[Frak_Tastic]

Ok, dumb question time.  How do I select a new mod?

I've downloaded a few missions & campaigns into the data/missions folder under their own seperate folders, but I can't seem to get the interface to do anything when I click "Activate" on the Mods tab.  The button changes state to show it's clicked, but nothing happens. 

I'm using the 1.0.3 version of the launcher.

Can someone walk me through what to do to enable a mod?

[General Battuta]

I believe mod selection is broken in the Diaspora launcher. You'll have to enter a -mod command line manually via a shortcut.

[jg18]

Should be fixed in 1.0.3. The Diaspora R1 campaign should now always appear at the top of the mod list, with all 3rd party mods appearing in alphabetical order below it.

EDIT: Frak_Tastic, when you select (activate) a mod on the Mods tab, does "-mod <mod name>" appear as part of the "Current command line" in the launcher's Advanced Settings tab?

EDIT 2: You said these are in data/missions? If these are individual missions (.fs2 files), you'll need to select them in-game. Check the tech data room from the Diaspora main menu, go to Mission Simulator, then from the bottom of the screen, select Single Missions.

If these are mods, with .vp files and mod.ini files, then they should go in separate folders (one folder for each mod) within the Diaspora root folder. You should then be able to select those within the launcher's Mods tab.

[karajorma]

I seem to vaguely remember that you need a mod.ini for a mod to show up in the launcher?

[jg18]

Yes, a mod folder needs a mod.ini so that the launcher knows that the folder contains a mod. All that's strictly needed is for the mod.ini file to exist; it can even be a blank file. You can then include as part of the mod.ini file things like how the mod should appear in the mod list (name, image, info text, etc) and what dependencies the mod has, if any.

[Frak_Tastic]

Hi Folks - thanks for the help. 

In response to jg18's edits:

Edit 1:  No, I don't see that the "-mod" line is being added.  For stuff and giggles here the cmd line text (Diaspora defaults with no edits):

C:\Games\Diaspora\fs2_open_Diaspora_R1.exe -post_process -soft_particles -fxaa -cache_bitmaps -ship_choice_3d
-weapon_choice_3d -warp_flash -snd_preload -ambient_factor 90 -spec_exp 0.7 -spec_tube 1.0 -spec_point 0.7
-spec_static 1.0 -ogl_spec 15 -bloom_intensity 20 -cap_object_update 0

If I didn't know better I'd say that the button's connection is broken - nothing seems to happen other than the down state color change.


Edit 2:  No joy on the tech room either.  Nothing shows up there except for the default R1 missions and campaign.

I don't see a mod.ini file in the patricksrevenge mod files tho.  Might be an oversight on the creator's part.

OK, off to bed.  Thanks again!

[jg18]

Thanks for posting your complete command line.

Which mods do you have? I'll see if I can get them working with the launcher and figure out what's wrong from there. If you remember which forum threads you got the mods from, links to the threads (or even just the titles of the threads) would be especially helpful.


Some other questions: (Please don't be insulted if some of the questions sound kind of dumb. I just want to rule out all possible sources of problems.)

- When you've selected a mod from the mod list, you've clicked on Activate, right? Just selecting the mod with the mouse won't do anything. Never mind, I just reread the OP.

- Could you take a screenshot of the launcher's Mods tab?

- Could you take a screenshot of your \data\missions\ folder in Windows Explorer? If you're on Windows 7, you can take screenshots using the Snipping Tool (reachable from Start Menu >> Programs >> Accessories I think) and then from the snipping tool's menu using New >> Rectangular Snip. You can then attach the screenshots to a post.

- Are the files/folders that you've added to \data\missions\ individual .fs2 files (which are individual missions), or are they entire folders? I don't think that the launcher will find mod folders that are located there, although now that I think about it, I'm not entirely sure either way, but even if the launcher finds them, the game might not. As far as I know, the game only looks for .fs2 files in \data\missions\ and won't handle entire folders that are there, but that's really outside my expertise.

- When you've gone to the mission simulator in the tech room, you've switched from campaign missions to single missions, right? The option to switch is at the bottom of the screen.

Thanks, and sorry about this.

EDIT: Clarifications.

[Iss Mneur]

Also, could you post the wxLauncher.log from %appdata%\wxlauncher.

[Frak_Tastic]

Thanks for the help ISS, no worries about an insult.  Attached are the two screenshots, and here is the text from the log:

***************************************************************
12286020535:INFO :wxLauncher Version 0.9.3
12286020535:INFO :Build "e544782d030b default tip" committed on (Fri Sep 28 18:59:04 2012 -0600)
12286020535:INFO :10/11/12 22:05:35
12286020535:INFO :Initializing profiles...
12286020535:INFO : My profiles file is: C:\Users\Michael\AppData\Roaming\wxlauncher\global.ini
12286020535:INFO : Found 3 profile(s).
12286020535:INFO :Initializing Skin System...
12286020535:INFO :Initializing HelpManager...
12286020535:INFO :Initializing FlagListManager...
12286020535:INFO :Initializing ProfileProxy...
12286020535:INFO :wxLauncher starting up.
12286020535:STSBR:Profile 'Diaspora_1_0_3' saved
12286020535:STSBR:Now autosaving profiles.
12286020536:INFO :Windows reports 1 joysticks, 1 seem to be plugged in.
12286020536:STSBR:MainWindow is complete
12286020536:STSBR:Ready.
12286020536:INFO :The current game root folder is C:\Games\Diaspora
12286020536:INFO : Found 2 FS2 Open executables in 'C:\Games\Diaspora'
12286020541:INFO :Detected OpenAL version: 1.1
12286020624:INFO :saving global profile before exiting.
12286020624:INFO :Current profile Diaspora_1_0_3 has no unsaved changes. Exiting.
12286020624:INFO :wxLogger shutdown complete.

Log closed.
***************************************************************

I blew out all of the other mods to clean out the folder, but I did leave the "Patrick's Revenge" campaign in its unzipped folder (thread link http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=82463.0).  That folder does contain at least one .fs2 file.

Inside the launcher I've tried switching to mods both in the campaign room, and in the tech room for individual missions.  Both are blank and only show the R1 missions.

Again, appreciate the help!

[attachment deleted by a basterd]

[Iss Mneur]

Okay,  Looks like you have a bad mod install.  Basically, the problem is neither wxLauncher nor FSO can find the files.  wxLauncher requires a mod.ini file to flag where a mod is and FSO only looks for mission and campaign files directly in a "missions" folder.

1) create a folder called "patricksrevenge" in C:\Games\Diaspora\.  This is known going forward as the mod folder.
2) create a folder called "data" in the mod folder.
3) create a folder in the data folder from 2, called "missions".
3a) create a folder in the data folder, called voice.
3b) in the voice directory, create a directory called "special".
4) move the .fs2 and the .fc2 files to the missions directory from 3.
4a) move the .ogg files to voice/special directory.
5) create a file called mod.ini, just leave it empty, in the root of the mod folder.
6) Restart wxLauncher and the mod should now appear.
7) Once you load Diaspora. Create a new pilot (this is important, you will corrupt your pilot file if you have another campaign in progress). Then click Campaign, and select the new campaign.  Click breifing to play.

Note: I need to figure out where the audio files go and I will update this post once I have.

EDIT: Fix step 5 to state the correct folder. The mod.ini should go in the root mod folder, not the mod data folder.
EDIT2: Add where to put the .ogg files.
EDIT3: Added some preamble.

[Frak_Tastic]

Horray!  That seems to do it.  I copied the Diaspora mod.ini file into the "patricksrevenge" folder and cleared the text in it and it now appears on the mod tab and in the game campaign room.

Weird question - I was looking for a place to put the audio files by going back through all of the C:\Games\Diaspora\Data subfolders to see how the audio was stored there.  Are all of those subfolders supposed to be empty? 

Just curious as to why all of the work was done to setup an empty tree without populating it.

Got the edits and moved the audio.  Looks like i'll have some play time tomorrow night!

Appreciate the help!  I think you might want to sticky the directions somewhere to help others with mod installations.

[Iss Mneur]

Horray!  That seems to do it.  I copied the Diaspora mod.ini file into the "patricksrevenge" folder and cleared the text in it and it now appears on the mod tab and in the game campaign room.

Cool.  Good to hear.

Weird question - I was looking for a place to put the audio files by going back through all of the C:\Games\Diaspora\Data subfolders to see how the audio was stored there.  Are all of those subfolders supposed to be empty?

Just curious as to why all of the work was done to setup an empty tree without populating it.

Yes, they are. They are intended to be an example for modders as to where to put their data. In retrospect it was probably not the best idea.

Got the edits and moved the audio.  Looks like i'll have some play time tomorrow night!

Appreciate the help!  I think you might want to sticky the directions somewhere to help others with mod installations.

Yes.  We are probably going to go straight to the modders so that they are aware of the facilities of the game engine.