Modding and Multiplayer

Lunever

Since the EE mod manager includes a multitude of mods there are probably not many mod manager users who happen to have exactly the same choice of mods installed. So how does this affect compatibility for multiplayer games? Is it possible to connect and enjoy a stable gameplay when you have installed different mods on both machines?

Endarire

@Lunever
If you aren't using EEex but everyone involved is using the same mods in the same order (and probably also the same versions of the same operating system like Mac or Windows), the modded multiplayer games should work.

Xans

You are going to want everyone in the game to have the same mods, in the same order, installed, otherwise disconnects and soft locks are going to be more prevalent than normal.

I uses a simple python script to generate a diff to share with the people I play with prior to ee mod setup and still use it for IWD games or small tweaks to an established setup:

from filecmp import dircmp
import os
import shutil

dir_a = r'C:\Users\xanthic\Desktop\iwdee_original'
dir_b = r'C:\Users\xanthic\Desktop\iwdee_modded'
output = r'iwd_diff'


def my_diff_files(dcmp):
	if dcmp.right_only or dcmp.diff_files:
		t_path = dcmp.right.replace(dir_b, output)
		if not os.path.isdir(t_path):
			os.makedirs(t_path)
		for item in dcmp.right_only + dcmp.diff_files:
			if os.path.isfile(os.path.join(dcmp.right, item)):
				shutil.copy2(os.path.join(dcmp.right, item), os.path.join(t_path, item))
			else:
				shutil.copytree(os.path.join(dcmp.right, item), os.path.join(t_path, item))
	for sub_dcmp in dcmp.subdirs.values():
		my_diff_files(sub_dcmp)


if not os.path.isdir(output):
	os.mkdir(output)
dcmp = dircmp(dir_a, dir_b)
my_diff_files(dcmp)

I then 7z and share the resulting folder. This isn't necessary if you are using ee mod setup as it allows you to

https://github.com/EE-Mod-Setup/EE-Mod-Setup/blob/master/README.md wrote:

save your own compilations for re-use or sharing

.

Lunever

Thanks for the information. Though I don't have any skills in python, that sounds like a good solution in order to setup and play a complete campaign with enthusastic friends. But,while I love BG with SCStratagems much more than without, to just play a couple of rounds in the Black Pits with a stranger that's probabaly to much effort.

Before modding the game in "C:\Program Files (x86)\BeamDog\Games" I kept a backup copy from my clean unmodded fresh install as "C:\Program Files (x86)\BeamDog\Games_Backup".
Do I need or should I modify some pathes in some ini file to make that work for playing via the internet with other players and their unmodded install? (I remember original BG had a couple of path entries somwhere)

GraionDilach

@Lunever The game folder's engine.lua's engine_name variable stores the subfolder name the game will use in Documents. You can also change that to sandbox the separate instances further.

Lunever

So if I want to keep my modded EE Trilogy in the normal games folder where it is right now, and want in addition to sandbox my vanilla backup and use the sandboxed vanilla(s) solely to join games via internet (and not use each others modded EET/unmodded vanilla savegames too), which steps exactly do I have to perform (not being skilled in lua, or python)?

GraionDilach

EET already changes that file as part of the installation to end up with it's separate settings folder. Also this particular file only has two lines so it is extremely straightforward to handle.

Endarire

My methodology: Install the game, mod it, ensure it works, then upload your entire BG/BG2/EET directory to a Google Drive space. Have all other players install the right game version, download the modded version, then unzip in the appropriate directories and overwrite all files.

Lunever

@Endarire: I had that idea too already before my first question, I just wondered, whether it is necessary. But probably at some point I will follow your suggestion. Unfortunately the person most probable to ever play BG together with me has it installed on an apple device, I don't think that would be compatible with a modded windows version.

Still I also want to have 1 vanilla sandbox I can use to spontaneously join any standard multiplayer game with strangers via the internet.

@GraionDilach: Means, I can just without any manually performed changes start the vanilla backup although it is not anmore in the directory the beamdog installer originally had it installed to, and by doing so I can't mess up either the working vanilla backup nor EET, is that correct?

GraionDilach

Yes.

Lunever

Thank you!