Partial install

[Kon27]

Hello there.

Is there a possibility to partialy install the mod ? I mean I'm intrested in getting many new textures but not all, I don't want to install weapons "skins" and keep the original version.

[Jonas]

You are a strange and scary person! The new weapons are the best part!

I know there'll be an option to exclude the characters, don't know if there's one for items too. Just be aware that in order not to update the weapons, you'd probably also miss out on all the other pickups, such as soda cans, soy food, equipment like flares, etc.

[Kon27]

I'm affraid we have a difference of opinion on that one. I'd rather keep the original version of the weapons, the most intresting thing is updated character textures.

If I am not mistaken Jon's P, the guy who created DX : IW texture pack allowed people to customize the install, It might also be a good idea to separate textures, models, general items textures and weapons.

Now it'll be up to you wether or not to take in consideration what I wrote here.

By the way, does your team include some C/C++ coders ?

[Jonas]

Well, HDTP uses the original DX file structure, so weapons and items are all in one .u data package. The easiest way to allow you to install only the items would be to let you download a different installer that had a DeusExItems.u file with no weapons in it. There may be another way to do it, but you'd have to wait for a reply from Dr. Dumb Lunatic, who's in charge of compiling the packages.

HDTP doesn't have any proper programmers on their team as far as I know, but the TNM team has two programmers who both know C++, yeah.

[Dead-eye]

I find it silly that people only won't some aspects of HDTP and not all. It's like HDTP is bugger king or something.

Anyways before I start to go into a fit. Setting up an option that allowed you to only include the weapons would not be that hard from my understanding. But it would take allot of work and time. Therefor I don't see the point when only one person is saying the weapons don't look good compared to the old Deus Ex.

It's really not like the weapons or characters will effect game play.

Edit: Pulse you can't just install weapons and not textures. The Deus Ex: IW texture package was totally diffrent. If you apply the old textures to the new weapons then you get a mess. The UV layouts are just not the same.

[kothar]

anything that will make the release take longer is not worth it... and thats all i have to say about that...

[Jonas]

I find it silly that people only won't some aspects of HDTP and not all. It's like HDTP is bugger king or something.

IMO, customizability and freedom of choice is always important, no matter how cosmetic the effects.

It's really not like the weapons or characters will effect game play.

That's probably not an argument we want to use, seeing how it by association sort of makes all of HDTP completely inconsequential. If we didn't care about anything but gameplay, none of us would be interested in HDTP in the first place.

Pulse you can't just install weapons and not textures. The Deus Ex: IW texture package was totally diffrent. If you apply the old textures to the new weapons then you get a mess. The UV layouts are just not the same.

Pretty sure that's not what he meant. He just wants items and characters but not weapons. It's a reasonable enough request, though I personally want the full load of HDTP stuff.

All that being said, I would be 100% understanding if HDTP choose not to add the customizability. And it may well be possible to simply remove the packages you don't want after installing, I'm not entirely sure how that'll work.

[fox]

IMO, customizability and freedom of choice is always important, no matter how cosmetic the effects.

I agree.

All that being said, I would be 100% understanding if HDTP choose not to add the customizability.

Yeah, but only because the textures in question are part of the very core of the mod. Removing a part of it could (personally I wouldn't) be seen as damaging the intended experience. That's more from an artist's point of view though because then again, not giving the ability to choose means at least one unsatisfied user more, right?

[Jonas]

It's mostly a technical question. How much of a damn bother would it be to allow the option? Only DDL can answer that.

[DDL]

Well...the problem is, as it currently stands I've been working on the premise that the deusex.u package will be assuming all the HDTP meshes we have are there. As in, if you omit some of the model packages, it goes BORK.

A reasonable assumption, I thought, given that all the new stuff is sex on a stick (the pistol, especially with all mods added, just makes me giggle with glee). It never really occurred to me that people might actively _not_ want some high def things.


Having said that, capacity for 'not having HDTP models, but having them if they're available' is something I've already implemented in my own stuff (which I really should release, incidentally), since I was working on the principle that "not everyone might have HDTP, but if it's there it's nice to use it".

So it's possible, yes. It IS a bit of an arse, though: since there are frequent moments when the game spontaneously likes to spring back to defaults: with HDTP as it stands, this is fine: the HDTP models ARE the defaults. If I make them optional, I have to add all manner of crappy patchwork code to recheck for HDTP models every time you load a game up or whatever.

And then you have to add a ton of code for 'if the mesh is HDTP or not': it's no good reskinning to account for visible weapon mods if the model is the crappy original that doesn't HAVE visible weapon mods, for instance. Characters are relatively easy, as they don't do a lot of reskinning. Apart from JC and Paul, they do approximately none, in fact.

But again, this is all possible. Just...really quite annoying.

I figure the best bet (if we're really set on this) would be to add the 'check for models' code, and split the current HDTPitems.u into HDTPitems and HDTPweapons, so you can just drop a package if you don't want that, but that would be as far as I go: there is no way I'm gonna code up things like "I want HDTP showerhead but not HDTP showerfaucet, and of the plants I only want HDTP to be applied to plant 2", because..well, fuck that.

Comments, critiques?

[Akerfeldt]

Waste of code, I say.

[Jonas]

How about releasing two versions of the HDTP DeusEx.u, where you simply remove all the weapon classes from the package before compiling the second version?

[Phasmatis]

How about releasing two versions of the HDTP DeusEx.u, where you simply remove all the weapon classes from the package before compiling the second version?

It's a lot to do for one person though. A lot of people were out spoken about the characters so it makes sense to allow people install or not install them but I would say, unless a load more people want everything but weapons, it might be best to keep it how it is.

[Jetsetlemming]

I thought there was going to be an option in the final version to just have weapons/items/etc without the new character models and textures. >_>;

[Phasmatis]

I said that in meh post.