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Loading skins from another directory
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 5:53 pm
by Kayla Zieral
Hi,
I'm not sure if its do-able but could you maybe make it so that skins can load from another directory, just to keep the base folder all tidy, because mine is getting a little stuffy, and probably some other's are.
Maybe like have it under the /rpmod/skins directory.
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 6:06 pm
by Geth'tee
yeah that could help with the overload and because of so MANY skins half of them not showing up in-game.
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 6:21 pm
by Ctathos
That directory would then be just as chaotic as your base folder, making it obsolete.
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 6:38 pm
by Soh Raun
This is not possible anyway, PK3s are loaded by the executable, which is out of my reach. You can only put them in the Base folder, or in the mod folder (so here, rpmod), but not in a sub-directory.
Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 6:23 am
by Kayla Zieral
Ok, No problem, just a suggestion.
Base Folder Organization
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:25 pm
by Grant Hammerhoof
One way you might try organizing your Base folder is by using PakScape or some other .pk3 editing program to make a new .pk3 folder and move all other .pk3 contents into this new .pk3.
For example, I went through my base folder and moved all the files within player model and skin .pk3s into a .pk3 I called "Models and Skins". I then deleted the numerous .pk3s that were no longer needed. I did this with maps and general modifications as well.
But it's pretty simple and works fine, and it cleans up the base folder pretty well. You might give it a try! 
Edit: Changed font color so the boldness doesn't boggle one's eyes...
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:44 pm
by Geth'tee
jk3 can read pk3 inside pk3s?
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:26 am
by Grant Hammerhoof
Heh, no, no, matey.
Let's say you downloaded the Gamorrean player model. Opening the .pk3 you'll find a folder called 'models'. Within that is 'players\<model>\<model>'. You'll probably find 'shaders', 'sounds', and maybe 'ext_data' and 'botfiles'.
What you do is you make a new .pk3, and take those folders and put them into your new .pk3. Now you have a new .pk3 file with the Gamorrean player model's files in it. Now you take a second player model .pk3, say ObiWan, and put its folders within your new .pk3.
Now your new .pk3 contains the files that allow you to use both the Gamorrean and ObiWan. Save it, delete the gamorrean.pk3 and Obiwan.pk3, and now the game reads your .pk3 as the source of those two models. Then you put in the folders from the rest of your .pk3s, so that you have one big .pk3 with all your downloaded/created player models and skins in it. That way you merely have to manage a single .pk3, rather than having your base folder cluttered with dozens of .pk3s.
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 3:53 am
by Larkit
Then it'll be darn difficult, to remove/update a skin, map etc. Not mentioning how unorganized your skins will become, after cluttering them all up, in one single file.
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:46 pm
by Grant Hammerhoof
Well hey, it was just a suggestion. I personally spend a lot of time looking into modding, and usually look inside newly downloaded models, maps and skins, learning what files are associated with that mod so that I can update and such with ease.
I understand that doesn't apply to everyone o'course, but Kayla asked if there was a way to ''just to keep the base folder all tidy'', and so that's what I offered as a solution, though there are some drawbacks of course, like there are with many things.
My only other suggestion would be to rename the .pk3s to things like, 'Model_Luke' and 'Model_Anakin', or 'Map_Yavin', 'Mod_Saberblade', etcetera, so that they're in some kind of order. 
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:11 am
by Larkit
There was no offence, just mentioning how much less organized it will become.
However, your last idea seems a lot more attractive, although I have no problem with my base folder.
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:26 am
by Ctathos
Ctathos wrote:That directory would then be just as chaotic as your base folder, making it obsolete.
Let me rephrase this for everyone.
No matter how you intend to 'clean up' the folder, another file/folder/pack will be just as chaotic in the
exact same way. The format is fixed.
Now to ask a few
rhetorical questions.
- Do you really need to know exactly what every PK3 in your base folder is and its purpose?
- Are you so low on hard drive space that you have to get rid of that extra 50MB of useless skins?
- Is it worth your time, which you can never have back, to rename all the files so that you can know (see question one) what each file is?
I expect no more replies.
Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:14 am
by Grant Hammerhoof
It's not my sort of thing to revive a topic such as this merely to add personal opinion, however there are many times in which I personally like to know what .pk3s contain what files, as it allows me to modify game content and organize things much better, which saves time in the long run. Next up would be hard drive space, but I personally don't have a problem with it. I've got the room for the 'useless' skins, but sometimes it's necessary to remove things I don't use, to keep JA' running smoothly all the same.
And last, time that is used, which we can never have back. If organizing a computer folder is so wasteful of one's time, why are so many here playing a video game, which has very little positive impact on the progress of our lives? Or, why do I take the time to organize the folders in the filing cabinet next to me?
Heh. Anywho, didn't want to spark a debate or argument or anything; just wanted to show an opinion that rather counters your expectations.