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Author Topic:   An issue about -direct -txt
djc
Serf

Posts: 16
From:
Registered: Nov 2001

posted 17 January 2002 15:14     Click Here to See the Profile for djc        Reply w/Quote   
Just so you all know, it's not possible for a Mac to run in -direct -txt mode, while it *is* possible for a Mac to run from a packed MPQ.

The growing trend among modders to get lazy (and that's basically all it is) and only release mods in -direct -txt basically means that a portion of the audience for your mods can't play them.

Admittedly, it's a smallish portion, but it's also one that's sick of being insulted by posts implying (or responses to emails implying) that anyone can get -direct -txt to work, and if you can't you're just an idiot.

Cross-compatibility is, definitely, a big enough issue that this "-direct -txt" trend is seriously bothering me.

It's bad enough that I can't manage to make my own mod because Blizzard's coded LoD in such a way that it won't run through VirtualPC and, for inexplicable reasons, they added the need for .bins... now a number of us are being shut off from new and interesting mods as well.

- djc, frustrated Mac would-be-(again)-modder

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Brother Laz
Honorary Warlord

Posts: 1134
From: the place where angels watch...
Registered: Dec 2001

posted 17 January 2002 15:48     Click Here to See the Profile for Brother Laz   Click Here to Email Brother Laz        Reply w/Quote   
It CAN be done... go to a friend or a local cybercafe with your CD2 and LoD cds (if they don't already have it) and run the mod there with direct txt to generate the bin files. Take the bin files home, and use MPQ2K to import everything into the mpq, and just run it with the mpq.

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To practice the Arts of Modding is to be Damned.
To master Them is to be Victorious.
-D1 manual

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FoxBat
Moderator

Posts: 1618
From: PA, USA
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 17 January 2002 20:38     Click Here to See the Profile for FoxBat   Click Here to Email FoxBat        Reply w/Quote   
Hmm, I think modified DLLs would screw my mac audience anyway

But a good thing to point out is that you can get most of the benefits of -direct with a patch_d2.mpq, by putting it in another directory, and running D2 with this alternate dir as your "start in" This uses the modded patch_d2.mpq without needing to rename or move your own. Course that doesen't help macs but your distribution is still compatibile with em, they just gotta do the manual uninstall-reinstall.

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Kobu
Lord

Posts: 105
From: Tokyo
Registered: Dec 2001

posted 18 January 2002 01:03     Click Here to See the Profile for Kobu   Click Here to Email Kobu        Reply w/Quote   
You can try out Bleak Times. It comes with the bins. The dll might cause a problem though.

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Bleak Times are here.

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Bob Morane
Serf

Posts: 12
From: Belgium
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 18 January 2002 04:28     Click Here to See the Profile for Bob Morane   Click Here to Email Bob Morane        Reply w/Quote   
DJC, i'm glad to see another mac-diabloII player. I asked recently about those bin files, and if there's another way of creating them then using the game itself, but it seems there's no one.
So, it looks like we'll have to use a friend to create mods. Fortunately, it's not that difficult to find pc-diablo players. I know two personally.
But i totally agrea about direct-txt mods beeing annoying. It would be very nice if new mods were created as MPQ's.

One good news thought, if you're a mac modder and can manage to have your bin files, a mac version of MPQ2K is now available. Still in beta, but it's great anyway.
http://customs.macstarcraft.com/util/
They have a nice little app to make self executing mpq's too.

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Bob Morane
Serf

Posts: 12
From: Belgium
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 18 January 2002 04:29     Click Here to See the Profile for Bob Morane   Click Here to Email Bob Morane        Reply w/Quote   
DJC, i'm glad to see another mac-diabloII player. I asked recently about those bin files, and if there's another way of creating them then using the game itself, but it seems there's no one.
So, it looks like we'll have to use a friend to create mods. Fortunately, it's not that difficult to find pc-diablo players. I know two personally.
But i totally agrea about direct-txt mods beeing annoying. It would be very nice if new mods were created as MPQ's.

One good news thought, if you're a mac modder and can manage to have your bin files, a mac version of MPQ2K is now available. Still in beta, but it's great anyway.
http://customs.macstarcraft.com/util/
They have a nice little app to make self executing mpq's too.

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Bob Morane
Serf

Posts: 12
From: Belgium
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 18 January 2002 04:30     Click Here to See the Profile for Bob Morane   Click Here to Email Bob Morane        Reply w/Quote   
duh, sorry for the double post

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BMW
Lord

Posts: 148
From: Singapore
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 18 January 2002 14:03     Click Here to See the Profile for BMW   Click Here to Email BMW        Reply w/Quote   Visit BMW's Homepage!
I got an idea that might help.

If u can find someone who is good at .dll editing for the Mac version of Diablo 2 and knows how to *alter* the Mac's Diablo II.exe or game.exe to accept -direct -txt, it is possible to finally get Diablo 2 to run under -direct -txt mode.

However, I think this might take a lot of work though.

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Programs are imperfect because they are made by imperfect beings. (These words are very comforting when it comes to playing Diablo 2)

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