Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Yeah, for PBEM games. Doesn't need to be automated or anything, as it is not meant as a server app. Just a tool for a game host to save time and trouble with all those extra mouse clicks. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif It would run SE4 in the same manner that PBW does, with the options to not open the GUI and not display most error Messages (such as missing PLR files, AI errors, etc.), using the command line parameters.

[ June 12, 2004, 21:23: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

I'll add an option to choose player "0" HOST for all games, and then you just choose that player, if you then make it a favorite you can autorun the turn-hosting by clicking on the favorite in the favorite drop-down box, exit the event page automatic when SE4 closes and that's it.

will most likely be in 0.8.

The good part is that that is the only addition needed to the GUI of the app, player 0 in player selection!

[ June 12, 2004, 21:37: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">In accordance with KISS, you'd use a simple batch file to do it.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">In accordance with KISS, you'd use a simple batch file to do it. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">But this will look much better.
And why make things simple when you can make them so wonderfully complicated??

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Actually no, you wouldn't. You would have to make a new batch file for every game. With the program you already have doing it, you just click the game, and hit the execute button. No need to make anything new for the game.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Will this execute the game to process in command line mode? No GUI for the game, suppress error Messages other than RCEs?

Ruatha, can you please make the program function more like the Mod Launcher, and automatically detect all savegames and mods, making lists of them to load? The current method is very clunky and time-consuming. You can add an option to hide a particular mod or savegame if you don't want it to show up in the list...

[ June 13, 2004, 00:41: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Will this execute the game to process in command line mode? No GUI for the game, suppress error Messages other than RCEs?

Ruatha, can you please make the program function more like the Mod Launcher, and automatically detect all savegames and mods, making lists of them to load? The current method is very clunky and time-consuming. You can add an option to hide a particular mod or savegame if you don't want it to show up in the list... </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yep, it's automatic with no Messages, start and stops.

Right now it requires you to locate each game once, then it should be in the drop down favorite list (You can set the "make games Favorites automatic" option, if you don't want to check the favorite box for each game).
It's quite easy if you have a few games, I can see that it becomes troublesome if one has a smany games as you.

I've been thinking of a search function to locate all savegames.
And I could change the first page to add a few lists like the modder of savegame directories..
The GUI needs an overhaul anyway.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Perhaps a list of all installed mods, and the ability to load SE4 using such a mod by altering Path.txt? Might as well emulate the Mod Launcher utility fully. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">From 0.74 to 0.75 I removed the mod part in the command line and changed it to alter the path.txt http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

I was thinking along your lines here, so that one might start a new game aswell instead of only old ones.

The current development path is:

0.8: will take a while, am working on grabbing deadlines and making deadline alerts now, don't have all that much time now as I'm getting married soon. Will have mod choosing cpacity and some listboxes.
IMAP4 and compressed folders won't be incorporated.

0.8--0.89 bug fixes.

0.9: much rewriting, no new features but streamlining, removing Favorites (All games will have the same options). Making things easier and in the right sequence. Better UI. Removing bad code.

0.9-1,0 bugfixing.

[ June 13, 2004, 08:45: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

0.76: Not any main changes:
Only changes: Can grab deadline from mail, won't alert about it, will change it to defined timezone.
Can run turns as host.
Will save ini disregarding of way of closing.


http://ruatha.homelinux.org/companion076.zip


(It doesn't work perfect, but you're welcome to Beta test the host function Fyron.)
A tip, in the favorite setting for the hosted game, set to start se4 automatic and close event page when se4 is finished.
It will show an alert if there is something wrong with the races text files, ie AI files.
But not if there is something wrong with the .plr files.
I belive this is the same at PBW, and I can't see any way around that.

[ June 13, 2004, 10:04: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Good to see it moving ahead good work there.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Big Happy SMILE FACE http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">PBW will process if the PLR file is for the wrong turn. It refuses to accept uploads for improperly named PLR files though. That part will probably have to be up to the host to take care of.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

OK, just figured out how to get it working- fantastic! I can't wait for my PBW turns to be readt so I can play with it some more!

Are you still looking for more features to add to this beast? If so, I have one:

Could yo link it somehow to the game forum at PBW for the games listed in the PBWfavourites list? I hate going through all the clicks needed to access a game forum, especially when you go to all that trouble and there are no new Messages.
Wouldn't necessarily need the ability to post there, but just to see what's new and then a direct link to open the forum in my preferred browser.

I have more sugestions too, but they would probably belong in another prgram.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Excellent progress and its looking very good - should help players of PBW and SE4 single player

Lets also hope we get a Version 2.00 of SE4 as SE5 is ready to get to market just as a existing player reward and to fix most of the remaining bugs and perhaps a few new featuers as people will still keep buying SE4 after SE5 is out (those with older PCs etc.)

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">SE4 is done. Please stop spamming the Boards with such statements.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Once again, thanks and congrats on the se4 companion. I still get some wierd errors and crashes from time to time and I haven't quite figured out how to drive it, but by luck more than judgement I think it's all properly configured now -I have managed to get it to automatically download & decompress a turn for me, launch the game, then after I play the turn it automatically sent it off to PBW for processing. A complete success.

And I get a little smile every time I get the "new turn has arrived" message as well (and some of the error Messages are worth getting an error for too :-)

[ June 14, 2004, 23:22: Message edited by: dogscoff ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

I'm still confused a bit: how can I manually download new game turn from pbw? Need an advice.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Well, with this new Version, the error I was getting is gone but it still won't automaticly start SE4. In fact I'm getting a different error now. Everything appears to go just fine. It opens an external .txt file I use to keep track of stuff and loads the history editor just fine. But it still doesn't want to actually lauch the game. Second, whenever I try to do Anything, it kicks me back to the main screen and won't let me do anything further.

Strange... But I'm not getting any error Messages this time.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Could youy please post the manual command line from the Favorites screen?
Du you have the setting checked to close the event screen when se4 closes?

What error did you get before? What error do you get now?

This information would be very valuable to me!!!
That is the only reason I've released the app already, to get Beta information!!

[ June 15, 2004, 06:19: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">If you set up your PBW username and password, check the pop-up alert and then press the PBW scan button, you will get a question to download, the first time it scans undownloaded turns.
If you don't accept to downöoad then it won't alert again, unless you in the settings screen press the "Clear downloaded list" button.

Will make it more clear in the future.

[ June 15, 2004, 05:19: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Thanks Ruatha, I'll try again later.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">The manual command line is:
C:\Space Empires IV Gold\Savegame\Starscape VI.gam" "PASSWORD" "5

The game is using a mod which is in:
Space Empires IV Gold\Starscape folder.

I'm not getting any error message. It just keeps kicking back to the main screen. I can still attempt to enter my games but it still does the same thing. It will keep opening multiple copies of the external files though, so that works well. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Are you certain you have the password correct? If you try to open a turn from the command line and the player password is incorrect, nothing happens. Se4.exe quits with no error. Actually, I think it does have an exit code that Ruatha might be able to tap and have his companion program put up an error. But se4 wont display the error box on it's own.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Is it possible to open sinle player games with this doohickey? It keeps insisting that I'm player 0, and even if I change the command line manually, it won't load the game.
EDIT: No sooner had I typed that than Itried again and it seems to be working now.

Also, is there any danger of me stupidly opening a PBW turn I've already played, hitting quit straiht away and then the companion overwriting my uploaded turn on the server with a blank one?

[ June 15, 2004, 21:28: Message edited by: dogscoff ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Checked for that. Everything appears correct.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Hi.
THANKS for posting this info!

I see your problem right away.
It will be fixed in the next Version that is far away..
But I belive you can make it work, but you'll have to locate the mod manually, and I can't guarantee that it'll work. Haven't tried it yet.

The problem is that you are using a savegame in the default savegame folder but a mod in another directory, try to locate the mod directory by using the "BROWSE" button beside the mod text box in the favorite window, that should work, I belive.

Right now it's trying to run it with standard files and it's gettin a "Data files is wrong" error.
Don't type in the mod manually, use the browse button, much better!

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">It depends on you, the companion can open a played PBW turn, if you then hit end turn it overwrites the old on, but not if you choose "Quit" in the SE4 game.
It shouldn't say that you are player 0, uncheck the "Autoload" checkbox in the first page and try to choose the correct player, 0 stands for host, in single player you should choose player 1.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yes, so far I've only trapped the error code if it ends with an error, and it nearly never signals an error.
So I'll trap the error code for normal end in the future, as it seems to signal normal end even when quitting with error....

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I'd venture a guess and say Bearclaw has been using RTC prior to this. Since RTC doesn't actually support mods the workaround is to to use the default savegame folder and modify the path.txt manually or by using the mod picker before you start the game in RTC. If the Companion gets off the ground those of us that use RTC now could go back to using savegame folders in the mod folders like Se4 is designed to work.

Geoschmo </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Next Version will have support for both ways, but it'll take some time before I release that as the deadline scanning required major rework of the code, gotta think ahead in the future.
But it means it'll be a better program in next Version, and somewhat different, still the same features but easier to use I hope.

Right now, all ver 0.8 does is to scan PBW, grab all games, turn status, deadline, news date and news text, turn type and turnlengths (in hours), players left to upload, PBW identity, game name and short file name, turnnumber. Saves all data and compare with internal database.
No GUI sofar, doing it the other way around this time, functions first and UI later.
Cutting code from v 0.76 and pasting it into 0.8 and improving it and streamlining it.
Making error handling, debug functions and log from beginning.

This is what i'm thinking right now:

I hope to make the UI more like the modpicker, but different(!), it won't look like 0.76 anyway.
It will hopefully not force you to open the event editor to autorun turns, the event editor will be an option like the rest of the external autostart options;
-Event editor.
-Music List play.
-Sidenotes.
-External File/App.

Favorites will disappear and those settings will merge into one screen with settings and PBW settings, but sectionalized. (Current Favorite settings will be settable for each game individual, so no Favorites are needed).
There will be something similar though, an easy way to pick a game and player with minimum (1-2) clicks.

It'll be easier to pick games, start new games etc.

We'll see what it becomes, but don't expect any new functions, only changes to the existing ones.
I won't delete any functions either though..

[ June 16, 2004, 13:38: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Uhm, but what is PBW Identity? Did I miss something important?

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Uhh, shouldn't have mentioned that, it's for internal application use and has no real life use.
It's the string used in the PBW URL to define the game.
Geo told me about it and it's what makes the Companion tick.

[ June 16, 2004, 15:51: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I'd venture a guess and say Bearclaw has been using RTC prior to this. Since RTC doesn't actually support mods the workaround is to to use the default savegame folder and modify the path.txt manually or by using the mod picker before you start the game in RTC. If the Companion gets off the ground those of us that use RTC now could go back to using savegame folders in the mod folders like Se4 is designed to work.

Geoschmo

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Here's a peek preview of Beta 0.8, and it's faaaaar from close to being finished.
But feedback on UI is welcome.

I'm planning on making a very small game handling window, one that is open along with the game, instead of the current event editor.
From that small "game form" you can select the event editor and other files (music list, external files, sidenotes, se4 modder..), that you have choosen not to open automaticly.
You can also upload the turnfile and do some other stuff from it, but it will be quite clean compared to the current event editor.

This is the first page in it's very early first reicarnation:


http://ruatha.homelinux.org/080_2.jpg

[ June 17, 2004, 22:08: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

I love the new GUI. Much better and more understandable then before. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif I can't wait to see it when completed in this Version.

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

I agree that the new GUI is much better. I could hardly navigate the previous one! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I missed this post before DS, http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif made me smile reading it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

In the next Version I hope that luck won't be considered a necessary subitem to the program http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
I hadn't planned on releasing it before it was finished, but I had announced it too much to keep it hanging until the autumn, and I've gotten alot of input from the beta Versions, so it was well worth it.
Now I know how all functions should be coded, just need to put them together in an easy understandable way and finetune them.
I belive 0.8 will be released in late summer early autumn (August?).

Ragnarok and CK > Yes, it did tend to get a bit confusing after everything was added on it bit by bit without any concious thought of making things easy, but then my motto always are:
-Why make things easy when you can make them so wonderful complicated?

Edit: Download for current beta 0.76 will be up over the weekend, after that it'll be down, so if you want it you'll have to grab it now or wait for 0.8 after the summer.

Another screenshot.. Critique and ideas on UI are welcome

http://ruatha.homelinux.org/080_3.jpg

[ June 19, 2004, 21:26: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Ok, I'm taking the server down tonight.
If you want to edit your eventfiles I'd recommend the History Editor 1.4 that can propably be found at SJ's toolpage.
The companion 0.8, a new beast, will be released in the fall.

Se Ya
Ruatha

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Q:So what's up with 0.8, whats taking so long time??
A: It's been totally reprogramed again, from the foundation and up.
The GUI has nothing in common with v 0.76.
I'm currently doing the individual game companions, then I'll make the settings screen and the set-up wizard.
Enhance the alert screen and add some sound alerts and make the help and readme file.
Then I'll playtest it for a week before I release it.

