PDF et al,
I agree with your idea of .em files. I actually already have a concept in place like that though I use .dgf files
. I have a Dom2 Loader (processing program) written that allows the user to select which .exe mod to use (or none) and then run Dominions 2. Once selected, it applies the changes in the selected .dgf file to the .exe and runs it. The original Dom2.exe is always backed up and can be restored at any point. The main utility that generates the .dgf files does NOT change the .exe in any way.
This is for the exact reasons you mentioned - distributing them amongst the community and managing the various .exe mods. The only difference between what you suggested and what I have done is that, at present, the .dgf files are not text readable. They contain raw data to make it easier for the loader to patch the .exe. Since these same .dgf files can be reloaded by the main utility and edited, I do not think that changing them to be text readable is a high priority. It would also be a lot of work as making them text readable means people will try to edit them
which means I cannot make some nice assumptions about the order at which data appears, amongst other things
. However people have made good suggestions so far so if someone can make a good argument as to why these .dgf files should be text readable then I may be convinced. It would take a lot of convincing though as its a lot more work
!
PDF, Endoperez, et al,
You both have made good points for the use of outputting as many changes as possible in .dm format... So much so that I think I will look into that
. There is one major problem to overcome though:
Consider the case of the Wolfherd (BF Ulm commander who summons wolves). Say, for some reason, you want to remove his survival skills but give him stealth so he can summon wolves in an enemy province. So how would you go about this? There are two options - use the #clearspec command or not.
1) In order to remove the survival skills in .dm format you would need to use the #clearspec command. By doing so, however, you have also eliminated his ability to summon wolves. No matter what .exe changes are done there is no way to get his ability to summon wolves back when this .dm mod is enabled as the mod will overwrite the .exe changes. So therefore the desired changes are impossible when you incorporate .dm files in this manor.
2) You could try not using the #clearspec command but then the only way to remove the survival skills is with a .exe change forcing you to put all changes but the #stealth command in the .exe.
This type of problem will occur with all monsters that have a special ability that can't be altered in .dm format. As soon as you want to remove any skill from them it would force the majority of the change to be in .exe format.
Even with other monsters who you want to give a new special ability not moddable in .dm format (say give the fortune teller's bad event eliminating ability to someone else) this problem will occur if you also try to remove any ability from that same unit.
I have not thought of a good way around this. For some units, my program could create .dm changes exclusively and everything would be fine but for others, as the examples given above, .exe changes are almost exclusively required.
From a programming point of view I do not like this inconsistency (i.e. Sometimes I can modify glamour in .dm format and sometimes I have to use both .exe and .dm formats depending on the monster). Although I agree with PDF that sometimes this means re-inventing the wheel to modify things that can already be modified, I see no way around it to get the functionality I desire.
I will try however to see how much can be done with .dm changes and think about writing my util to generate both .dm and .dgf files.
However what do you (PDF, Endoperez, and anyone else) think of the idea of the loader / processing program that PDF and I described? I think it should make .exe mods as portable as .dm mods and therefore at least reasonably useful?
Thanks for the comments - they were helpful