KeenGraph questions, also Lemm
Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 6:46 am
Ok everyone, moving into Galaxy modding now, an issue that has emerged is patch file generation.
(Lemm, please skip to last issue.)
In modkeen a patch and bat file is created whenever graphics are imported. This seems pretty useless to me since you can't put patches in it, it's rewritten each time, so you have to copy stuff from it, and also know enough to open the .pat file in notepad (Or equivalent, shush, I'm windows based!)
The first question I must thus ask the modding community is: How should I handle patch file creation? The first option is how modkeen does it, except it will not be rewritten every time, meaning that a modder may create the file and use it for patching. A second option would be the same, except patchfiles already there would also be scanned and graphics patches added to them if they are not there, so a patch file made by the modder or another program can be used (The modder would of course need to name the patch file if it is not the default name.) The third option is to have an option, much like I have done with transparency, -patchfile="blahblahblah" would make the program create a patch file, otherwise it wouldn't. (In this option not creating patch files would be the default.) The final option is not to create patch files at all, and just include them in the 'extras' folder, if the modder wants them they can just copy them.
These options are not exclusive, it is possible for example to use the on/off option which also scans for existing patch files and creates/adds patches as appropriate. I value your comments on this.
The next issue is patch file extension. .PAT is traditional, but can be hard for new modders to work with. I prefer .TXT myself since this is a common file type most programs will know.
Final issue is for Lemm, KG needs to scan for things that may/will crash the game. For this I need to know how large the graphics can be before they exceed the game's memory limits, any and all restrictions (For example it already scans for sprites being too big and for more exotic games, patched files that will overwrite other data.) You were going to inform me, however you have yet to do so. I would like this information.
(Lemm, please skip to last issue.)
In modkeen a patch and bat file is created whenever graphics are imported. This seems pretty useless to me since you can't put patches in it, it's rewritten each time, so you have to copy stuff from it, and also know enough to open the .pat file in notepad (Or equivalent, shush, I'm windows based!)
The first question I must thus ask the modding community is: How should I handle patch file creation? The first option is how modkeen does it, except it will not be rewritten every time, meaning that a modder may create the file and use it for patching. A second option would be the same, except patchfiles already there would also be scanned and graphics patches added to them if they are not there, so a patch file made by the modder or another program can be used (The modder would of course need to name the patch file if it is not the default name.) The third option is to have an option, much like I have done with transparency, -patchfile="blahblahblah" would make the program create a patch file, otherwise it wouldn't. (In this option not creating patch files would be the default.) The final option is not to create patch files at all, and just include them in the 'extras' folder, if the modder wants them they can just copy them.
These options are not exclusive, it is possible for example to use the on/off option which also scans for existing patch files and creates/adds patches as appropriate. I value your comments on this.
The next issue is patch file extension. .PAT is traditional, but can be hard for new modders to work with. I prefer .TXT myself since this is a common file type most programs will know.
Final issue is for Lemm, KG needs to scan for things that may/will crash the game. For this I need to know how large the graphics can be before they exceed the game's memory limits, any and all restrictions (For example it already scans for sprites being too big and for more exotic games, patched files that will overwrite other data.) You were going to inform me, however you have yet to do so. I would like this information.