I'm currently working on a batch file that leads you through the whole installation process of Morroblivion, unzipping files and starting all the necessary programs. Just wanted to check if anyone is interested in this?
This is what i've got so far:
You place all the required installation files, such as Support Files etc, in a directory and the batch files does the rest in the correct order and finally launches the Morrowind_ob.esm Master File Installer.
Sorry...
People keep proposing installers because a full-blown Morroblivion is a pain to install. But proposed installers always do one of two things:
1) Duplicate the existing functionality of Wrye Bash or OBMM -- in which case, those tools are much better suited, and people need to just accept that and learn to use one of them
or
2) Do a full blown executable installer -- in which case this has its own problems that are described in the FAQ.
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As an alternative, I've thought about releasing a single file (or OMOD) after each version update that has all of the Morroblivion files, all of the miscellaneous texture packs, and all of eloth's visual overhaul, with everything set up properly all in one download. The end user would still have to install it, as well as Vvardenfell Imports, Ely's silent voice, OBSE, the Amelexia Race, and the Unnofficial Oblivion patch though.
I haven't talked to David or eloth to see if that would be kosher with them though, and I haven't really had the time since I've been travelling a lot for work lately. It would also have to be wrapped in the executable that checks to see if you own Morrowind, which, right now, only David or I can do.
The alternative you're talking about is a really good suggestion that I think would spare many hours of mod-installing.
Basically I tried this batch thing out after doing the 14 steps in the installation instructions file and thought that a machine would do that job (extracting multiple files/copying them in the right order etc. etc.) better, faster and without my human error.
I'm not suggesting a one-click-installer. More like a guide that interactively asks you the questions about which files to install (and which ones are required for Morroblivion to run) and then does it. It saves me half an hour of manually extracting and copying files in the right order to the oblivion installation.
The modularity of the Morroblivion project would be intact since you download the files you want yourself and place them in a directory and then let the batch file do the job according to the steps in the installation file. It's not bundling, just following and combining the mods like I manually do through the instructions, only faster and in the correct order. The official Morrowind_ob.esm Master File Installer exe would launch in vanilla mode without modification. Only started automatically.
If Wyre bash and OBMM works with installing Morroblivion, why bother having a huge step-to-step guide to do it and not a guide for using Wyre and/or OBMM?
Morroblivion is, like you say, a pain to install. And I would like to help in any way possible to ease this process down :) I'm not criticizing, only trying to come with ideas and workforce.
I can see how installing Morroblivion could be a pain, but after re-installing FCOM about 6 times, everything else is a piece of cake, lol. It just takes some practice for people to install these large mods. If you are careful enough in the instructions, everything should be fine. And if you mess something up, then you hopefully learned from your mistakes and can install it much better the next time around.
Well, there are numerous guides online for using Wrye Bash and OBMM, as well as a text description of using Bash and links to other tutorials on the FAQ here at morroblivion.com. Further there is a video installation guide on the installation page that goes through the basics of Bash.
In any case, if you think you can write a DOS program that complex, that will be able to handle the way filenames change with different versions and all of the different permutations that are possible with different mods, than go ahead :-D Alternatively, you could also write an install script for OBMM or a wizard script for Bash that would perform a similar function (i.e. automate installation through asking a series of questions.)
I'm not saying a batch file is superior to wrye or obmm, just that it would be ideal and pretty simple to create to follow the installation steps described in the readme. This would potentially open up morroblivion for users that aren't wizards in modding to try it out because learning these pretty advanced tools can be hard.
I know I'll get 'bashed' for this, but the Wrye programs (bash,mash, etc) are very hard to use and there is a serious learning curve associated with them. The only thing I'll use OBMM for is to set load order, or convert a master to an esp or an esp to a master. This version of 'Morroblivion' is the most complicated install I have ever seen. It relies on huge mods from several different sources, requires shivering isles, and you better install everything in the right sequence. Believe it when they say "this mod is not compatible with other mods" .. Some otherwise innocent Oblivion mods can cause morroblivion to crash or behave badly. Others just fail to work.
No disagreement from me.
Morroblivion is in
beta beta beta beta beta beta beta beta beta beta beta beta beta beta beta beta beta
Things will get better...
Every mod that's ever been made available to the community started life in "Beta" and remains in "Beta" forever. Has any mod (ever) got past the 'beta' stage?
I found why some of these mods that need to be included in the morroblivion install are so big. VVardenfellArmor is huge mostly because the modder included everything he's ever made in the meshes and textures folders. If he had just included the actual morroblivion stuf his mod would have been much smaller. (but then it wouldn't have been quite as impressive)
![[External image]](http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/2940/morroblivionbatch.th.jpg){kind=link}
FAQ
I don't mean to rain on your parade, and it looks like you've put a lot of time into this, but please don't do this - please read the FAQ regarding why there is no 1-click installer.
If you just want to make a program that copies all of the miscellaneous files from one directory to the oblivion directory, and backs up the oblivion directory, why wouldn't you use Wrye Bash or OBMM, which do the exact same thing but much more efficiently?
Wyre Bash: