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Nyerguds

1.06c development topic

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You're right... Now it's official, I really need some vacations -_-''

Edited by Kamikave

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I just added REAL language support into the mod system :)

 

Here you see the ini control file of the censored mod:

 

censored.ini

[settings]
CustomStringsFile=censored.ini
RulesFile=rulecens.ini

[Ger]
CustomStringsFile=cen_ger.ini

[Fre]
CustomStringsFile=cen_fre.ini

[MixFiles]

[CustomStrings]
Last=599
35=Farmbot
81=Enemy Android
101=Android "Gunner"
102=Android "Grenadier"
106=Commandobot
162=Robot Barracks
218=Farmbot PK 7
219=Harvest Droid HFR
220=Housekeeping-Android
221=Robocook 2
222=Femdroid M.A.I.D.
223=TurnipPlanter RB1
224=Mobile Milker M3
225=AutoShepherd V.3.11
226=RoboServant IV
599=Invaderbot

(As you see, I use a simple trick here that saves me from making an extra file, namely to put the custom strings in the actual mod ini file, and simply put its own filename in the CustomStringsFile= line. This works perfectly.)

 

Now, for the language support system.

 

  1. The basic [settings] section is read, no matter which language you have selected.
  2. Its custom strings are read
  3. If a section is found with the name of the currently selected user language, like, [Ger], those settings are read too, and override any of the [settings] section's values.
  4. If a custom strings file was specified for the language header, those custom strings are read too, adding entries to the original list, and overwriting any that are already there.

 

The custom strings file is NOT simply overridden anymore, like it was in 1.06c r3. The custom strings function is rebuilt to accept multiple sources, meaning it'll first add any custom strings specified by the language (pack), then add/replace those of the mod, then add/replace those of the language-specific settings of the mod.

 

So, all you need to do for language mod support is adding the language ini headers, and additional files for the different languages' strings. Any language not specifically specified will simply use the mod's defaults. This obviously also means that if your mod is English by default, it's useless to add an [Eng] header.

 

 

As I already mentioned, the [CustomStrings] system itself has also been vastly upgraded. It now accepts empty entries (which will actually clear a strings file entry) and entries starting with spaces (which the normal C&C ini reader trims off), and the ` character can be used to add line breaks into it. It accepts strings up to 199 characters.

 

This means language packs no longer need the special C&C-format strings file. The only languages that still actually need a C&C-format strings file (the conquer.xxx type) are the built in base languages.

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Hey Nyerguds, been a whlie since I followed this project. I downloaded version 106c R3, and noticed the game will no longer change to a random track when I start a game. It always seems to be Act on Instinct. CCConfig.exe has "Shuffle the start theme in SinglePlayer" checked, and the Conquer.ini has "ShuffleStartMusic=Yes". Sorry if someone else has already brought this up, but I don't want to go through 32 pages to find out! Any idea why this feature won't work anymore?

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If you got IncrementStartMusic activated (the option "Correspond campaign start theme to the mission number" in CCConfig), mission 1 will always start with "Act On Instinct", mission 2 will always use "C&C Thang", mission 3 will use "DIE!!", and so on, following the order in the playlist. I specifically added a note to that option that it overrides ShuffleStartMusic for the campaign.

 

btw, the fact the 2 options are still separate is that ShuffleStartMusic is also for the New Missions. So those should get random tracks.

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I just started the regular Nod missions.  I just noticed that the random music option works if I select a mission from the actual missions list, but not with the default GDI or NOD campaigns.  I thought I remember it working with them before. Am I wrong?  

 

Also, I have another question.  I like the new music added to the list of default music, but I noticed that Act on Instinct and a few other tracks now have voices with the music. I remember the version I used to play didn't.  Can I revert these back to the default but keep the new tracks still?  I simply just don't like the voices.  I don't mind editing scores2.mix if I have to.Edit:  Ah, I just saw your edit.  Yes, you are correct.  That is what was happening.  I'll turn off the corresponding campaign theme option.  I asked another question above, in case you didn't notice.

 

lol, we edit our posts too much.  Check my last post for more edits.

Edited by Lightning_Hunter

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The remixes are also just an option in the config, you know. Disabling them will disable some other tracks too though (Heartbreak and Reaching Out). The option is called "Enable music remixes and hidden themes" in CCConfig, or RemixScores in conquer.ini.

 

[edit]

 

If you want to disable the remixes but keep the new music, you will need to extract themes.ini from updatec.mix, and disable the HasAlternate setting for the themes you wish to revert to their original.

 

Note that since "Heartbreak" and "Reaching Out" literally only exist as remixes (.var files instead of .aud) you need to keep the RemixScores option enabled to access them ingame.

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Right, I knew about the option to enable/disable the remixes.  I was just wondering if there was a way to keep all the original tracks intact while adding the hidden tracks.  Can I edit scores2.mix to make this happen, or would that not work?Edit: ah, once again I just saw your edit. Hahaha. I'll try what you said. Thanks.

Edited by Lightning_Hunter

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You're so lucky I made that music list into an ini file :P

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Indeed, that was a great idea. I'll mess with it. Actually, it might even be cool to be able to have all the remixes AND originals in the list. I might enjoy that! Can I edit the ini to do such a thing?

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Nope. The actual files are called either filename.AUD (normal themes) or filename.VAR (remix). Which one is played is related to 2 things, namely whether the file has the HasAlternate tag enabled in the ini, and whether the game has remixes enabled. There is no way to show them both; they're only one music entry to the game, just with 2 versions you can switch between.

 

You can, of course, extract the .var files into the game folder, rename them to a different name ending on .aud, and add those new names as new entries in the list. The system only supports entries (file names without the extension) up to 8 characters though.

 

For example, if you extract AOI.VAR as AOI_VAR.AUD, and then add a new entry in the list for AOI_VAR with HasAlternate=No, its Length copied from the AlternateLength of AOI, and given a custom name with the Name= tag, you got yourself an added track.

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Aha. I think I'll do that with some of the more unique remixes, and just turn off the HasAlternate tag for the rest. Thanks for the help Nyerguds! The music.ini file is awesome indeed! Maybe I'll add other tracks to the list also.

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Haha, awesome. I think I'll definitely be adding some random war songs to the playlist. There is a group from Sweden called "Puissance" that does a lot of war-like tracks that would fit C&C, although some are a bit darker(C&C does have some darker ambient music though). The track below definitely comes to mind! There was no youtube link, so I found it on mp3bear. The last minute of this track always gets me. Sad, but extremly beautiful, and definitely fitting for a war theme:

 

http://mp3bear.com/puissance-erlangen

 

We need a music thread for good tracks suitable in C&C. :P

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Thanks to your help Nyerguds, I was able to add another 40 tracks or so to my playlist!  I added all the C&C Renegade music (I think the music in this game really suits C&C, especially since it was by the same artist), as well as all the Nintendo 64 Command & Conquer Music.  Plus, I grabbed a few of the best remixes from Youtube and various other war tracks that fit with the game.  If anyone is interested in the music compilation I have with themes.ini and all, let me know.

Edited by Lightning_Hunter

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lol. Do note, I never tested the playlist beyond 128 entries. I don't have a clue if that ID is always stored as a full 4-byte int.

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Did you change the cutscene music, Nyerguds?  I noticed it is different for both GDI and NOD.  It's different even if I have hidden music turned off.  Is there a way to get the old cutscene music back?  It used to be the music that would say "great shot!  Return to base immediately..."

 

Also, I noticed something else strange.  If I turn the sound volume down in the game to somewhere in the lower end and turn up my speakers, the sounds during the credits cannot be heard.  All other sounds can be heard just fine in the game, but the sounds during the credits are almost non-existent.  Only if I turn the sounds up too loud in the game can the sounds be heard during the credits.  This seems to be some sort of volume balance issue.

Edited by Lightning_Hunter

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Sorry for multiple posts, but I just found another bug that is pretty critical.  Sometimes the mouse cursor fails to work in the menu until I restart the game.  It will work in the game itself, but it I press escape to open the save/load/abort menu, it does not move.  This means I cannot save the game or anything.  Obviously, this can completely ruin a single player game, because you cannot save your progress, and have to quit and restart and lose everything you did. I'm not sure what causes it.  So far it appears to be random...

 

Also, random graphics tend to appear in the black shroud as I play the game in 1024x768 resolution.  In addition, if I scroll the mouse to the edge of the map, it duplicates the map off to the side (I think this might only be when the map is too small to fit on the screen).  These are two separate unrelated issues, however.  The random graphics that appear in the black shroud aren't on the edges of the map, but just anywhere at all.

Edited by Lightning_Hunter

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lol. Do note, I never tested the playlist beyond 128 entries. I don't have a clue if that ID is always stored as a full 4-byte int.

In RA, the sound options dialog puts the index of a theme into the first byte of a string (which they use instead of a struct). It will not display in the list class, but the list will return it as selected item. If TD has a format string that looks like "%c Track.%d ..blah%d:%02d...", it should only be possible to use up to 255 themes (at least from the options).

