Skins folder for GZDoom?

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SoundOfDarkness
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Skins folder for GZDoom?

Post by SoundOfDarkness »

While GZDoom is definitely the better source port with way more features, possibilities and more regular updates I still prefer Zandronum just because of the simple skins folder. Why does GZDoom still use the annoying drag & drop method? Of course unless you use something like ZDL.
The skins folder method makes it possible to create shortcuts for every single mod or every mod combination in combination with every map set, megawad or whatever without having to rearrange the loaded files and maybe the load order everytime you want to play something else. I know it works with ZDoom as long the loaded files are really just skins and in WAD format.
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Xaser
 
 
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Re: Skins folder for GZDoom?

Post by Xaser »

What on earth is this "skins folder method" you're describing? Sounds like a bizarre autoload hack, from the vague description, which isn't likely to be a well-supported thing in either port.
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Enjay
 
 
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Re: Skins folder for GZDoom?

Post by Enjay »

The skins folder in GZDoom does what it did in ZDoom - i.e. load any file with a WAD extension within it. It still works like that, it always has. If you want to load a PK3 from your skins folder, rename the PK3 extension to WAD. GZDoom won't care.

However, using the skins folder is not recommended for autoloading files.


In saying that, while I understand that using the skins folder is frowned upon, I have always thought that a proper autoload folder, with correctly identified game-namespace sub folders would be a good idea. Plenty of other games and modern source ports of old games do something like that.

One of the arguments against an autoload folder I've heard in the past was that there was a worry that people could drop a file in there and forget about it, perhaps later reporting a bug due to a long-forgotten file conflicting with something. However, I don't really see why this is any more likely than typing the name into the autoload section of an ini file and then forgetting about it. Indeed, I'd suggest that a file in a folder is more likely to be found by simple browsing through folders than a line in an ini containing several hundred lines that needs to be opened in a text editor.

To me, autoload folders would be easier for end-users to manage (both to add files and remove them) than the current ini-driven system where a user has to edit a somewhat techy-looking file generated by the exe.


However, I'm not sure how much, if any, of what I just said is relevant to SoundOfDarkness' suggestion because I didn't really follow all of what was being asked about. :P
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SoundOfDarkness
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Re: Skins folder for GZDoom?

Post by SoundOfDarkness »

Xaser wrote:What on earth is this "skins folder method" you're describing? Sounds like a bizarre autoload hack, from the vague description, which isn't likely to be a well-supported thing in either port.
With Zandronum you can throw all files in a folder called skins, it doesn't matter if they are skins, gameplay mods, music replacer or whatever. They will be loaded in alphabetical order so if you need a specific file to load first you just add an A or a 1 to the beginning of the file name. Or a Z to be loaded last.
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Major Cooke
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Re: Skins folder for GZDoom?

Post by Major Cooke »

Sounds like an unintended feature (abuse).
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Re: Skins folder for GZDoom?

Post by Xaser »

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Zanieon
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Re: Skins folder for GZDoom?

Post by Zanieon »

*This method of loading is a Courtesy of Sir Sargeant Mark 4 to load BD without bureaucracy in Zandronum™*

And yeah people there hates that he taught people to load mods this way just because he was lazy to create a tutorial to people get his mod working with a launcher instead.
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Re: Skins folder for GZDoom?

Post by Gez »

Of course. That's why we got so many "<mod> doesn't work with Brutal Doom" whines, it's because Sgt. Mark IV taught people to always autoload BD.
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