steam release issues

[664a796a254cebanaman]

hi, I've ran into a bit of a problem with your installer... you see, SS2 has been released on steam, but without the ability to play multiplayer (even though I could have SWORN it was a promised feature update for there version)

so I was trying to add it this way...
one problem.
your installer FORCES you to not be able to install into program files folder whatsoever.
steam FORCES you to install SS2 into it's own folder designed for it... which is, you guessed it, inside the program files folder.
end result: can't install without manually moving folders around... which, I'm sure I don't normally have to mention but will anyways... doesn't work at all.

while I appreciate you guys trying to make the installer 'idiotproof' by forcing them to find a folder not in program files... you have throughly screwed me over by not making it a warning, like most people do, and instead forcing it on them.

[664a796a2566bbanaman]

for those of you that are running into this same problem, there is a quick fix for it however...

once you locate the folder it has been installed to (open the system shock 2 properties and select 'browse local files' if you don't know where) move the ENTIRE contents of the folder to another location (like c:\games)  then mod the game in the new location... once done, move the ENTIRE contents of the folder back... this appears to have worked for me.

my mistake earlier, was I moved just the .exe file by itself... idk why I thought that would work.  lol.

[664a796a25a8fZylonBane]

idk why I thought that would work.  lol.

Image: http://www.rustywalrus.com/images/lg/5j.jpg


Also, this is why most people should move the Steam games folder somewhere else. Program Files is far too locked down anymore for it to work with older games.

[664a796a25d8fOlfred]

With steam you can als select where you want to have the game installed.
This was patched in some while ago.

[664a796a25f1fvoodoo47]

can't say for sure as I'm not using steam, but judging from the posts at TTLG and steam forums, steam will perform a file restore if you patch/modify the files, breaking the entire game in the process. so using steam to copy the game into an unprotected location is not enough, you have to make sure steam will keep its paws away from the game files completely - as long as they are part of the steam system, there is potential for malfunctions.

[664a796a26029Olfred]

well you can tell steam to not patch the game. I guess that would prevent it from doing anything with the files.

I applied some fan patches on the Deus Ex I own on steam and never had any trouble with steam replacing any files.

[664a796a26121voodoo47]

ok, but still, if you have a release which works (GOG) vs a release that works only when you set it up properly (steam), the choice should be pretty clear.

but no sense in arguing, when someone likes his top notch steak with tesco ketchup, then he just does.

[664a796a26596Enchantermon]

Also, this is why most people should move the Steam games folder somewhere else. Program Files is far too locked down anymore for it to work with older games.

This. I have a separate folder into which I install anything that I anticipate having to alter the files of, just to avoid any conflicts like this.

[664a796a266b1Tarvis]

Steam will only verify the files if it updates or you tell it do do it manually.

Anyway, according to the store page the game is patched to 2.4 (NewDark!) which means it has a leg up on the GOG release already!

[664a796a2678fvoodoo47]

the GOG version also uses 2.4, so if you think that steam has an advantage, then no, it does not (unless it uses NewDark 2.42).

[664a796a269e0Marvin]

So, would you still recommend to copy the Steam release somewhere else, voodoo?

[664a796a26b00voodoo47]

yes, but do note that I'm a paranoid drm/closed environment/steam hater. it should work fine if you just disable the auto-update feature (or whatever is it called). should.

[664a796a26c37Zanderat]

I don't hate Steam.  But the GOG version is simply better, for a lot of reasons..........

[664a796a26ec8krist2]

the GOG version also uses 2.4, so if you think that steam has an advantage, then no, it does not (unless it uses NewDark 2.42).

just saw a post on steam that it uses 2.42

http://steamcommunity.com/app/238210/discussions/0/828938532713030111/

@voodoo47
he he, just saw that it was you in this post...

[664a796a27137Tarvis]

I don't hate Steam.  But the GOG version is simply better, for a lot of reasons..........

If you reinstall SSTool or NewDark then it overwrites any steam DRM that may have been in the .exe.

Chances are it didn't have any to begin with though, a lot of third-party Steam games are like that.

EDIT: According to this the game is indeed DRM-free. It will run completely independent of Steam.

[664a796a272b4Kolya]

Installing SS2Tool on the Steam version is currently not a good idea.
A good idea would be to either wait until Night Dive/Steam have fixed their game version or buy at GOG.com because their game works now that we've been through all this with them before.

[664a796a273b0Marvin]

Just a thought: Would applying voodoo's fixes and placing a dummy gog.ico file in the main folder enable the SS2Tool to work or does the Steam release have bigger problems?

[664a796a27486Kolya]

It would be better to wait. Voodoo47 is currently working with Night Dive/Steam on a working game version.

[664a796a275d6Kolya]

Last Sunday me and voodoo have relayed an SS2 version to Night Dive that isn't prepatched with SS2Tool, but still works out of the box, uses New Dark 2.42, can be modded out of the box and can be upgraded with SS2Tool 5.1 and later versions.
It's up to them to deploy that version on Steam of course. 

[664a796a276f6voodoo47]

also mentioned here. unfortunately, the Night Dive guy I have been communicating with has logged off before actually receiving the build, and he hasn't been online ever since, so they are probably not even in the test phase yet.

//he was online when I was asleep, that means with a bit of luck, they are already testing the build.