[WIP] Mator Smash

[Mator]

v0.4 released.  Record prototyping is now working perfectly. 

[DsevenO]

I use this app religiously now, so any updates get my full attention. Not being particularly savvy with Github, I'm wondering what files to download for the newest version. What I've downloaded doesn't have the same folder structure and doesn't have an executable. I would be eternally grateful for any guidance

[Nebulous112]

https://github.com/matortheeternal/smash/releases/tag/0.4

Download "MatorSmash.zip".

[DsevenO]

Thank you kindly.

[alt3rn1ty]

14 hours ago, Mator said:

v0.4 released.  Record prototyping is now working perfectly. 

Does this mean aswell as smashing records, MS will now smash sub-records ?

and that also applies for Skyrim / SSE / FO4 ?

[Mator]

5 hours ago, alt3rn1ty said:

Does this mean aswell as smashing records, MS will now smash sub-records ?

and that also applies for Skyrim / SSE / FO4 ?

Mator Smash has been able to smash sub-records since the beginning.  The difference with this update is it's now able to smash ALL subrecords (some were being missed before).  It's important to note, however, that auto-set attributes makes it so that all subrecords are treated as a single entity, so subrecord values are not merged unless you configure your smash settings accordingly.

Yes, this applies to all games Smash supports (TES4 / TES5 / SSE / FO3 / FNV / FO4).

[Mator]

Here's developer build v0.4.1, which includes a fix to recognizing sorted arrays when record prototyping and a rebuilt Smash.All setting for Skyrim.  This should fix how Smash.All was handling leveled lists and other arrays.

[alt3rn1ty]

A few unintuitive parts I feel ..

 

First hurdle, you have a really old video which does not match the newer features, for example the initial plugin selection screen similar to xEdit ..

 

the video goes straight to the splash screen .. which by-the-way is still glitchy on Win 10x64 ..

 

The plugin selection has a ghosted Okay button, and will only unghost if you select masters.

Question: Why are they not auto selected ( when all other plugins are ) if selecting masters is necessary to proceed ?

 

Next part of the video - All about setting it up in MO, which is irrelevant to anyone not using it ( and is no longer supported by its author who has gone on to be employed by Nexus reprogramming NMM ). Are users going to think they need an unsupported tool aswell so as to use MS properly ?

 

Eventually figured out that the reason I could not build a new patch is because I needed to set the output path for the patch, which is odd that the utility can configure itself to find installed games via the registry keys and present you with a selection of games profiles, but does not default an output path for the main event ( and strangely the patch gets put into a folder inside Data and not in Data when so configured )

 

Anyhow hope some of the points made above are helpful for the project, though you probably realise some of them already. I still think most users just aren't going to be able to understand this well enough to make good use of it. Smash.all everything is most likely to be used because going any deeper or selecting tags per mod they do not understand will be either random or just avoided. Fingers crossed it becomes more intuitive in that respect as development progresses, I personally dont feel qualified enough to be making suggestions for settings. Just not expert enough at that level 

[Mator]

1. Shouldn't you be thankful there's a video at all?  Yeah, the video is a bit outdated, but the majority of what it goes over is still correct.  The application is still in Alpha, I won't be making a new video until it's fully released because it quite frankly isn't worth my time.
2. The OK button is disabled (not "ghosted") because there are required masters that aren't selected.  They most likely aren't selected because they don't appear in loadorder.txt, so the program added them manually and that code doesn't lead them to be automatically selected.  Should be an easy fix.
3. 62% of Skyrim mod users use MO.  The video I made was created prior to Tannin being recruited to work on NMM.  If a section of video doesn't apply to you just skip it, is that really so hard?  No need to whine.
4. Fixed the issue with the patch destination folder not being set automatically.  It should get set automatically but the code execution order had it getting set to an empty string.
5. The reason it gets placed inside of a folder in the data path is because Mator Smash was developed specifically with MO users in mind.  The folder thing was supposed to be fixed awhile ago though.  Fixing now.
6. A fair number of users have been having good results using the program.  Making smash settings isn't as difficult as you'd think - if you know how to manually patch things in xEdit then you can make a smash setting to do the job.


Thanks for your feedback, I'm looking forward to pushing an update soon to address some of the issues you've brought up.