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That reminds me, I think I haven't migrated that "Track" string to the strings file yet.

 

AlexB: I was more talking about the internal music handling of the ID. That list doesn't even show IDs, since there are more on the list than the internal playlist shows.

 

Did you change the cutscene music, Nyerguds? I noticed it is different for both GDI and NOD. It's different even if I have hidden music turned off. Is there a way to get the old cutscene music back? It used to be the music that would say "great shot! Return to base immediately..."

Ehh? Cutscenes? Cutscenes are videos. Videos have their own audio, totally unaffected by the music tracks. You're talking about the score screen music.

 

The GDI score track (Great Shot) simply has a remix. If you wait long enough on the score screen, you'll hear that it continues on to the normal track; the remix simply adds a bit of a dramatic intro. If you're editing that ini anyway you can always disable the HasAlternate on it to get the original back. The track's name is WIN1. Also note, if you extract rules.ini, it has full controls for the music played on all special scenes.

 

Also, I noticed something else strange. If I turn the sound volume down in the game to somewhere in the lower end and turn up my speakers, the sounds during the credits cannot be heard. All other sounds can be heard just fine in the game, but the sounds during the credits are almost non-existent. Only if I turn the sounds up too loud in the game can the sounds be heard during the credits. This seems to be some sort of volume balance issue.

Credits? The credits of C&C are played in a video. Are you talking about the score screen again?

 

Sorry for multiple posts, but I just found another bug that is pretty critical. Sometimes the mouse cursor fails to work in the menu until I restart the game. It will work in the game itself, but it I press escape to open the save/load/abort menu, it does not move. This means I cannot save the game or anything. Obviously, this can completely ruin a single player game, because you cannot save your progress, and have to quit and restart and lose everything you did. I'm not sure what causes it. So far it appears to be random...

That's a strange issue. Cursor locked in the middle seems like a cnc-ddraw issue though. Try pressing ctrl+tab or alt-tab and then switching to the game again, see if that fixes it.

 

But you know, actually, the menus have full keyboard support. If all else fails, you can just use the Up and Down arrow keys, and Enter to select a menu.

 

Also, random graphics tend to appear in the black shroud as I play the game in 1024x768 resolution. In addition, if I scroll the mouse to the edge of the map, it duplicates the map off to the side (I think this might only be when the map is too small to fit on the screen). These are two separate unrelated issues, however. The random graphics that appear in the black shroud aren't on the edges of the map, but just anywhere at all.

That's in the FAQ. Do not bother me with issues describes in the FAQ. -_-

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Credits? The credits of C&C are played in a video. Are you talking about the score screen again?

 

Yes, sorry for the confusion. I'm talking about the score screen. I wasn't sure what to call it. The sounds during the score screen are extra quiet for me, while all the sounds in the game are normal volume. This also applies to the sounds when the world map shows you where to attack next. I can barely hear the sounds at all, unless I turn the sound volume up all the way (but then the sounds in the game are way too loud).

 

That's a strange issue. Cursor locked in the middle seems like a cnc-ddraw issue though. Try pressing ctrl+tab or alt-tab and then switching to the game again, see if that fixes it.

 

I tried alt+tab and the windows key to get out of the game and back in, but nothing worked. I did try using the keyboard, but couldn't figure out how to select a game to save. I did just now realize that I can type in a new name for a game and press enter twice to save it, but I still can't figure out how to save over an old game. The arrow keys do not appear to work in that particular menu.

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Actually, the fact you have to press [enter] twice should be a bit of a hint. To select a game to overwrite, with the keyboard, simply press [enter] to 'confirm' the new slot's name, and then you can use the up and down arrows to go through the existing slots.

 

The only thing that's not possible with this method is overwriting AND renaming an existing slot. Pressing [enter] on any existing item will not give you the editing mode again; it'll confirm and save right away. The only way to rename the savegame is to either click on the item in the list, or into its editing text field after selecting it with the keyboard method.

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How did you find that bug ? lol

In 15 years that I've been playing C&C, I never even thought about using a tank to kill an engineer :o . Also, I find it surprising that it was caused by a dumb copy paste error. What were Westwood quality checking guys doing lol ?

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How did you find that bug ? lol

In 15 years that I've been playing C&C, I never even thought about using a tank to kill an engineer :o . Also, I find it surprising that it was caused by a dumb copy paste error. What were Westwood quality checking guys doing lol ?

 

Not shooting engineers with tanks I guess haha

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Not shooting engineers with tanks I guess haha

 

Yep, I would trow anything in it first. My last would be shoot with a tank :P

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