Pheonix on 11/7/2013 at 03:43
Finally found a file server that I won't have to refresh every 24 hours or have the files disappear. I have altered 3 of the NewDark files and made them available below, with details of the alteration. Also added a fix made for T2X that others might like to have. Enjoy & have fun :) I will try to keep all these files current with new versions of NewDark that comes out.
First is the Thief.exe file for Thief 1. I changed the icon to the Thief 1 icon and changed the names to Thief 1 (instead of Thief 2.) I Thought about making it just Thief, but this way makes it a little clearer to me, and doesn't risk misaligned padding (00 bytes.) And until the NewDark version number goes beyond the final T1 version (1.37,) I changed Final to NewDark to make it clear that it isn't the old engine.
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https://www.dropbox.com/s/pm85asomu8wpqda/Thief%201%20Exe%20Replacement%201.21.zip) Thief 1 Exe Replacement 1.21.zip
Second is the Thief.exe file for Thief Gold. Same changes as above, only now the game reports itself as Thief 1 Gold NewDark.
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https://www.dropbox.com/s/79377vz86bv88pk/Thief%20Gold%20Exe%20Replacement%201.21.zip) Thief Gold Exe Replacement 1.21.zip
Neither of these executable replacements contain ANY sort of fixes for gameplay. The ONLY changes are purely cosmetic in nature. They are still Thief 2 based engines modified by other files to run Thief 1 and Thief Gold missions.Next the FMSel.dll including updated source. This is identical to the one Snobel provides with his sneaky upgrade package for Thief 3. He did most of the work on this actually. This version, aside from being compatible with Thief 3, also adds in a few options that I programmed with Snobel cleaning up the code for me :) Those options are: You can now have the FM Selector clean all FMs out of the database at one time if there aren't any directories in the FM folder for them (they aren't installed,) and the archive files are no longer available. You do this by holding down the CTRL key and clicking the options (gear) icon, and selecting Clean Db. You may also change the Name Format (this time just by clicking the options icon without the CTRL key, and going down to the Name Format sub-menu.) The options are: Keep Leading Article - which displays and sorts the FM name normally, Ignore Leading Article - Which displays the name normally, but skips the leading article (A, An, The,) when sorting (they way most titles are sorted in the US,) and Move Leading Article - which moves the leading articles to the end of the name in the display and while sorting (though it doesn't actually change the name in any way.)
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https://www.dropbox.com/s/484bep4pt2lmjbx/FMSel%201.21%20Updated.zip) FMSel 1.21 Updated.zip
Finally, I've made available my Secret Count fix for T2X - Shadows of the Metal Age. "Mission 8 - The Art of Deception" and "Mission 12 - The Cure" both had problems with the secret count. Deception had a problem in both the original and with NewDark in that Normal and Hard listed a secret that you couldn't find (because access was destroyed.) Cure had a "hidden" secret originally allowing you, if you really worked at finding the Easter Egg, to end the mission with 2 of 1 secrets found. NewDark broke the method used for hiding the second secret. The files provided will fix Deception so that only available secrets are listed in all difficulties, except just expert. And fix Cure to be as the creators originally intended (hiding the Easter Egg secret.) Use is simple, just drop the files into your T2X directory, replacing any that might be there (and I believe there should be.) If you've converted T2X into a fan mission zip file for use with FMsel, then add/replace them into the zip file.
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https://www.dropbox.com/s/chokctp5ol1rbf8/T2X%20Secrets%20Fix.zip) T2X Secrets Fix.zip
I've dropped making any cosmetic changes to DromED, couldn't figure it out and not enough interest.
voodoo47 on 11/7/2013 at 06:22
Quote Posted by Pheonix
First is the Thief.exe file for Thief 1. I changed the icon to the Thief 1 icon and changed the names to Thief 1 (instead of Thief 2.) I Thought about making it just Thief, but this way makes it a little clearer to me. I also updated the version to 1.41. The final version of thief.exe was 1.37 (with Thief Gold,) so I just added the .2 to the current NewDark version.
(
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pm85asomu8wpqda/Thief%201%20Exe%20Replacement%201.21.zip) Thief 1 Exe Replacement 1.21.zip
Second is the Thief.exe file for Thief Gold. Same changes as above, only now the game reports itself as Thief 1 Gold. I did this by changing the notice of "Final" with "Gold Final" instead. There was plenty of padding at the one location for the change, and there was no risk to the software getting confused with extra 00 bytes.
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https://www.dropbox.com/s/79377vz86bv88pk/Thief%20Gold%20Exe%20Replacement%201.21.zip) Thief Gold Exe Replacement 1.21.zip
not a big fan of this - I think it will just confuse users.
Pheonix on 11/7/2013 at 06:52
Quote Posted by voodoo47
not a big fan of this - I think it will just confuse users.
Which part, or all of it? The icon change, the version change? Really, it's just my personal quest for perfection, I guess. I hate playing Thief 1 (or Thief Gold,) in a window that says Thief 2. It's not Thief 2, it's Thief 1 (or Gold.) But that's just me. Also, I like having the different Icons. If I could, I would find a new color scheme for the Thief Gold icon (that looks the same, but the colors are different or some such to indicate a different version.) I changed the version number mainly to indicate it is "past" the 1.37 version of Thief Gold. Making it 1.39, 1.40, then 1.41.
kdau on 11/7/2013 at 08:53
Quote Posted by Pheonix
I also updated the version to 1.41. The final version of thief.exe was 1.37 (with Thief Gold,) so I just added the .2 to the current NewDark version.