[alt3rn1ty]

On 2/27/2017 at 6:44 AM, Mator said:

2. The OK button is disabled (not "ghosted") because there are required masters that aren't selected.  They most likely aren't selected because they don't appear in loadorder.txt, so the program added them manually and that code doesn't lead them to be automatically selected.  Should be an easy fix.
3. 62% of Skyrim mod users use MO.  The video I made was created prior to Tannin being recruited to work on NMM.  If a section of video doesn't apply to you just skip it, is that really so hard?  No need to whine.
4. Fixed the issue with the patch destination folder not being set automatically.  It should get set automatically but the code execution order had it getting set to an empty string.
5. The reason it gets placed inside of a folder in the data path is because Mator Smash was developed specifically with MO users in mind.  The folder thing was supposed to be fixed awhile ago though.  Fixing now.
6. A fair number of users have been having good results using the program.  Making smash settings isn't as difficult as you'd think - if you know how to manually patch things in xEdit then you can make a smash setting to do the job.


Thanks for your feedback, I'm looking forward to pushing an update soon to address some of the issues you've brought up.

 

2. Ah understood - That will be due to the new Loading mechanism Bethesda put in place for Skyrim SE, the games masters do not go in plugins.txt, they are just loaded automatically in the correct order by SSE engine, and only mod plugins end up in plugins.txt, with Active plugins having a star before the plugin name ..

*Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch.esp
*SimplyBiggerTreesSE.esp
*Run For Your Lives.esp
*Ars Metallica.esp
*When Vampires Attack.esp
*Smilodon - Combat of Skyrim.esp
DesyncBirdsOfPrey.esp
*Bashed Patch, 0.esp
*DynDOLOD.esp

In my SSE plugins.txt load order, DesyncBirdsOfPrey.esp is fully merged into the Bashed Patch, so does not have a star at the start of that line because it is not selected as active

3. Feedback on irrelevance is whining ? - Why do you seem to take my posts as if there is any emotional content rather than matter of fact ?.

4. Excellent.

5. Okay.

6. Well, good for those 'fair number'

[lmstearn]

The red Hulk is an inspired choice. Maybe a short tilt-shift video with roaring noises for the up-sell?

The CVoxelEngine looks interesting.

 

[Mator]

51 minutes ago, lmstearn said:

The red Hulk is an inspired choice. Maybe a short tilt-shift video with roaring noises for the up-sell?

The CVoxelEngine looks interesting.

 

Thank you. 

The CVoxelEngine is indeed interesting.  You can use the compiled builds if you follow the instructions provided.  It's not particularly user friendly, but it works.  Making it was a good exercise in learning how basic graphics engines work.

[Tharius]

I just started using your Merge Plugin Apps. It has proven to be somewhat difficult. Not only can I not get the merges to always merge it seems I cannot get the files into the right folder.

First, I'm not sure if Navmeshes and other complexities of the mod allow them to merge. Also I'm not sure if my integrations is set up correctly. That is for Merge Plugins Standalone. Which seems to be the more solid state of merging plugins at the time.

Now, using Mator Smash which seems to be a much more simpler method of merging I am having an issue getting the files to merge at all. I am not sure if its from navmeshes conflicting or if its just Mator Smash. For example, I wanted to merge Sim Settlements. I selected all of the .esp plugins under the .esm main file. When I selected build patch the files failed. I instead got this code:

Failed to patch SimeSettlementsMerge, Access violation at address 00721C82 in module 'MatorSmash.exe'. Read of address 00000014

I'm not sure what the means but I did the same thing with True Storms:

Failed to patch TrueStorms, Access violation at address 00721C82 in module 'MatorSmash.exe'. Read of address 00000014

I'm not sure if this is because Mator Smash is new and does not contain a dictionary, not that it worked in Merge Plugins it just wouldn't save.

Again, I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. If you could point me in the right direction it would be nice. I'm looking for help with both Apps. All I can find on the net are a couple really unclear tutorials and a video on youtube. If you have ANY other material for me to learn from it would be great. 

Hopefully you can help me out so that I can eventually compile 80+ mods into a single esp.

 

[Jebbalon]

....

.......

.........   edited to remove rage hate - the red hulk pic fits in here!

Mator Smash ate my esp - thanks - and I didn't make backup just before using - that's on me - I do have backup from a few days ago, now to see how much I lost.