Q: That seems like a lot, when do you expect to release 0.8, next year?
A: Nah, in 4 weeks at most.

Q:What are these new features I've heard about?
A:Not very many. Those that existed has been improved, it now alerts for PBW game news, nag mails and other PBW type mails.
It can warn for deadline approaching and has quick links to the games PBW game forum.
And, it got a function that easily enables IRC contact with the SE4 channel, that works really good.
But above all else, it's easier to use, less clutter and more logic in the UI.

Q: 0.76 sucked bigtime, should I really try 0.8?
A:Yes, it's a completely different program, try it when it's released, you'll like it!

[ July 21, 2004, 06:26: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

I'm still interested. 'Ppreciate your hard work!

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Now it (v 0.8) can access the individual game forums on PBW, with a click.
No need to enter username or password or browse through several pages.
What where those other suggestions you had??


-------------
These are the features of the SE4 Companion:

Easy starting of modded games, simply dubbelclick on the game in the gamelist.

No need to enter game passwords, enter it once and start the games in the future with one click.

Use for PBW games or single player games.

Use several different Versions of SE4.

Scan PBW on-line for new turns, new game news, see how many players are left to upload.

Easy access to the PBW game forum for your individual games.

Automatic download of PBW turns.

Easy upload to the PBW site on-line.

Scan your POP3 mail box for new turns, nag mails or other PBW related mails.

Be alerted when you've got new mails. (General mail alerter)

Automatic download and unpack of mailed turns.

Automatic deletion of Turn mails, nag mails other PBW mails.

Autostart games when they are downloaded.

Automatic upload of finished games to the PBW site, or by mail.

Set your own deadline alert time. (hours before deadline)

A easy to use specialized notepad, called sidenotes, that can be autostarted each time the game is started.

Easy insertion of turn number, game date, players and empires in the sidenotes.

A easy to use history event editor, copy incoming and outgoing game diplomacy from SE4 to the event editor, and you will be able to see these Messages in the coming turns, in-game!

Copy history file to HTML or Excel format or print it.

Launch any external file or program by a single click, or have it automaticly launched when your game is started.

Make individual music lists with mp3, midi or wave songs to any of your games, have it autoplay when the game is started.

Run games as host by a single click, see it execute and finish without further input from you!

Easy access to the #SE4 channel on IRC, with a handy alert if anyone has posted there the Last minutes.

Work through a firewall by setting up a proxy.

Be alerted for new turns either by audio and or by a pop-up, flashing keyboard leds, on-screen text or a discreet change of application icon.

Password protect the entire application, or have it hide all passwords, or run it totally open.

Easy set-up through a set-up wizard.

Just about everything is user changable, new PBW adress? Change it in the settings screen!

Autosearch for mods and games when a new se4 Version is choosen.

Autoscan the harddrives for se4 Versions, games and mods and autoinstall them.

[ July 22, 2004, 06:14: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Wow... love that feature list... just beautiful. Ruatha I owe you many many pints.

Other suggestions? OK, you asked for it, but remember I did say they probably belong in an other program:

-Scan through All race AI files automatically and either flag up or fix all those missing lines that generate annoying error Messages in-game. I imagine this would be a pain to implement in a program that supports several Versions of SE4.

-Option to scan pictures/races and subfolders and delete any superfluous copies of the styletester program: It's easy to end up with many redundant copies of this eating up your HD space. Some ppl might want a copy in each and every race folder, so there should be an option to copy it in, too.

-Option to create empty race folders in mod directory - ie I have a shipset in pictures/races/vikings but in order to use the shipset in adamant mod I need an empty adamant/pictures/races/vikings folder.

-Some kind of support for the modinfo files for Maryx's modlauncher.

-scan all the general.txt AI files and look for missing dsgnname files, then copy them to mod subfolders where appropriate, and create a list of files that need to be found and downloaded.

-Race-style browser. (including an option to spit out a list of which installed mods and races are fully or partially neo-standard compliant or neo++ compliant, perhaps with some kind of races/mod compatibility table spit out at the bottom, so you can see which shipsets will look best under which mods.)

-(Not sure if this is possible) Option to look at your PBW games (either from the website or the saegame files) and determine what race styles you need to download. This ties in quite nicely with the following sugestion:

-(This one is really way out, and would probably require some kind of server somewhere, I think) Option to somehow scan the readme.txt, credits.txt and modlancher files of races and mods to determine what Version is currently installed. Then it either connects to a central server (and/or the SotAS site) or it searches for a URL in the local readme files and tries to determine whether a more up to date Version is available, then downloads, unzips and installs it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

If I think of any more i'll let you know.

