Patch updates

Modding
#1

some Software as a Service (SaaS) applications include tools that allow you to track relaase-related changes. after making dev changes, you can run config report that shows you what was deleted, modfieid, and added. the tools vary along with the degree of granularity. Lacking canned reports, there are procedures such as SAS Proc Compare that can display all levels of comparison (at least of some file types). (fwiw, i heard SAS supports running code in Lua (Proc Lua) i guess akin to its support of SQL (Proc SQL))

so what? well, when WH changes folder structure or tinkers with objext X/ Y, or Z, the change report would list the changes (at least at a high level). posting the change report (here and elsewhere) would provide transparency and traceability for you modders . Anyhow, does this exist? if not, is this of interest to you?

1 Like
#2

I think you’re making this more complex than necessary.

You can just dump all the plain text files into version control. If you use Git SCM, you can also add binaries to version control as well, although that’s not as useful.

#3

The question raised is- is this of interest (eg modders)?

Obviously for parties making mods who like to actively support their mods- knowing if any dependencies have changed could help… they could be at work when some released notes become available.

Within fifteen minutes a twitter post (as an example) could update mod subscribers (users),… of any potential issues.

It could offer reassurances for a few parties.
A great follow on -proving helpful for Warhorse AND end users… a lot of issues revealed on these forum stems from mods.
Sometimes it takes a few days before we identify its a mod incompatibility causing an issue-here in the community pages, and nobdoubt WH QA gets lists for errors they may not need to address.

Knowledge is power, yes?

#4

It depends. If the need for regression testing/reverse compatability is a non-issue, yes. If it is an issue, then it may not be more complex than necessary

If there aren’t (many) interdependencies and if data/folder structure remains static, then the proposal won’t have much value. Given the one modder who posted a forum about folder change and given the fix and break nature of releases to date, thought there’s be value for those that work under the hood

#5

The whole intent is to list the areas to troubleshoot and triage for regression testing

#6

No, it doesn’t. Unless I’m misunderstanding you, version control records data/folder structure changes just fine.

#7

Version control organizes. It doesn’t tell you when you need to regression test. That’s a decision, not a structure.

Version control is essential to a traceability matrix, but a traceability matrix is much more.

The point isn’t to record data/folder structure for computers; the point is to port it to be used as a tool in support of risk-based decisionmaking to regression test and as a tool to provide traceability … if clients are to perform tech activities (insert script, modify/add config), having visibility to this can help, especially with a studio that mentions their small size as a constraint

The 2nd post production version broke existing functionality in spite of Git or whatever SCM software or strategy WH is using (introduced the torch bug). Same with the obsolete data rolled out with 1.4. Those were human error problems, not flat file dump control issues or a Git issue. If you look at the change file report and you see the torch .pak changed even though for that release there’s no bug fix for torches and no spec change for torches, you know something’s fishy.

#8

You’re in the Modding forum. I assumed you were talking about tools that are useful to modders.

#9

If you only care about changing the color of items x, y, z, what I’m describing is probably of little utility. But, the question is if you are doing some like Rise of the Commonwealth (FO4) which is expansive, extensive and collaborative, wouldn’t it be of use to know what WH is monkeying with (WH to modder change report) and what you and your collaborators have monkeyed with (internal modding group change report)?

#10

An example of when delta report would be useful…

#11

It seems you’ve already posted a high level version about what I’m talking about…

If the folder structure changed, what would display as output?

#12

Those are just lists of changed files from version control. Version control does show whether folder structures have changed from a files-centric perspective, such as whether files are removed and whether files are added. If I remove a folder containing a file from the repo, before I commit, the state of the file will change to “missing.” After I commit, the state of the file will change to “removed.”

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