Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Birth of Iris Loader


I wrote a little extension for EDGE specifically for Fusion that allows different files other than .WAD to be loaded in. Created a new executable that comments gledge.exe, basically renames the appropriate files and when EDGE exists it renames and protects the file(s). Took less than two weeks to do, actually, and I didn't want to write too much until I actually started the app.

The cool thing is that the new executable contains data that would normally be in Doom2.wad, like the colourmap, things like that (since this project will not require the Doom 2 data). When the new exe is launched it temporarily creates a small WAD file that contains those that Fusion uses, and when the program exists it again erases it. I did this to prevent confusion and to not mess with important files within the game data. That way, the user can't launch the game with GLedge.exe (unless they use Doom2.wad and all the appropriate wads) but it'll be really scrambled if they have different content releases on their systems. Speaking of scrambled, this new utlitiy, once I get this feature working, will scramble the files to be unreadable specifically in XWE, etc., and will only be readable when the executable reads it for the game. That last bit is being helped along with a friend, though. Just out of my scope of knowledge.

For instance, the PC version will contain low-res files and high-res files. You combine all of those using GLedge.exe, shit will hit the fan. This new shell makes sure to add the right files in, even checks them against what you want to load in (to prevent confusion and reliability). And yeah, so I wrote it with VB (it'll work with any version of Windows as well). Kiss my ass, haha. And it's called Iris Loader, and I'm almost finished with the program. It should be done in time for the Fusion test release, and if we do a rewrite, could also be a launcher for any other EDGE release (which is what we're hoping for). I'll write more about it soon.