[ July 22, 2004, 10:56: Message edited by: dogscoff ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">-Some kind of support for the modinfo files for Maryx's modlauncher.
This is already included, it reads in the name and Version right now and uses everywhere. the rest info along with a button to the website from the modinfo.txt and the e-mail to the author of the mod can be reached through a click.

Ruatha I owe you many many pints
Let's save that until you've tried it.... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif


-(Not sure if this is possible) Option to look at your PBW games (either from the website or the saegame files) and determine what race styles you need to download.
I'll try to prepare for this by scanning the registred shipsets that player has choosen when uploading their shipsets, not sure if this will be included in 0.8 as that is almost finished, but perhaps for 0.9.


As to the others...
When the companion is done, I'll try to make a "Fixit all" proggie, will make a button for it in the companion so that when it's done you can press that button in the companion to check all files and make shipset empty dirs in all mods.
It won't include everyting of the above but I think I can do most!
Thanks for the suggestions

[ July 24, 2004, 08:15: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Added plug-in support.
Current plug-ins:
Map Editor
SE4 modder.
SE4 shooter

Planned plug-ins:
Drushoka-Man
Shipset/raceset viewer/browser.
Emty mod shipset directories maker.
AI files fixer.
styletester remover (Shipset cleaner)
PBW game shipset check (Player sets)

Will need some help later on in what's going to be included in each plug-in, will return on that topic after 0.8 is released.

Any executable file can be run as plug-in by writing a simple textfile and placing in the plug in directory, then you can get the parameters you want from the companion!
So Excel or netscape can be a plugin, anything.

This is the current plugin format (More path and parameter options will be added, to handle mods etc):
----------------

Files must end with .PLG and be placed in the COMPANION_RESOURCE\PLUGIN directory.
The files have atleast 5 lines, name, path, parameters, enabled and info.
The name is the name that is displayed in the companion
The path is the path to the plugin executable
in the path you may put :
[EXEPATH] to be replaced by the path to the choosen games se4.exe in the companion.

No paths are ended with a '\' so you must include that.
The third line is parameters, those are the parameters you wish the companion to apss to you, and they will be passed in the order you declare.
Parameters can be:
[EXEPATH] to be replaced by the path to the choosen games se4.exe in the companion.
[SAVEGAMEPATH] current savegamepath
[PLAYER] current playernumber
[PLAYERS] number of players in chosed game
[GAMENAME] name of gamefile
[GAMETITLE] Title of current game
[PLAYERNAMES] all playernames in current game surrounded by "
[EMPIRENAMES] all empirenames in current game surrounded by "

Then a line if the plug-in is enabled or not, disabled plug-ins won't show up in the companion
And then some info on the plug-in.

Plugins can be managed through any text editor or the plug-in editor in the settings page in the companion.
-----------------
Example (mapedit.plg):
NAME:MapEditor
PATH:[EXEPATH]\SE4MAP.exe
PARAMETERS:
ENABLED:YES
INFO:
The original SE4 map editor.
It will start the editor that exists in the currently selected games SE4 Version main directory, ie if the current game uses ver 1.91 it will start the map editor in the directory that contains the SE4.exe for ver 1.91.
-----------------


Can't do any work on it now for the next 24 hours do, am at work http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

EDIT: Now that I think of it, it could be possible to add se4.exe as a plug-in and make it start games that way, no use but it could.
And the Mod launcher aswell, no use but it could http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
A plugin for se4.exe would look like this:
-----------------
Example (se4exe.plg):
NAME:Space Empires IV Gold
PATH:[EXEPATH]\se4exe.exe
PARAMETERS:"[SAVEGAMEPATH]\[FILENAME]" " " "[PLAYER]" "[MODNAME]"
ENABLED:YES
INFO:
Play current game as single player without password, but with the games selected mod.
-----------------
(I'll include this as a plug-in, just to confuse people http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif ), the companion itself modifies the path.txt to enable mods, not by the command line.

