Multiple games running from same install?

[Daniel]

Archived from groups: alt.games.neverwinter-nights (More info?)

I'd like to set up a way to have multiple games running from the same
install files (different save directory though for each...to prevent
over-writing saves...this is on someone's XP Home system).
Here is my ideas:
1) Write a batch file to rename that person's save folder to the correct
"saves" folder, run the game, pause the batch file, when game is closed they
let the file finish (press any key) & let it rename folder back to temp
name. Have 4 different batch files, 1 for each user (of 4).
2) Make a few copies of the main EXE file & other files in it's immediate
directory (along with it's INI files) & point the mail directories to the
same set of ones.

Scenerio 2 looks OK, but in the install of a system I'm looking at (before
trying any of this), there are 25 folders, 16 of which are listed in the
games "NWN.INI" file (1 of it's 17 listed folders doesn't exist), the other
9 (shown below) are not listed. Anyone know if it would be OK to leave out
or just copy (each time with the main files) the following folders & their
contents? Also what about having all 4 games' "NWN.INI" files pointing back
to the same folders (except for saves folder, which would be "saves1"
"saves2" "saves3" "saves4")?

Folders not accounted for in any INI file (player has installed some mods &
other quests, some may be from them?).
data
docs
ereg
miles
portraits
scripttemplates
source
texturepack (has 3 files, all rather large, about 200MB total, a 16MB, 74MB
& over 100MB file).
utils

--

Daniel danielhw@mail.com

--

There are 10 types of people in this world...
....those that understand binary & those that don't.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.neverwinter-nights (More info?)

"Daniel" <daniel_h_wATyahooDOTcom> wrote in message
news:tISdnTIwQpYdmTXdRVn-sw@giganews.com...
> I'd like to set up a way to have multiple games running from the same
> install files (different save directory though for each...to prevent
> over-writing saves...this is on someone's XP Home system).
> Here is my ideas:
> 1) Write a batch file to rename that person's save folder to the
correct
> "saves" folder, run the game, pause the batch file, when game is closed
they
> let the file finish (press any key) & let it rename folder back to temp
> name. Have 4 different batch files, 1 for each user (of 4).
> 2) Make a few copies of the main EXE file & other files in it's
immediate
> directory (along with it's INI files) & point the mail directories to the
> same set of ones.
>
SNIP

Much simpler just to have each player prefix his savegames with his name. Of
course you can't use Quicksave or depend on Autosaves but that isn't much of
a problem if you save frequently.

Hugh

 

[Daniel]

Archived from groups: alt.games.neverwinter-nights (More info?)

> Much simpler just to have each player prefix his savegames with his name.
Of
> course you can't use Quicksave or depend on Autosaves but that isn't much
of
> a problem if you save frequently.
>
Cant do that one due to wanting to not limit the number of saves as much (x
number of saves total is only "1/4 x" for 4 people).
But much bigger problem is accedental overwriting. This being on an XP
system with different profiles wont be a big problem if each had seperate
access to their own folders.

Has this not ever been tried? Do you know what the other folders are for or
what happens if I were to mess with this idea (the one of multiple game
directories all refferencing the same set of install files with 4 different
save folders)?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.neverwinter-nights (More info?)

> Has this not ever been tried? Do you know what the other folders are for
or
> what happens if I were to mess with this idea (the one of multiple game
> directories all refferencing the same set of install files with 4
different
> save folders)?

Why don't use the batch file method instead?

Modify the link to launch "NWN Launcher" to run the batch first, use the
environment variables to find out the current username and its profile
directory, copy files over to NWN Save directory. Then start NWN launcher
like normal, and wait for its termination. Then copy files back to profile
directory.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.neverwinter-nights (More info?)

"Daniel" <daniel_h_wATyahooDOTcom> wrote in
news:RqedncyhO52z0zTd4p2dnA@giganews.com:

>> Much simpler just to have each player prefix his savegames with his
>> name.
> Of
>> course you can't use Quicksave or depend on Autosaves but that isn't
>> much
> of
>> a problem if you save frequently.
>>
> Cant do that one due to wanting to not limit the number of saves as
> much (x number of saves total is only "1/4 x" for 4 people).

But x is something obscene like 100000, isn't it?

> But much bigger problem is accedental overwriting. This being on
> an XP
> system with different profiles wont be a big problem if each had
> seperate access to their own folders.

Well, it'd have to be purposeful, because it asks you for the name of the
game.

> Has this not ever been tried? Do you know what the other folders are
> for or what happens if I were to mess with this idea (the one of
> multiple game directories all refferencing the same set of install
> files with 4 different save folders)?

The problem is, the folders not listed in the INI file are rather large,
and are subject to change with patches. From experience with other games
(namely The Sims), the batchfile method would be the best. Just make sure
to test it with the other users active, first, since I don't know if/how
ownership will affect the folders in XP.

--
Andrew Timson
==============================
Benford's Corollary to Clarke's Law:
"Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced."