SCS latest and EET_end

[Daxtreme]

Hey guys,

A few people in the Discord have been wondering the correct mod install order now that SCS requires EET_end to be installed before installing SCS.

Basically, here's how it was before (from what I could gather):

Install EET

Install most mods

Install SCS

Install Tweaks

Install EET_end (possibly invert that and Tweaks, not sure)

Now SCS requires EET_end to be installed before so what becomes of the order above? New tentative order:

Install EET

Install most mods

Install EET_end

Install SCS

Install Tweaks?

 

Just wanted to discuss with you guys what should be the accepted general order going forward, because I don't think many people know that SCS has to be installed after EET_end yet.

Edited July 12, 2019 by Daxtreme

[DavidW]

Yeah, I'd probably do EET - most mods - EET_end - SCS - Tweaks. (But heaven knows I'm not an expert on EET)

[K4thos]

there was a minor  compatibility issue  with SCS up until recently, but from what I see latest SCS contains a code to read all PDIALOG.2DA data from CAMPAIGN.2DA, so it's already resolved.

Let's see what EET_end does:

- merge NPC separate JOIN dialog files if present (updating all references in game, state numbers, automatic PID patched if not properly filtered yet. All of it is done after other mods are already installed, so those mods don't have to worry about different state numbers etc. during installation.)

- ensures that all 2DA files referenced in CAMPAIGN.2DA have all entries (so that entries from campaign files imported from BG1 are appended to BG2 ones)

- generates lua code biography tables, depending on which campaign is selected (used as a replacement for hardcoded biography in EE engine)

- generates SoA item importation code (done at the end, so that other mods can add items valid for importation - see documentation)

- prepares files needed for optional save updating that can be done on completely new EET installation (exports TLK files and starting string number that will be used for save patching)

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I can't see how any of these changes could conflict with other mods, if those mods are installed earlier. The only known potential conflict is the fact that BG1/SoD PDIALOG.2DA entries are not appended up until EET_end is installed and some mods read this file to get the NPC data. But the same is true for vanilla SoD and the conflict is already resolved by SCS and is not present in subtledoctor’s mods (since he is using variant of this function). I will check if this is the case for Tweaks Anthology and send a pull request if needed.

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The general rule of installation is following:

1. Install EET
2. Install all mods
3. Install EET_end

While nothing wrong should happen if you install SCS after EET_end (since SCS doesn't reference JOIN dialogue state numbers or append to these files, also I don't think it adds strings referenced in save files), this should not be the recommended install order (in faqs, etc.) considering nothing wrong will happen if you install them the other way around – so there is no basis for changing the general EET installation rule for SCS. The more exceptions of the rules the more confusing the installation process.

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Keep in mind that IWD-in-EET mod will optionally append code to EET_end that will be responsible for converting all game resources to support IWD2 style multi-classing system (and some other minor stuff that should be installed after other mods in order to make them fully compatible), and that code will definitely have to be installed after SCS and any other tweak mod. See discussion regarding ClassMask and EEex_MatchObject here for more info.

Edited July 13, 2019 by K4thos

[DavidW]

I do reference JOIN dialogs (very occasionally) but I specifically allow for EET in doing so. 

K4thos, I think you’re underestimating how much complexity it adds to something as fiddly as SCS if everything has to be coded to have the right effect not in itself, but after another complex mod has been overlaid on it. I appreciate it makes install instructions simpler to say ‘always put EET_end last’, but you could say that for Tweaks or SCS too.

[Daxtreme]

Thanks for the explanation k4thos!

Random suggestion as I'm nowhere near as knowledgeable as you guys but...

Could there be a 2nd EET_end for the truly, truly, last-of-everything things, especially with the IWD in EET stuff coming?

Like

1. Install EET
2. Install most mods
3. Install EET_end
4. Install SCS + Tweaks
5. Install EET_final

Maybe it's a crap suggestion but who knows, just throwing it out there