Report, edit, etc...Posted by ShadowFlare on 2006-12-02 at 17:27:43
Today I uploaded a new beta version which supports patches from the FireGraft beta. When adding patches to your map, Firegraft\114a.fgd does not need to be included and will not be used by SCMLoader; SCMLoader will always use its own. Also, the reference to that file does not need to be included in Firegraft\FGData.txt as the reference to it will simply be ignored.
Go get it now from my site!
http://shadowflare.samods.org/
Go get it now from my site!
http://shadowflare.samods.org/
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Lord_Agamemnon(MM) on 2006-12-02 at 17:37:24
Impressive. VERY impressive. So now maps can include exe changes? It's almost like EUDs all over again...I like it...Report, edit, etc...Posted by ShadowFlare on 2006-12-02 at 17:39:49
QUOTE(Lord_Agamemnon(MM) @ Dec 2 2006, 04:37 PM)
Impressive. VERY impressive. So now maps can include exe changes? It's almost like EUDs all over again...I like it...[right][snapback]598392[/snapback][/right]
Yes, maps being used while this SCMLoader version is running can include FireGraft patches for the various types of exe changes that supports.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Killer_Kow(MM) on 2006-12-02 at 17:41:54
QUOTE(ShadowFlare @ Dec 2 2006, 06:27 PM)
When adding patches to your map, Firegraft\114a.fgd does not need to be included and will not be used by SCMLoader; SCMLoader will always use its own.
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I don't understand what you mean by this. Elaborate please?
Report, edit, etc...Posted by dumbducky on 2006-12-02 at 17:47:30
So when we add the .fgd to the .scm/.scx archive, where do we save it to? And isn't this useless without the ability to create your own .fgd files? We're pretty much stuck with the mods voy gave out for mod night 20. :/
But still, this is pretty cool.
But still, this is pretty cool.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Killer_Kow(MM) on 2006-12-02 at 17:54:51
QUOTE(CaptainCrunch @ Dec 2 2006, 06:47 PM)
So when we add the .fgd to the .scm/.scx archive, where do we save it to? And isn't this useless without the ability to create your own .fgd files? We're pretty much stuck with the mods voy gave out for mod night 20. :/
But still, this is pretty cool.
[right][snapback]598402[/snapback][/right]
But still, this is pretty cool.
[right][snapback]598402[/snapback][/right]
Some of us already have the beta
Report, edit, etc...Posted by ShadowFlare on 2006-12-02 at 17:55:49
QUOTE(Killer_Kow(MM) @ Dec 2 2006, 04:41 PM)
I don't understand what you mean by this. Elaborate please?
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[right][snapback]598397[/snapback][/right]
Firegraft adds Firegraft\114a.fgd when saving to an exe or mpq, and this file contains information for FireGraft's patcher about where to apply the patches to and other various version-specific information. SCMLoader has its own copy of this file already and will not allow the .scm/.scx to override it.
QUOTE(CaptainCrunch @ Dec 2 2006, 04:47 PM)
So when we add the .fgd to the .scm/.scx archive, where do we save it to? And isn't this useless without the ability to create your own .fgd files? We're pretty much stuck with the mods voy gave out for mod night 20. :/
But still, this is pretty cool.
[right][snapback]598402[/snapback][/right]
But still, this is pretty cool.
[right][snapback]598402[/snapback][/right]
Put the filename of the .fgp file in Firegraft\FGData.txt in the .scm/.scx archive.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Laser_Dude on 2006-12-02 at 18:40:21
Wow, it's too bad that SCMLoader is rarely used, since at least 90% of the people here are either good with mods, or good with maps, not both. I'd consider myself good at maps, and mediocre at mods, but I plan to change the mod part.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Voyager7456(MM) on 2006-12-02 at 19:00:24
Ah, very cool. I have a few... ideas... that will work well for this.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by dumbducky on 2006-12-02 at 19:04:19
QUOTE(Killer_Kow(MM) @ Dec 2 2006, 05:54 PM)
Some of us already have the beta
[right][snapback]598404[/snapback][/right]
[right][snapback]598404[/snapback][/right]
But not all of us. Speaking of the beta, wasn't DoA going to publically release the beta during thanksgiving weekend? Did that happen, or not?
