Quick question regarding ModAct3.06 and the new default skins - FBDSM.
In the Quick Guided Tour for ModACt 3.06 it says to install the FBDSM sfs files into the SAS_SFS folder, replacing the relevant placeholders already in there. (up to no. 15 I note - looks interesting!) This would make the new default skins only available for use by the ModAct version of the game, not UP or HSFX versions.
To make the new default skins available for use by those two versions of the game, I would have to install the sfs files into the root directory of the game as per the initial FBDSM instructions https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,15030.0.html, and amend the .rc file accordingly. Is that correct?
This of course would mean two installations of the same set of files. Its no big deal given the space saved by removing the other separate game installations, but is this an oversight? Or could I get around this by just installing the sfs files once in the root directory, and this would then be available to ModACt 3.06 as well as UP3.0RC and HSFX 5.01?
those two versions of the game, I would have to install the sfs files into the root directory of the game as per the initial FBDSM instructions
Yes, that is correct. From now on, your SAS Modact will read it's "FBDSM from it's own folder. UP3, DBW, and anything else, will read FBDSM from your main game folder.
This of course would mean two installations of the same set of files. Its no big deal given the space saved by removing the other separate game installations, but is this an oversight? Or could I get around this by just installing the sfs files once in the root directory, and this would then be available to ModACt 3.06 as well as UP3.0RC and HSFX 5.01?
No, it is not an oversight. When we make fuckups here at SAS, we make huge ones, not little things like this
The reason is twofold.
1) We want to make it possible for Modact users to simply "drag and drop" FBDSM archives into their SAS_SFS folder, without having to worry about editing the .rc file. That meant we had to include placeholders that are already loaded. However, we wanted to include placeholders in a way that wont irritatingly overwrite archives users may already have, for UP and the like, which they would then have to replace again ect.
2) There are at least 2 archives in FBDSM so far, that is not useable by one group or the other. Archive 6 is only for stock zero's. Archive 7 is only for modded Mig3's. That means, a user who uses both UP and modact, could not use the great new skins for stock zero's, since they would mess up the zero's in UP3. And he could also not use the new Mig 3 archive for UP3, since that would mess up his stock Mig's in Modact. So, by seperating the whole bunch, players can have the best of both worlds. We know this involves a bit of duplication, but read on...
Yes, there are more efficient ways of achieving that, but I always try to keep the stuff as simple as possible. There are lots of IL2 players who cannot swtich their PC on by themselves you know, one does not want to confuse things too much
There is of course also a large number of player of IL2 who drool from the side of their ears, and require nurses to tie their shoelaces for them and turn them over when they sleep, but thankfully those are all at the yellow forum, and dont play with mods anyway.
The penalty for this, when the whole FBDSM series is done, would be maximum about 1.2 extra Gigs in the install, which I think is OK. We have also a number of other SFS archives that are, more or less, duplications of archives in other packs, but we seperated those, because as we go forward, UP and Modact may develop slightly independantly, and we want an environment where nothing UP, or DBW , does, will impact Modact Installs at all, and vice verca.
So my advice is, dont mess with the .rc file too much. You may save a few 100 megs of disc-space right now by being super clever, but untangling the mess, after an update or two or three further from UP, HSFX, Modact, FBDSM, ect, when it WILL come back to bite you, is something not worth contemplating. Only do it if you are sure of what you are doing.
And for that, my answer regarding anything techical in IL2 modding installation and management is always "If you have to ask, you should not do it"
If you want to save serious amounts of discspace, you'll probably get better results by throwing all the crap and duplicated skins out of your paintchemes folder
Hope this answers your question!