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SA2/SADX Mod Loader

Discussion in 'Engineering & Reverse Engineering' started by MainMemory, Aug 4, 2013.

  1. MainMemory

    MainMemory

    Kate the Wolf Tech Member
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    It should be a bit simpler to manage mod order in SADX Mod Manager now, I've added buttons to move mods to the top or bottom of the list, and I've added drag and drop support.

    Additionally, I've added a mod configuration editor to SADX Mod Manager to make it more apparent when a mod has configuration options, and to save the trouble of having to go to the mod's folder and edit config.ini manually. This will not work with any mods right now, but I will work on updating all my mods to support it.

    [​IMG]

    In order to use the mod configuration editor, a mod must have a file named configschema.xml in its folder. This file tells the mod manager the structure of the configuration data in the config.ini file. You can see an example schema (for my Physics Swap Mod) and resulting config file here.

    Each schema must contain at least one Group element in the Groups array, which will have a name attribute corresponding with the name of the INI group (use the empty string for no group) and an optional display attribute which will be shown as the category in the editor. Each group should contain at least one Property element.
    The Property elements must have a name attribute corresponding with the name of the property in the INI file, a type attribute with the values bool, int, float, string, or an enum name, a defaultvalue attribute, and may contain an optional display attribute, and int and float type properties may have minvalue and maxvalue attributes. Additionally, each Property element may have a HelpText child element, containing text describing the use of the property.
    The schema may also have Enum elements in the Enums array, in order to use properties with pre-set options. Each Enum element should contain at least two EnumMember elements, with a name attribute representing the value stored in the INI file, and an optional display attribute for use in the editor.
     
  2. MainMemory

    MainMemory

    Kate the Wolf Tech Member
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    I've just updated SA2 Mod Manager with all the features the SADX Mod Manager has: self-update notifications, mod updates, GameBanana one-click install support, and the mod config editor.

    I've also taken the opportunity to move all of SA2 Mod Loader's header files into a single folder and update MemAccess.h.
     
  3. MainMemory

    MainMemory

    Kate the Wolf Tech Member
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    It's been a long time coming, but I've finally implemented true self-updating into the SADX and SA2 mod managers.
     
  4. McAleeCh

    McAleeCh

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    Great work MainMemory - between this and mods being able to auto-update from both GitHub and GameBanana, this makes keeping everything up-to-date a lot easier! = )
     
  5. codenamegamma

    codenamegamma

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    Awesome Update! Lots of new features. Glad to see older projects still getting love.
     
  6. Redhornett

    Redhornett

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    Neofeud - a point-and-click adventure made with Adventure Game Studio
    Me again.

    Just downloaded the SADX Mod Loader from GameBanana, and it won't run for me. It just asks for the discs even when I've clicked for the loader to ignore CD checks. It's a UK executable, if that still matters.
     
  7. MainMemory

    MainMemory

    Kate the Wolf Tech Member
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    Yes, it does still matter. The mod loader is only compatible with the US EXE. Although it's supposed to be able to detect when you're using an invalid exe file...
     
  8. Redhornett

    Redhornett

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    Neofeud - a point-and-click adventure made with Adventure Game Studio
    Downloaded your crack, placed it in the SONICADVENTUREDX folder (deleting the original .exe file) and now the loader tells me 'Unhandled exception has occurred in your application' etc. etc. (system cannot find the specified file).

    Any ideas?
     
  9. MainMemory

    MainMemory

    Kate the Wolf Tech Member
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    The file should be named 'sonic.exe'.
     
  10. Redhornett

    Redhornett

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    Neofeud - a point-and-click adventure made with Adventure Game Studio
    So, rename the crack to sonic.exe? Have done and same issue.

    One thought. I did move the files from the 'Sega' folder in the C: drive's 'Program Files' folder to the 'SEGA' folder in the root C: drive (where the files for S&K Collection, Sonic 3D and Sonic R are) after I installed the base game. Just uninstalled the base game and will try and redirect the files to the 'SEGA' folder in the root C: drive from the installer, as well as replacing the 'sonic.exe' file, to see if it changes anything.

    EDIT: And it now works. Cheers.
     
  11. Redhornett

    Redhornett

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    Neofeud - a point-and-click adventure made with Adventure Game Studio
    I have a question, MainMemory.

    Going off of the fact that you'd cracked a PC copy of SADX, could you help me crack a copy of Sega Rally Championship PC, please?

    Much like your copy of SADX PC, it runs fine vanilla (just some slight task bar bleed on the top), but I'd like to be able to run it without the disc, if you could help me please.
     
  12. MainMemory

    MainMemory

    Kate the Wolf Tech Member
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    I don't own Sega Rally Championship. Plus, if it uses actual copy protection, or if files on the disc are required to run the game, I can't help you with that. SADX was easy because it just checks for a file existing in a disc drive, so I can just make it skip over the check.
     
  13. Redhornett

    Redhornett

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    Neofeud - a point-and-click adventure made with Adventure Game Studio
    Any way to know if it uses actual copy protection? I'll copy over the disc's files to see if it requires those to run.

    EDIT: I've downloaded a cracked copy (so it now runs without the disc, without the music) and ripped the music from the disc into a 'MUSIC' folder in the 'SRALLY' folder (which means that I've now everything off of the disc that I need). Could I Dropbox you the 'SRALLY' folder, so that you can try and work your magic, please?
     
  14. MainMemory

    MainMemory

    Kate the Wolf Tech Member
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    It sounds like you're asking me to make a mod loader. I'm not willing to invest that much time for a game I don't even own.
     
  15. DustArma

    DustArma

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    Learning Python.
  16. Sappharad

    Sappharad

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    Assuming it's current, the version on GitHub has an EXE:
    https://github.com/sonicretro/sa2-mod-loader/releases/

    But when I tried to download it to check, the file had HTTP headers in it and i had to snip off the "Content Disposition:" stuff in a hex editor up to 7z, so that the file started with 7z, then it extracted.
     
  17. MainMemory

    MainMemory

    Kate the Wolf Tech Member
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    Yeah don't use that. I fixed the problem with the normal download.
     
  18. Jonny Axehandle

    Jonny Axehandle

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    What tools exist for authoring mods? All search results lead me to either this mod loader (or already existing mods) or the Hacking Guide, which seems very barebones and low-level.
     
  19. MainMemory

    MainMemory

    Kate the Wolf Tech Member
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