Almateria, You've got the balls! I haven't played any mod for years, only beta-test my own "trash", threre a plenty guys like me. Feedback from actual players can help a lot and mods like "decrease XP gained from mods content" and "uniqe magic items" that removes duplicates from they modded owners can help too. 

 

p/s Actual thread "Vote for mods" has moved to

http://www.shsforums...od-vote-for-it/

 

This thread now all for linux folks.

Edited by @vGur, 26 December 2015 - 07:08 AM.

[Roxanne]

Almateria, You've got the balls! I haven't played any mod for years, only beta-test my own "trash", threre a plenty guys like me. Feedback from actual players can help a lot and mods like "decrease XP gained from mods content" and "uniqe magic items" that removes duplicates from they modded owners can help too. 

 

p/s Actual thread "Vote for mods" has moved to

http://www.shsforums...od-vote-for-it/

 

This thread now all for linux folks.

I have played through different versions of large installs several times during the last year.

I constantly receive feedback from users playing my mod - including the BG2 and ToB part of it.

BWS/BWP from all the feedback has invited a lot of people to install and play the game once again.

 

Yes, and there are an awful lot of people posting their *expertise* about a game and its mods who actually never play it.

Edited by Roxanne, 26 December 2015 - 07:17 AM.

[Almateria]

Almateria, You've got the balls!

Please don't point out this fact, CoB went through a retarded fit once already. :v

[agb1]

I like Alternatives (not an evil path -- it mostly adds a lawful good path, also includes the Quallo "fix" mini-mod).

 

I like Rogue Rebalancing's pickpocket changes too.

[Roxanne]

I like Alternatives (not an evil path -- it mostly adds a lawful good path, also includes the Quallo "fix" mini-mod).

 

I like Rogue Rebalancing's pickpocket changes too.

Alternatives is not a thief mod - it adds two more possibilities to get the passage to Brynlaw without having to side with Bodhi or the Shadowthieves and it is a well done mod, also includes some of the original quests from either of the two paths.

 

Expanded Thief Stronghold does exactly what the name says, it blends well into the original.

 

Assasinations I never did more than the initial quests until I found out what it was about - even my EVIL PC had some code of honor.

 

The other three you mentioned are tweaks that are at least a better way to react to failed pickpocket or other misdeeds than simply turn red.

Edited by Roxanne, 26 December 2015 - 02:50 PM.

[@vGur]

Roxanne, I've few more questions in new thread that not twisted with linux, I'd be glad to have Your answers.

http://www.shsforums...od-vote-for-it/