Will have to try this one when I come home:
-----------------
Example (shrapnel.plg):
NAME:Shrapnel SE4 Forum
PATH:http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...ubb=forum;f=23
PARAMETERS:
ENABLED:YES
INFO:
The Shrapnel SE4 forum where you will get all necessery help about anything!
-----------------

And ofcourse:
-----------------
Example (faq.plg):
NAME:SE4 FAQ (Frequently asked questions)
PATH:http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...;f=23;t=005518
PARAMETERS:
ENABLED:YES
INFO:
The SE4 FAQ administred by Slick and Ruatha. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif
Any question regarding SE4, here is the answer.
-----------------

Any plugin (*.plg) files you want to see shipped with the release? A special link?
Post here or mail me.

To do (28/7):

//Set-up wizard
//Settings page
//Plug-in editor
// More plugin parameters
//Global error handler
//make del turn button in gamecomp
//mark players as dead when scanning file.
//Plug-in: empire upload, create new game, host upload, host download, change PBW game password,
//PBW settings from settings page
// doesn't count players left to uplaod correctly?
//earlier Versions of exe and savegames/Gam files
//Hide option for mods (Enabled in modinfo.txt) and games
//map editor changes path.txt
//Changes game in browser when downlaoding
//Changes game in browser when mail check
//Gamesort enable all options
//Rewrite OSD to delete text
//Fill in all default values
//Deadline alert form instead of showmessage
//Enable pop-up for nag-mail and misc PBW mails

28/7: When testing it on NT machine: don't write to registry, splash screen form causes error? or is it registry read?

[ July 28, 2004, 21:29: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Whats left:

//Set-up wizard
//Settings page
//Plug-in editor
// More plugin parameters
//enable del turn button in gamecomp
//PBW settings from settings page
//earlier Versions of exe and savegames/Gam files (Re-install SE-4 and do all patches one by one, save exes and savegames)
//Rewrite OSD to delete text
//Fill in all default values
//Enable pop-up for nag-mail and misc PBW mails
//Global error handler for underprograms
//If fail to acces internet, release Scan button, bugfix.
//move files to resources
//misc mail Messages?
// Does proxy settings work??? Think now! Check!
// When adding extra savegamedir to mod, app locks up when accessing mod editor, bugfix.

Should be finished about on wednesday, then one and a half week of personal bug tracking while I finish the "Dogscoff plug-in pack" that hopefully will be shipped with the 0.8 release.

App currently tested on Win NT, Win 2K and win XP, will test on Win98 before release.

[ July 30, 2004, 16:02: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

*dogscoff bounces excitedly up and down in his chair...

Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! I can hardly wait. You have no idea how this program is going to revolutionise my life!

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Oh no! All this pressure, I can't take it!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Hope you'll like it for real too, so far it looks good though (But I'm a tee bit biased http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif ).

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Could you please move a lot of the extraneous features (such as mp3/midi player) to become plugins/extensions? No need to clutter up the program for those that do not want such features... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Sorry, but those functions where already included before I added plug-in capacity, and the current plug-ins are user started, the current in-built features such as event-editor, sidenotes and musiclist can be autostarted when the game starts, that isn't supported by the current plug-in feature either, can be in next Version though...

But the exe will propably be around 6-800 K and these features are only discreete buttons, I can include a "Don't use" setting in the settigns to disable them and not show them at all (some other features have this already), as the settings screen is the Last thing I do, I want to have all variables defined first so I can plan the settings screen from ground up instead of adding things until it's not overseeable, as it was in the Last Version.
This time I've actually given the UI some thought http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

The current UI is a bit less cluttered than the previous (In my opinon, you are free to disagree when you see it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif , but I can confess that it's too easy to add "just one more" button, I try to evaluate the use of each button, label before I add them, but still they are too many right now.... Will hear from the Users after next realease which ones should go or be moved ).
I've noted your ideas and think they are valid!

31/7: to do
//Set-up wizard
//Settings page
//Plug-in editor
// More plugin parameters
//Plug-in: empire upload, create new game, host upload, host download, change PBW game password,
//PBW settings from settings page
//?? doesn't count players left to uplaod correctly?
//earlier Versions of exe and savegames/Gam files
//Rewrite OSD to delete text
//Fill in all default values
//Global error handler for download
// om Failed to access web page >5 then quit browse
//move files to resources
//misc mail Messages?

[ July 31, 2004, 15:50: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: The SE4 companion - Why the long wait?.
 

Here is the current Version with all features enabled (i e Max clutter Version) if IRC is hidden, the window shrinks in height and fits in a 800x600 resolution now, otherwise 1024x768 is recommended.: http://ruatha.homelinux.org/080_4.jpg

[ August 02, 2004, 07:21: Message edited by: Ruatha ]