SMAC/X Mod Manager Beta 3

[Ford_Prefect]

Source code https://github.com/uaEquals42/SMAC-Mod-Manager


EDIT
Fixed bug preventing it from running for first time users. 
Made an exe so that you won't need python installed to run it anymore.

Edit by Draz[\b]
Beta 3, packaged to .exe for windows users.

[Ford_Prefect]

Upcoming features/bug fixes:

• Faction Swapper Tool - Allow you to easily change what factions you play against.
• Workarounds and convenience - I'll spend some time making it easier to configure and get running.- Alpha 2 now works better on windows.  Probably won't work anymore on other operating systems. 
• Remember what mods are active - Yeah.  I plan to fix this soon. - Now in alpha 3!
• Bugfix:  Won't crash if mod uses files that SMAC doesn't have in folder.- Fixed in alpha 2

[Ford_Prefect]

Released a new version of the mod manager.  I would appreciate it if people would try it out and tell me if they find any bugs with it. 

Remember to go to the options tab and tell it where SMAC/X is installed.

[Ford_Prefect]

I found a bug, removing download, new download will be up soon.

[Ford_Prefect]

New version out!
Now comes with an exe!
Now won't crash when you try to run it for the first time! 

[Buster's Uncle]

Anything to report?  I'm going to go though the interview and write up a news item in the next few days.  June's looking like your turn for promotion...

[Ford_Prefect]

Nothing to report.  I've been busy with stuff, so I haven't spent much time on my hobbies.

Not to mention I'm getting the latest Harry Dresden book today.    So I'll be reading that in my free time. 

[Buster's Uncle]

I'll post the article here for your approval when I think I'm done.

[Ford_Prefect]

Whoaaa.... That's allot more downloads since the last time I looked.  Was 3, now its 32. 

Any comments or suggestions from the people who've tried it out?

[DrazharLn]

Edit: Released beta 3. Check below or first post.

Here's the mod manager packaged so users don't need to install python themselves.

Sample mod attached to this post, contains alternate faction profiles for the Gaians, Peacekeepers, University and Hive, taken from BUncle's Custom Faction page.
Installation instructions:
1. Extract to a convenient location (not to the SMAC folder)
2. Run SMACXLauncher.exe
3. Go to options tab, select location of SMACX folder, allow mod manager to make a backup

Usage:
1. Put mods that you might want to install into mods directory, following instruction in file there
2. Enable them with the launcher by moving them to the right and clicking apply.
3. If multiple mods are enabled, mods further down the list override any files that are also shared by mods earlier in the list.

Uninstall:
1. Launch SMACXLauncher.exe
2. Move all mods to the left.
3. Click apply, then  force.
4. Once finished, you can delete the SMAC Mod Manager directory.

---

Development notes:

Source has been changed to set logging level to WARNING rather than debug, because otherwise you get an annoying message every time you quit telling you there were errors and I couldn't be bothered working out how to turn it off.

Build steps (users don't need to do this):

(click to show/hide)

1. Install python 3.4.x https://python.org/downloads (Important, pip version of py2exe doesn't support 3.5 yet)
2. Install MS Visual C++ Compiler for Python 2.7 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=44266
3. python -m pip install py2exe
4. Copy the attached setup.py into the Mod Manager source directory
5. python setup.py py2exe

[Buster's Uncle]

The link is to the Alternate Official Factions (splinter factions) I did mostly in collaboration with Darsnan, but the .zip attached is labeled Alternate Gender Original Factions - in neither case did I bother with the name-altered .txt for most of them, unless it's the slightly-altered (different Spartan leader than I'd done on my own) set used in the What Would Pravin Do? GotM I did -ohmygod- six years ago with bdanv and Ali....

[DrazharLn]

Link fixed. The gaians and peacekeepers do have slightly altered .txts

[Buster's Uncle]

You should dig up the Pravin GotM if you haven't -those versions of the factions are complete, never just art, small a job as changing a few names in the .txt is.

...Suddenly, I'm thinking it's been so long that I should do a major re-release of WWPD, since nobody will take an interest in making new GotMs with me anymore.  I could get that scenario into an awful lot of new hands now...

[DrazharLn]

I think we should and could do a big re-release of old material, reformatted so it works easily with this or another mod manager.

Need to test the manager a bit, though.

Similar to ete's Alpha Centauri Ultimate thing, but more useful (ACU mostly just being a big collection of factions hardly anybody is going to want to use anyway).

[Buster's Uncle]

Hmmm.  Maybe re-release a month at a time for maximum promotional advantage, with a big collection of the lot - it could even be made available the whole time, but still promote one GotM a month until we run out of efforts our team did...

(Alpha Centauri Ultimate is still absolute gold for faction modders, for stealing from each other purposes, especially for the non-artists - I believe that's how Maniac did all the SMAniaC faction art, ripping off from the Network Node collection...)