Launcher Improvements
Posted: 09 Oct 2018, 23:06
Feel free to point me to the relevant thread if this has already been brought up, but I wanted to make a couple of requests/suggestions aimed primarily at post 1.0 improvements to the launcher.
1. I would like to see the OpenMW launcher have an option to launch external executables (similar to how Mod Organizer does so) from a drop down menu. In the case of ModOrganizer, this was used to do things like launching the base game, launching the script extender version of the game, launching a load order optimization tool, etc. In this case, I see the potential use cases of launching the vanilla morrowind (game or launcher), launching OpenMW, or later launching the OpenMW equivalent of other games. I am guessing that tes3mp will eventually merge with OpenMW, but it would also be nice to be able to launch tes3mp or the server browser from one place.
2. GUI .ini/.cfg editor. This does not seem like a huge deal right now, but as the dehardcoding begins, I imagine that a great number of new options will become available or accessible via config files. I know a lot of things will probably want to be kept out of reach for the average user, but in either case, I think it is possible that the .cfg files could grow and begin to include new settings that were not part of vanilla Morrowind. In these cases, having a GUI would allow the implementation of tooltips describing various options within the .cfg files.
3. Advanced graphics settings outside of the game. This isn't such a big deal now either, but as additional graphics options are added as the engine continues to improve, it would be nice to be able to set graphics settings outside of the game, while making modifications to .cfg files.
In addition to these improvements, I am split as to whether this should be implemented here or as a separate program, but it would be nice to get an OpenMW specific mod manager. This has been discussed before, but Nexus Mod Manager is open source, and Vortex, Nexus' new Mod Manager is GPL-3 licensed. Mod Organizer is also open source.
I had a couple other minor changes I'd like to see added at some point down the line as well:
Scalable GUI elements
Rename Content Lists
Tooltips for warnings in Data Files
Hide inactive in Data Files
Basic load order suggestions in Data Files
Remove Play tab and move the bottom bar to the top of the launcher.
Remove close button on said bar
Detect native resolution
I'm no programming whiz, but I'd be willing to take a shot at a couple of these with some help.
1. I would like to see the OpenMW launcher have an option to launch external executables (similar to how Mod Organizer does so) from a drop down menu. In the case of ModOrganizer, this was used to do things like launching the base game, launching the script extender version of the game, launching a load order optimization tool, etc. In this case, I see the potential use cases of launching the vanilla morrowind (game or launcher), launching OpenMW, or later launching the OpenMW equivalent of other games. I am guessing that tes3mp will eventually merge with OpenMW, but it would also be nice to be able to launch tes3mp or the server browser from one place.
2. GUI .ini/.cfg editor. This does not seem like a huge deal right now, but as the dehardcoding begins, I imagine that a great number of new options will become available or accessible via config files. I know a lot of things will probably want to be kept out of reach for the average user, but in either case, I think it is possible that the .cfg files could grow and begin to include new settings that were not part of vanilla Morrowind. In these cases, having a GUI would allow the implementation of tooltips describing various options within the .cfg files.
3. Advanced graphics settings outside of the game. This isn't such a big deal now either, but as additional graphics options are added as the engine continues to improve, it would be nice to be able to set graphics settings outside of the game, while making modifications to .cfg files.
In addition to these improvements, I am split as to whether this should be implemented here or as a separate program, but it would be nice to get an OpenMW specific mod manager. This has been discussed before, but Nexus Mod Manager is open source, and Vortex, Nexus' new Mod Manager is GPL-3 licensed. Mod Organizer is also open source.
I had a couple other minor changes I'd like to see added at some point down the line as well:
Scalable GUI elements
Rename Content Lists
Tooltips for warnings in Data Files
Hide inactive in Data Files
Basic load order suggestions in Data Files
Remove Play tab and move the bottom bar to the top of the launcher.
Remove close button on said bar
Detect native resolution
I'm no programming whiz, but I'd be willing to take a shot at a couple of these with some help.