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

[Marvin]

I'm, as always, for separating sound and graphic tweaks from the actual alteration of the spells. I don't think it is necessary to keep the two components in two separate installers, though, but if this makes it easier for you structurewise, you could obviously keep them in two separate packages.

Marvin

[Ieldra]

I'll chime in and say I'd like the separate downloads as much as possible. I'm trying to get the changed graphics and sounds to install independently of everything else and don't know if there is really nothing in the installation procedure that compromises the changes made by Spell Revisions. I'd also like the new spells as an extra download for the same reason, and because I'm unable to say from the name alone if a spell is new.

[melkor_morgoth75]

Just an idea ... what about packing spells per "school"? That would be great also for people using Devine Remix or mods such that or define the spells they're interested in. Once a group (example "alteration) has been chosen, u are then asked for any spell of that school to be installed or not.
In this way u can also give the option to install any spell of a school to the user directly without chosing any spell or skipping the whole school. I know its a bit of work, but ussually, more chioce an user can have, the better is.

Does it make sense?

Just my 2 cents of course,

mm75

[Galactygon]

That's equivalent to "each spell as an individual component", except you would be pressing less buttons if you want a particular spell, and more buttons if you want a large number of spells from different schools.

The spells are already grouped into wizard and priest spells; by your logic there would be groups within the groups. I don't have anything against your idea, but I don't even know if WeiDU can handle group hierarchies.

-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.

[Galactygon]

Folks, I made my decisions:

How should the component structure of B6 look like?
The votes between new spells in groups, modified (overriden) spells individually and each spell as an individual component are tied, and I consider that other vote to be part of each spell as an individual component, so that means it will mostly be option each spell as an individual component.

There will be exceptions to this rule, however. They will be spells that have identical occurances in the priest/wizard selection (ie Confusion, Finger of Death, Animate Dead). The other exception will be components that would conceptually make no sense installing individually. Examples: Protection from Normal and Magical Weapons, Greater and Minor Malison, and for later components: Fireshields Red and Blue, and so on.

At the beginning of the installer, you will be prompted to:
"Display Priest Spells of levels 1-3?"
"Display Priest Spells of levels 4-5?"
"Display Priest Spells of levels 6-8?"
"Display Wizard Spells of levels 1-3?"
"Display Wizard Spells of levels 4-6?"
"Display Wizard Spells of levels 7-9?"
So those who want a lot of components installed wouldn't have to press too many buttons (they would anyway), and people only looking for a few spells wouldn't need to go through the whole list to reach Meteor Swarm.

What should be done with Deathbolt?
The votes are tied as of 08-19-10, so I'm deciding that Deathbolt will be kept in SpellPack B6.

Should SpellTweaks and SpellPack be seperate downloads?
The votes overwhelmingly ask for a SpellTweaks, which I will start coding today.

-Galactygon

This post has been edited by Galactygon: Aug 19 2010, 06:07 AM