Is this a cosmetic change to the version displayed in the window frame, etc., or is it a change to the version reported internally? The latter would break anything (e.g. an OSM ;)) that needed to do version detection to account for changes between NewDark versions.
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Finally is the FMSel.dll including updated source. This is identical to the one Snobel provides with his sneaky upgrade package for Thief 3.
I'm glad to see this backported! The more interface options for FMSel the better. :)
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I'm considering doing the same with DromED. This will allow someone to know which support files are available when editing. Though I'm not sure about this. If you want I will do so. If not, I won't bother. Let me know what you all think :)
Again, as long as it's just a cosmetic change, it should be mostly harmless.
voodoo47 on 11/7/2013 at 14:03
Quote Posted by Pheonix
I hate playing Thief 1 (or Thief Gold,) in a window that says Thief 2. It's not Thief 2, it's Thief 1 (or Gold.)
that's exactly the point, it is - to be precise, it's T2 engine running T1/TG missions. making it look like a (new) special version of NewDark made for T1/TG was released is probably not a good idea, imho.
swapping the icon should be ok though - actually, I've done this in TFix as well.
Pheonix on 11/7/2013 at 18:18
All the changes in the executable are purely cosmetic, and put in place purely for my own aesthetic reasons. As far as I can tell there has been no problems with playing the game. I've played 1/2 way through Thief Gold without any issues (that didn't already exist without the changes.) There are no fixes, no tweaks, just a different icon and a different label on the windows when the game is running. They will not work without the other files provided by the NewDark package, and the normal setup requirements for NewDark to function in the Thief 1 and Thief Gold environment. The easiest way is still to use TFix to setup your game. Then, if you want the new windows titles (since TFix already swaps out the icon,) drop the executable file in. To be safe (in case I'm wrong about not breaking anything,) do what I do and back up the previous executable file before replacing it. If something doesn't work right, you can restore the old one to confirm that what is wrong is (or is not,) caused by my changes.
Just to note, in NewDark 1.19 at least, if the executable is changed in mid game (that is - start a mission, save the game, change the executable, then load the saved game,) a lot of the game features stop working right. A prime example is dousing a torch stops affecting the light it produces. Even such a minor change as one byte (changed a 2 to a 1 for example,) causes this. A save game "between" missions works just fine (a mission file, miss8.mis for example, hasn't been loaded into memory.) It's only saves during missions that are affected.
voodoo47 on 11/7/2013 at 18:43
exactly - it's a cosmetic change that fixes nothing, and brings in the potential for problems, and confusion. that's why I said, not a good idea.
Pheonix on 11/7/2013 at 22:29
Quote Posted by voodoo47
exactly - it's a cosmetic change that fixes nothing, and brings in the potential for problems, and confusion. that's why I said, not a good idea.
I guess we disagree there. I don't see any harm as long as nobody expects any fixes. I've tried to make it clear that there aren't any. If I wanted to actually fix it in some way, I'd have to have access to the source code (which I don't.) I'd also have to be a much better programmer than I am. I like it better this way, that's my choice, and I wanted anyone else who likes it better this way to have the easy option.
With a new version number, if NewDark ever gets to 1.37 (or the last non-gold version number 1.34??.) Then there won't be any confusion, if someone says they are running version such-and-so, of another person's first response being, "Switch to NewDark, that will fix your problem." With Thief 2, it's clear because NewDark starts at 1.19. So if someone says they are running version 1.18, everyone knows instantly they they are running OldDark, version 1.19+ are all NewDark. By starting the T1/G versions at 1.39 (by adding .2,) the same issue comes out. Everyone instantly knows Old or New, and if they are using an engine designed around T2, just soft-hacked to run T1 missions.
As far as the Window name goes, it's just bothersome to me not to have it clear which game I have open. Someone looking over my shoulder (who isn't familiar with the game,) would know which game I am showing them. That's just me, and again, I don't see any real problem with it. I know there are no fixes, I made it clear in my posts that there are no fixes (I'll edit it, and make a bold statement to that effect in the first post as well.) Again, its the way I like it, and I am just making it easier for anyone else who might like it that way as well.
sNeaksieGarrett on 11/7/2013 at 23:04
What I'd like to see is Dromed stop saying "MSVC opt playtest"
AntiMatter_16 on 12/7/2013 at 18:38
I agree that it's more confusing to change the version number. We have OldDark Thief1, OldDark ThiefGold, and OldDark Thief2. Then, we have NewDark. Changing the version number of NewDark can ONLY cause confusion by adding complexity. If there were another newdark release, people might say "Oh, I have NewDark 1.41, but this release is 1.22? I must have the better version."
Changing the version number of Newdark to compete with an older software version number is like someone changing the name of Windows 7 to Windows 2007, so that it people don't think Windows 95 and 2000 are newer versions.
