FO2 Loader Creator

A

Andy-Spacetrain

First time out of the vault
You can download my new program FO2LC here: www.spacetrain.com/FO2LC.zip

*It is a BETA, there may be some bugs.*

Okay, this program will basically create an EXE file for you which will work as a loader for your mod. It includes the following features:

Change starting map
Change start male and female figures
Change default male and female figures
Change Mod DAT Name (patch000.dat)
Change MOD Name (on the main menu)
Change CFG File
Set start year, month and day
Set the world viewport X and Y positions
Enable PIPBoy at start
Disable city limit
Disable movies

Pros
-----

* You can now release an personalised loader executable with your mod, and you can edit it whenever you need to.
* The loader is only 20k in size.
* Loaders are legal

Cons
------

*** EDIT ***
"* Currently only has support for US 1.02 and UK 1.02 (but I will extend it)"
This con is now fixed. the download comes with a file called FO2LC.FLC (US 1.02 renamed), if the loader detect this file, it renames it to FO2LC.EXE, runs it and patches that in memory. So, logically, it should run fine on any version of fallout (untested).
*** END EDIT ***

Read the readme.txt for more information :)
 
This is excellent! Exactly what I was looking for actually. Added to the tools page.
Is it okay with you if I name the created loaders the name of my mods? (MyModName.exe)
I will mention in the readme that the loader was generated by your program. Okay?

Nice Andy ... thanks!
 
Andy-Spacetrain said:
Currently only has support for US 1.02 and UK 1.02
Click to expand...

Andy, I have 2 questions on this:

1) Does the generated loader check the fallout2.exe at runtime to find out if its US or UK and then use the appropriate offsets automatically?

2) I'm curious why a loader would need to meet a patch level (ie why 1.02). Wasn't the same executable used for earlier patches (or for patched vs unpatched)? I thought patches were just add-on override files (not engine changes). Why does the loader require a specific patch version?
 
Yes it works nicely. I'm using a loader generated by Andy's FO2LC to play the new patch I created.
The zip file for that patch includes an executable generated by FO2LC.
I think this is the best loader because it makes it easiest for the player.
Simple instructions, click the EXE!
 
Okay...

Yes you can name the exe to anything at all that you want.

The loader reads the filesize, and then chooses the offsets for the version it finds. If anybody fancies helping find the equivalent offsets in other versions, it'd be helpful, I don't have the time at the minute. NOTE, the offsets I have given the "fallout 2 offsets" thread are the memory offsets, the easiest way to view them is to get "WinHex" and go to RAM Editor.

The official fallout patch does patch the EXE (or overwrite it, I can't remember), the only difference it makes, I think, is that the executable can read the patch000.dat add-on.
 
I wonder if its legal to distribute an unpatched EXE, I presume that it is.

Logically, to get around the version issues, you could rename fallout2.exe as MyMod.exe (example) and create a loader as MyModLoader.exe (again, example). Now, I'd have to alter my FO2LC program to load the game from a custom filename, but that won't be too hard. Then, when you run MyModLoader.exe, it'll run an exact EXE version that it supports, every time.
You'll just need MyMod.dat, MyMod.exe and MyModLoader.exe for a mod that would work on almost all versions (though it may work on all).

What do you think?
 
Andy-Spacetrain said:
I wonder if its legal to distribute an unpatched EXE, I presume that it is.
Click to expand...

Yes it is, the 1.02 exe is included in the official patch from Interplay

eg: US 1.02 Patch

The abbove patch contains both the fallout2.exe AND the patch00.Dat
 
Okay, I've made a new version now. Download it at the same place www.spacetrain.com/FO2LC.zip

This version comes with a file called FO2LC.FLC, which is basically the US 1.02 version of the EXE file (renamed). Whenever you distribute a mod with a loader made by FO2LC, you'll need to distrubute this file aswell and have it in the fallout2 root folder. What will happen is, the loader will rename the FO2LC.FLC file to FO2LC.FLC.EXE and run it, then patch that in memory, and then rename it back immediately. If you do not distribute the FO2LC.FLC file, and the user does not have it, it will default to Falout2.exe, and check the version.
This gets around the version problem.
 
I would recommend to call the filename something else, ie FO2LC_v1 or 2 or what ever..

I'll upload this to NMA today.
 
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