Selecting maps and custom maps while hosting?

[quiet]

A couple questions about hosting and maps:

1. Is there a way to choose exactly what maps you want to play - or can you only choose 'cycle'?

2. How do I install custom maps and choose only those to be cycled?

Thank you very much and sorry if this has been answered before.

:)

[Rüstinsk]

there are some some very sharp programmers out there who have written code that will actually go in and read and alter data from game memory while running. some have used this code to create cheats, while others have written very useful programs that allow you to easily select which maps & in which order to host. unfortunately, no one to my knowledge has made such a program for C4. :(

i suggest that you create 2 folders in your C4 directory. name 1 folder "pff_original", and the other "pff_mine".

copy your c4odata.pff file into both of those folders (this file is 130 some mb)

using ravens pff tool open the c4odata.pff in the pff_mine folder, select filter to show BMS files, select them all (click on the 1st one, hold shift & then down arrow) right click & choose delete. -- close tool

now, to host only custom maps, copy the c4odata.pff from "pff_mine" folder to the C4 directory.

to revert back to all maps, copy the c4odata.pff from your "pff_original" folder to the C4 directory.

another option (and this is what i did) is to do another seperate install, and then delete the BMS files from the c4odata.pff in one of them & create a "C4 host" shortcut to the c4.exe.

i've been typing for a few minutes now, i hope this all makes sense. if not, please let me know.

Edited to add "in the pff_mine folder"

[Edited on 8-14-2002 by Rüstinsk]

[SPACE CASE]

Rustinsk,
Do you suggest a Large/Small install? Could u clarify which would be more beneficial? Am currently running at
75% resources free. Another Large
install probably wouldn't tax my
system below the point of 71%
resources, eh? When running C4, what
is the "suggested" system resources free
78%?:D
Finally met QUIET in the C4
NovaWorld town, when will i ever
meet u Rustinsk, also, what about
that Hex editor thing, so i can right
your name correctly?
Thanks SPACE CASE.:D

[Charger]

I know you directed your question to Rus but if you don't mind my opinion. I don't see that a few points on resoureses are going to make that much of a difference when your playing your game, the larger install seems to work best because it installs all the files needed to run C4 right to the HD, so inturn the game isn't relying on useing the CD as much to pull files. If you use selective startup config, you can eliminate all the programs not needed to load on bootup. The truth is, providing your running win98, you don't need to have all the programs start up when you boot up, except firewall of course, Explorer and systray. Windows will start fine with just those programs running in config startup, thus helping the resourse problem that much more. I've never had any porblems not running virus program on startup to go on-line and play any game, unless I was downloading or surfing the internet or checking mail so its possible to exicute those programs when needed and leave them sleeping while palying on-line games. Hope this made sense cause I'm hungry and dinners ready and I can't think staright while food is waiting..hehehe.

Yea, what he said ^

you dont need a hex editor to generate those characters, just open up your character map (charmap.exe)

it's just that on the pilot name screen in c4 it does not allow special characters.

so, if you wanted to change your pilot name from SPACE CASE to something like §Ñ@ĈÓ Ĉ@§Ó, you can open your c4player.sav file with a hex editor and search & replace your pilot name. make sure you have a backup copy of that file because you may have to try it a few times. not all characters will show up.



[Edited on 8-22-2002 by Rustinsk]

it looks like this forum doesn't like special characters either

[SPACE CASE]

Will follow your advice Anthony, and
"what he said^" Rus advice, hehe.
I have always wondered if my computer
needs all those tasks running? For real,
that should free up a few more points.
Now I have to figure out how to do the
selective set-up config, will meander
around and figure it out.:)
Thanks Anthony and Rustinsk.
:D

[SPACE CASE]

off topic.
is there anyway to get my saved pilots
back, without c4plyrsav? If the program
stores the values anywhere else besides
c4plyrsav? Wow, how slipminded of me, Will be darn near 20000 kills LOST, 8 months
of hard work and flying. well anyhow, hope
he shines on me?:)

[SPACE CASE]

someone was most certainly watching
down on me. NortonSysWks is a life saver,
did NortonWindoc and THANK YOU UP ABOVE, from your man spoonie luv, heheheheh. Have all my kills, as well as
deaths, but hey have to take the bad
with the good. Back to the desktop.

[SPACE CASE]

Charger,
thanks much on the startup issue, regarding resources. Was able to locate
"startup config" wow, you are right about
all those senseless programs starting up
on bootup. Had like 20 on startup config, hehe, is alot. Did widdle it down to a select
few, being that i had the information on
each program. which i didn't get in ctrl+alt+del. was always a click and hold my breath. as to not shutdown any program that is essential to Win98 operation. Now i have 88-90% free. seems like the Nova world page launchs much faster now.
thanks again Charger(where's my stoggie?)hehe.:D

[Edited on 8-26-2002 by SPACE CASE]

[Charger]

Just posting this for anyone else interested in trying the Selective Start Up process, most people already know this I'm sure.

This is for WIndows98, not sure if its the same for XP or other.
In System Information,
(Start-Programs-Accesories-System Tools-System Information-Tools-System Configuration Utility)
Under the General Tab press Selective startup, making sure only...
Process System.ini file
Process Win.ini file and
Load startup group items are checked

Config.sys and Autoexec.bat are not checked.
Under the Startup tab
Uncheck any programs you are sure you do not need to have start on boot up.

System Tray and Explorer have to be checked no matter what, they need to start.

Make sure when doing this procedure you uncheck programs that your certain will not affect the fuction of your computer..When in doubt, leave it alone.

Legal stuff: I can not be held responsible for any harm to your computer in any way shape or form, though my computer has never blown up from doing this, God only knows what it will do if your useing a Packard Bell, we may see the end of mankind as we know it!:D:cool:

[quiet]

I found out that some maps's filenames are too long to put in "c4odata.pff" - they are so long it cuts of their name and/or extension.

The only fix was to rename them shorter names before putting them in.

Might want to make a note of that or have the authors change the filename length. If not, people will just have to know to do so if they want to include them in the file.

I noted it here:

http://www.geocities.com/c4guide/#custommaps

:)

[Charger]

I'll keep that in mind:cool: