Map Pack 2.0 Released

[laughing paradox]

I was wondering if someone could answer this..

How do I go about 'updating' this mod from FFX3.2 to the newest version with FFX3.3?

Do I simply have to download the FFX3.3 Full Installer and point it towards the Mappack_FFX folder? That seems suspiciously too easy...  :unsure:

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

No, it would be more work than that.  You have to maually move over all files that have been changed between the two version, but not those containing customization that have been changed by the mod.  If there are none, then it may be that simple, otherwise, you'd have to manually merge the customized data.

[laughing paradox]

No, it would be more work than that.  You have to maually move over all files that have been changed between the two version, but not those containing customization that have been changed by the mod.  If there are none, then it may be that simple, otherwise, you'd have to manually merge the customized data.

Unfortunately, I don't know thing one about doing that. Is there a thread that maybe details what I would have to do for that process of finding which files are different, which would be safe to change over, and the other info?

I'm doing it as a clean install, so there will be no fx or personalized data.

[GogglesPizanno]

Given all the FFX changes and what not, trying to update the Mappack to 3.3 I think would be more difficult than trying to go the other route. Basically start with a fresh current FFX version and then copy over/merge the relevant Map Data.

What i would suggest trying is the following:

1. Download the latest FFX (full install)
2. Extract/Install it to your FFvTR directory and rename it something like "FFX33_Mappack" or whatever...
3. Extract the Mappack rar file to somewhere where you can access the files.
4. Copy the following directories from Mappack to the new FFX install (you should be safe allowing overwrites):

- All Directories in 'Missions/' EXCEPT "Scripts"
- Art/Custom Characters
- Art/level layout
- Art/library/area_speciff1
- Art/library/area_specific
- Art/library/characters
- Art/library/terrain
- Art/library/vehicles

5. Merge the following DAT's from Mappack to FFX
- objects.dat
- characters.dat

6. Create a new shortcut to the new Updated Mappack folder you created.

Thats should be it. I think.

[Epimethee]

5. Merge the following DAT's from Mappack to FFX
- objects.dat
- characters.dat

Unless Mappack changed existing entries, it's better to merge from FFX 3.3. Merging to FFX would overwrite any change/fix brought by the 3.3 release. Mind you, most the the fixes occured in 3.2 IIRC, so I don't think it's going to be catastrophic.

Maybe the installer for the next version of the FFX could manage that (similarly to what's done for EZFX, maybe)? Let me know if it's something we should pursue. (BTW, I think FFX needs a couple other changes to be more Mappack-friendly, mostly in ffxextras.py.)

[GogglesPizanno]

Unless Mappack changed existing entries, it's better to merge from FFX 3.3. Merging to FFX would overwrite any change/fix brought by the 3.3 release. Mind you, most the the fixes occured in 3.2 IIRC, so I don't think it's going to be catastrophic.

Yep, like he said. Sometimes between my brain and the keyboard a little dyslexia sets in.
And looking back, the Mappack was released prior to FFX 3.2, so its a bit behind. Its definitely best to err on the side of the FFX install....

[laughing paradox]

So I follow all those instructions except that I merge FROM FFX 3.3 (switching those dat files, naturally)?

I'll be setting this up in a week or two, and I'll post what the outcome is. Thanks, guys. :)

[laughing paradox]

Worked like a dream.

Thanks guys.  :thumbup:

[Previsionary]

The way this pack is set up is "like" an individual mod with FFX 3.2 installed with it. So, what you're getting is a bunch of maps, ffx 3.2, and the regular game. Nothing else.

[Previsionary]

hmmm so could i just move the maps into my ffx3.3 folder then ? cause i'd like to check out some of these but don't want to create another ffx3.2 folder full of my custom content

I'm not sure of the specifics as I haven't done it myself, but I know for sure you'd need to move files around and merge a few dat files. I'll let Shirley...I mean Goggles fill in the blanks. 

[GogglesPizanno]

The thing is structured like a mod because it was way easier to do it that way at the time for installation, but it really is just a gazillion -- give or take -- maps and FF1 assets with bounding boxes added.

So Prev is right (did i just say that??)... You are basically copying over all the FF1 assets and map files and then merging the dat files that have the template entries for the FF1 objects.

According to Laughing Paradox this works, so try this (updated with empithee's suggestions):

1. Extract the Mappack rar file to somewhere where you can access the files.
1a. Make a backup of your FFX folder in case something goes wonky and you need to revert.

2. Copy the following directories from the Mappack folder to the FFX folder (you should be safe allowing overwrites - but a backup of the FFX folder would be advised see step #1a above):

- All Directories in 'Missions/' EXCEPT "Scripts"
- Art/Custom Characters
- Art/level layout
- Art/library/area_speciff1
- Art/library/area_specific
- Art/library/characters
- Art/library/terrain
- Art/library/vehicles

3. Merge the following DAT's from FFX to the Mappack folder (updates the mappack with the latest FFX entries)
- objects.dat
- characters.dat

4. Merge the following DAT's from Mappack back to the FFX folder (Adds the Map data back to FFX)
- objects.dat
- characters.dat

5. Try it out. If somethign broke and it doesn't work, revert to your backed up FFX folder and try again

If it doesn't work, its all Prev's fault

[GogglesPizanno]

Hey no problem.
If only I could apply the effort to my other ideas that i did to this one  :)

Whats weird is that most people who have reported map issues like yours have done so for all different maps. No two people seem to have the same issues (some of those you list work fine for me). Its like a mystery wrapped in an enigma.

[GogglesPizanno]

I think the nif converter only works for certain nif files (at least as Ive found).

You can adjust the lightness values on the nif manually using nifskope (Its one of the 4 material properties on the mesh -- don't remember off the top of my head)... or in the FFX documentation. I think empithee Stumpy wrote a python script that will handle lightening the meshes as well, but it would require some python scripting to use it.

Being at work behind a web filter tends to make really useful posts difficult.  :banghead:

[Destroyer1717]

i noticed that for some of the maps, sometimes textures go missing and purple is left behind.  This happens for the curbs in greenwich village, and when i break buildings, etc. there too. is that fixable?

[cmdrkoenig67]

I see most of the crashing maps are mine...I just want to say...It's not my fault! (at least, I hope it isn't my fault) :P

Dana

[GogglesPizanno]

i noticed that for some of the maps, sometimes textures go missing and purple is left behind.  This happens for the curbs in greenwich village, and when i break buildings, etc. there too. is that fixable?

My first thought is that this happens probably with maps that have their own custom texture folder. In the orginal FF, if the custom texture folder was missing a texture, if defaulted back to the data directory to look for missing ones. In FFvTR, it doesn't seem to do that , so if there are pink objects, its probably due to a texture being missing in the custom folder and can be remedied by finding the texture it is looking for in the regular _texture directory and copying it to the custom directory.

I see most of the crashing maps are mine...I just want to say...It's not my fault! (at least, I hope it isn't my fault) :P

Dana

We all know at this point that anything that breaks is Prev's fault.

[Epimethee]

I think empithee wrote a python script that will handle lightening the meshes as well, but it would require some python scripting to use it.

Actually, Stumpy is the one who did it. It's part of the FFX distro and is documented in the manual under "Other Tools".

[GogglesPizanno]

I think empithee wrote a python script that will handle lightening the meshes as well, but it would require some python scripting to use it.

Actually, Stumpy is the one who did it. It's part of the FFX distro and is documented in the manual under "Other Tools".

See? Posting from work behind a web filter not only makes the day really tedious, it makes me wrong...