QUOTE(Laser_Dude @ Dec 2 2006, 06:40 PM)
Wow, it's too bad that SCMLoader is rarely used, since at least 90% of the people here are either good with mods, or good with maps, not both. I'd consider myself good at maps, and mediocre at mods, but I plan to change the mod part.
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I'm mediocore at both!
Anyone got a .fgd I could use? I'm looking for a good idea for a map.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by ShadowFlare on 2006-12-03 at 00:41:19
Mods for UMS maps are nice to work with, considering that there are many things that the mod doesn't really need to conform to that it normally would. For example, any units, flingys, sprites, or images that are for things that would normally be unused in your map can be changed to anything you want. 
What you want is a .fgp file. SCMLoader doesn't load custom .fgd files.
ADDITION:
Here is a sample map with a FireGraft patch in it plus a small units.dat mod to go with it. The FireGraft patch has modded buttons, unit requirements, and order requirements. The units.dat mod is only to make it so the buttons are usable (the custom buttons create units).
http://shadowflare.samods.org/files/firegraft_test.zip
For example, any units, flingys, sprites, or images that are for things that would normally be unused in your map can be changed to anything you want. QUOTE
Anyone got a .fgd I could use? I'm looking for a good idea for a map.
What you want is a .fgp file. SCMLoader doesn't load custom .fgd files.
ADDITION:
Here is a sample map with a FireGraft patch in it plus a small units.dat mod to go with it. The FireGraft patch has modded buttons, unit requirements, and order requirements. The units.dat mod is only to make it so the buttons are usable (the custom buttons create units).
http://shadowflare.samods.org/files/firegraft_test.zip
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Kookster on 2006-12-03 at 03:35:28
QUOTE
Some of us already have the beta
QUOTE
since at least 90% of the people here are either good with mods, or good with maps, not both.
Im good with both, its just I can never finish what I start
...Man what would we do without you Shadowflare. I hope people start catching onto map modding.
I wonder if tux will ever learn modding. Then there would be no limits!
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Ojan on 2006-12-03 at 06:10:08
QUOTE(SkuggNödraket)
Firegraft adds Firegraft\114a.fgd when saving to an exe or mpq, and this file contains information for FireGraft's patcher about where to apply the patches to and other various version-specific information. SCMLoader has its own copy of this file already and will not allow the .scm/.scx to override it.
Why not allow loading? Let's say that the modder/mapper has a newer version of the .fgd file than SCMLoader has, with more .exe-edits (editing a value at a specific offset) for example. That would make it impossible to put in a map....
Or is it security reasons behind this?
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Pie_Sniper on 2006-12-03 at 14:54:39
Then you could just replace the one in the SCMLoader directory...
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Ihjel on 2006-12-03 at 17:11:22
QUOTE(Pie_Sniper @ Dec 3 2006, 08:54 PM)
Then you could just replace the one in the SCMLoader directory...
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then there would be no point of scmloader....
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Ojan on 2006-12-03 at 17:22:30
There would be, but not as much.
You could have, for instance, a campaign where each map had a different set of units... Of course, it would be better if you didn't need to mess around with files at all and have SCMLoader load it all, but I realized that there might be some security issues that would perhaps make this a bad idea.
You could have, for instance, a campaign where each map had a different set of units... Of course, it would be better if you didn't need to mess around with files at all and have SCMLoader load it all, but I realized that there might be some security issues that would perhaps make this a bad idea.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Pie_Sniper on 2006-12-03 at 19:34:48
I think we're all a bit mixed up. The file in SCMLoader's directory (I'm assuming it's placed there) is the FGD, and contains the data (location of offsets and such, I guess) used to patch Starcraft. How would having to replace that file with an updated one limit SCMLoader's usefulness?
