Mod releases in general: archive formats (pros and cons)?
shevy123456
Member Posts: 179
in BGII:EE Mods
So, some mod authors release e. g. two files, others up to five. Such as an .exe file, an .iemod file, and one or more .zip files (one for windows, linux and osx each); and on github perhaps also a generic .zip and .tar.gz.
In the past I actually preferred .exe files as there was a GUI installer, but I think this one is slower than an already-extracted .zip file. I usually download mods on my linux machine, then automatically have ruby re-package this (numbering the installation I use too), then copy the extracted directories towards the windows machine and install them. Am I missing out on something though? What is the reason for different archive formats?
I guess having flexibility is useful, but I also like intrinsic consistency, so I am thinking of e. g. no longer using .exe files and instead use the extracted directory from the .zip file, which always has that weidu.exe named accordingly to the mod name. But perhaps I am missing something obvious or advantageous in regards to .exe files. Or .iemod files, which I don't seem to have used so far.
In the past I actually preferred .exe files as there was a GUI installer, but I think this one is slower than an already-extracted .zip file. I usually download mods on my linux machine, then automatically have ruby re-package this (numbering the installation I use too), then copy the extracted directories towards the windows machine and install them. Am I missing out on something though? What is the reason for different archive formats?
I guess having flexibility is useful, but I also like intrinsic consistency, so I am thinking of e. g. no longer using .exe files and instead use the extracted directory from the .zip file, which always has that weidu.exe named accordingly to the mod name. But perhaps I am missing something obvious or advantageous in regards to .exe files. Or .iemod files, which I don't seem to have used so far.
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Comments
The modders have spent their free time to make something I can use for free. If I dont like what they do, I can freely not use their work. As I see it, I have zero say in this - but if I ever made a mod, I would on the other hand have complete say on everything there. But thats just me
linux - mac - windows archive are platform dependent, mostly due to the fact that weiudu could not be launched in the same ways on mac and linux.
if the archive is a self-extracting exe or not, I can't see any difference: I usually extract them nonetheless treating as normal archive.
.iemod extension is to load up them directly in Project Infinity, if one prefers.
Honestly, it's all the same stuff, it just differs in how is it packaged for user convenience. Can't see anything wrong.