Surveys for B6 Options

[Galactygon]

After a 2 year break, I will be doing work on the SpellPack mod, starting with some surveys.

Component structure of B6:
Thanks to Ascension's and Taimon's hacks, I will be doing things a bit differently now. No longer will I have a dilemma of replacing existing spells so that I can meet the "only-24-spells-per-level" quota. With this freedom, I intend to restructure the component setup of the next version of SpellPack, with more options to customize SpellPack installs, more cleaner and low-key solutions.

I am asking you: how should the component structure of B6 look like? This will not affect the content of B6.

Existing setup - New spells and modified (overriden) spells are in small groups. B5 and earlier versions are using this setup. The difference now will be that there will be no more "x replaces y". New spells get their own files. The main up for this setup is speeding up installation time.

New spells in groups, modified (overriden) spells individually - New spells are grouped in small groups (usually according to spell level), modified spells are individual components - exceptions to this rule are spells that appear more than once (ie. Animate Dead as a wizard or priest spell). Upside: customized install as far existing content is concerned. Downside: A large number of components to go through and install.

Each spell as an individual component - The upside is a customized install, the downside is the large number of components (more than 100). Exceptions are spells that appear more than once for multiple classes (as above).

Other - If you have something to share, go for it.

Deathbolt:
This was an experimental spell, so far I haven't heard positive or negative feedback about it. You might by wondering why remove a component from SpellPack. This single spell takes up 6.8 Mb out of the 45.1 Mb download size. The spell forces you to watch a cutscene (PS:T style). What should I do with Deathbolt?

Keep it as it is - Deathbolt will no longer override Simulacrum, you will have to download the spell even if you don't like it. Less work for me, more work for you.

Upload it as a seperate mini-mod - As above except you are not forced to download that extra 6.8 Mb if you know you won't like it.

Completely remove it - Speaks for itself.

Should SpellTweaks and SpellPack be seperate downloads: Earlier versions of SpellPack include graphics and sound tweaks. B6 will expand on that to include more tweaks that do not overwrite files. Should I split tweaks into a seperate download, or continue to release them as components of SpellPack?

-Galactygon

[Jarno Mikkola]

Component structure of B6:

Well, I like more options, so definitely make the new spells in one component, and the others... if you cannot really make them into being 'new spells' with renaming, then put them into another package or a few packages, and then make it clear with each component in the readme that which spells each of them overwrites.

Deathbolt:

Keep it as it is, the size really doesn't matter.