Unless I don't understand this at all...
Unless I don't understand this at all...
Report, edit, etc...Posted by ShadowFlare on 2006-12-03 at 23:36:41
QUOTE(Ojan @ Dec 3 2006, 05:10 AM)
QUOTE(SkuggNödraket)
Firegraft adds Firegraft\114a.fgd when saving to an exe or mpq, and this file contains information for FireGraft's patcher about where to apply the patches to and other various version-specific information. SCMLoader has its own copy of this file already and will not allow the .scm/.scx to override it.
Why not allow loading? Let's say that the modder/mapper has a newer version of the .fgd file than SCMLoader has, with more .exe-edits (editing a value at a specific offset) for example. That would make it impossible to put in a map....
Or is it security reasons behind this?
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If it was allowed to be included in the map, a custom one could be used to modify any arbitrary memory location. This wouldn't really be a good thing in my opinion, since SCMLoader shouldn't be something that you can only play these maps with people you know and trust.
As far as keeping it up-to-date, that shouldn't be an issue. I plan on updating it as often as that file is updated. If for some reason I don't update it, it would be possible for someone else to do so, since it is simply stored in an mpq archive embedded in SCMLoader.qdp.
For similar reasons, I'll probably be putting in checks for certain things with some of the exe edits from FireGraft such that only the values that are the ones FireGraft would use will be allowed. Of course, this should only have an effect on hex-edited patches and not ones that were only modified by FireGraft.
Anyway, what I'm trying to get across here is the potential issues when having SCMLoader use a patch from a map compared with using a stand-alone patch. When using a stand-alone patch, you know where you got it from and probably who created it as well. However, when running SCMLoader you will not know in advance for maps you download through SC whether the map contains mods or even a FireGraft patch until either you are told so or actually play the map.
It is because of this that these measures (and others later) will be taken to ensure the safety of FireGraft patches included in maps.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Kookster on 2006-12-04 at 00:32:05
security, and to make it so people dont need to worry if they have the right version?
The thing I like about SCMLoader is you wont have to exit the program to play a new mod.
The thing I like about SCMLoader is you wont have to exit the program to play a new mod.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Ultramilkman on 2006-12-04 at 20:16:14
I bet blizzard will come up with a patch soon to make all of us cry. 
Firegraft seems too tasty to resist
Firegraft seems too tasty to resist
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Kookster on 2006-12-04 at 20:25:08
If that happens we'll all just patch to older versions to play our mods, and play on podolsk 
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Ultramilkman on 2006-12-04 at 20:32:45
Bnet attracts more attention and we can have a firegraft clan Klan FireGraft [Fg]
Report, edit, etc...Posted by dumbducky on 2006-12-04 at 20:48:50
If blizzard makes a new patch, would FG modded maps no longer work?
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Pie_Sniper on 2006-12-04 at 22:03:38
Not until new offsets were found...
Report, edit, etc...Posted by ShadowFlare on 2006-12-05 at 01:55:43
QUOTE(CaptainCrunch @ Dec 4 2006, 07:48 PM)
If blizzard makes a new patch, would FG modded maps no longer work?
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At first they wouldn't work, but after SCMLoader has the updated offsets they should work again without needing to update the maps. Because of SCMLoader's update notifications, everyone who has SCMLoader could be notified of the SCMLoader update when they run SCMLoader after the update is available (depending on whether they disabled this feature or not).
ADDITION:
The alternate patcher for running SCMLoader in WINE on Linux is now complete. SCMLoader no longer needs to be placed in the same directory as Starcraft when running in WINE and the scmloader.sh shell script is no longer required since SCMLoader automatically detects that it is running in WINE.
The SCMLoader beta download has been updated with the new version.