Anyway... thanks again for your great program.

edit: want details? - beg - I mean, just ask

Edited October 17, 2017 by Jebbalon
to edit it

[alt3rn1ty]

Changes

• Added override deletions algorithm feature
• Added force value algorithm feature (can only be applied to records currently)
• Merge redundant plugins feature removed (it's useless because smash can't load more than 255 plugins)
• Fixed patch saving when user isn't using the MO integration
• Fixed some SSE/FO4 load order issues
• Fixed Bash setting leveled list handling through the Bash.Lev setting
• Added oblivion smash settings
• Created Smash.All setting for Fallout 4
• Main application window now has a title
• Added missing language string for mod organizer not found
• AddItem menu now includes all records (not just top level groups)
• Created an Add all records item in the build submenu for setting trees
• Fixed bug with single entity deletion detection
• Refactored and improved ITM/ITPO handling
• Updated Bash.Stats to include ARMO \ DNAM - Armor Rating
• Added BIDS and INAM to Skyrim's Bash.Sound
• Added ZNAM and YNAM to Skyrim's Bash.Sound
• Added MODS and INAM to Skyrim's Bash.Graphics
• Fixed Skip setting not persisting
• Fixed issue with CTDs due to counter elements being set to 0 when their associated array is not present.
• Gutted a bunch of unused code related to connecting to a backend
• ESLs are now excluded from the load order displayed when loading the program (because they cannot be loaded yet

v0.5.0

Looks interesting, and its now beta. Will give it another go and see if I can get cosy with it.

Very nice to see this progressing again.

[Mator]

Mator Smash is now available on Nexus Mods. 

Please use the Nexus Mods Mod page for all future discussion.

Nexus Mods Mod Page

[godescalcus]

I'm sorry to disregard Mator's recommendation to use Nexus for this discussion... The reason is that this post is about some confusing stuff that I'd rather bother anyone here that's willing to try and sort out, rather than spreading that confusion to the general users. I'd even suggest that anyone unfamiliar with how Smash works (as myself) skip this post, as some or all of it could be misleading and lead to head-banging and dangerous injuries that entail.

I have a SSE build that uses several esp merges, manual xEdit conflict resolution and the bashed patch to wrap it all up in the end, merge levelled lists, remove a few more plugins and apply some tweaks.

Now, enter Smash. The current recommendation I have for this, after installing all mods, merging a few, applying xEdit conflict resolution patches and sorting everything with LOOT including a few custom rules, is as follows:

- run wrye bash and rebuild bashed patch;

- note down the plugins deactivated by wrye bash and merge them with Merge Plugins Standalone;

- make a patch to apply the tweaks that would have been applied in the bashed patch;

- remove the bashed patch;

- run smash and generate the smashed patch.

In short, this is using the bashed patch merely to point out a few plugins that should be "safe to merge", doing extra work with Merge Plugins Standalone to make a merge and with xEdit to make a tweaking plugin that would both be handled by the bashed patch, and Smash to merge the levelled lists. Doesn't this:

1) Prevent Smash from doing sub-record merging, since we've previously merged those plugins with Merge Plugins Standalone;

2) Sound like a lot of extra trouble for no benefit at all relatively to simply letting Wrye Bash do its stuff.

 

I absolutely don't want this to sound like criticism of Smash. I just don't feel this would be the way to use it, and would welcome any help towards learning how to correctly use Smash and take advantage of its features, plus how to combine it with Wrye Bash if that presents any advantage.

[Beermotor]

On 1/19/2015 at 3:49 PM, Mator said:

 

Mator Smash is an application built on the xEdit framework developed to replace the primary functionality of Wyre Bash - the creation of patch files to combine (or merge) conflicting overrides to overcome Bethesda's "Rule of One". Wyre Bash used to provide this functionality in the days of Oblivion through the usage of bash tags, keywords that would be put in the description of the mod that would then tell Wyre Bash what types of records it should try patching. However, the current status is that Wyre Bash only provides this for a handful of record types for Skyrim, and this has been the case for quite a while now. There are several users (most notably Sharlikran) who have been working to update Wyre Bash's codebase to work with Skyrim, but it's been an uphill battle. As of now, it's not certain whether Wyre Bash will ever offer the same functionality it did in the days of Oblivion for Skyrim mods. That's where Mator Smash comes in.

 

Wrye Bash has had all possible Oblivion patcher functionality ported to Skyrim along with some additional Skyrim-specific functionality that either isn't present in Smash or didn't exist in the game the last time Smash was updated outside of the kludgey "ESL support" version.