can we have an official 'this is what you need' topic?

[Professor]

The wiki has to be the place to go, it's just too obvious. But it probably could use a little more description for the files, like more about what each is for.

It's pretty good as is, since so many can get through it and install OK, but based on this and other threads, there's probably room for improvement.

I'm guessing the install page is the most linked page on the site, so it should be the most detailed.

And now I'll shut up before someone suggests I do it.

[Bog Wraith]

It's not rocket science folks.

This is simply an alternative method of getting the game installed to the point it was about a year ago which includes much more then is available in the original game files that everyone needs to start with first off & that we have links to here already. The exact same steps to upgrade everything to where we are now must be applied to this method or the current one we are using. It simply makes the initial install procedure easier and places all the file links on one page.

Look it, we can argue all we want but the fact remains, the current method is not working for a whole lot of folks.

If you want changes made to the wiki to make it easier, then change the darn thing and make it easier. I don't work on the wiki, so that is not my forte.

I just want to have an alternative method to get the game installed & working for the many folks who are not able to do so now with the way things are.

I also have the benefit that you guys don't and that is I have used this CD install for about a year now and you guys haven't even seen it. The install procedure is as easy as it was with the DotP CD! It also comes with the original tutorial & videos that came with the game, really cool for the new MTG player. They aren't interactive as they once were but the new player can still get a good idea how MTG is played. It's also cool as a nostalgic trips for us MTG vets who remember the videos fondly!

In the end, you can choose to use or ignore this alternative method at your leisure!

[jatill]

Look it, we can argue all we want but the fact remains, the current method is not working for a whole lot of folks.

As far as I know, 100% of the people that use the wiki's instructions have a successful install. Do you know otherwise?

If people are already successful using this method, why wouldn't we spend our effort directing people there instead of creating yet another way of installing that will add to the confusion (more choice = more confusing).

[Bog Wraith]

Do I know Otherwise?

Are you blind or something! Are you not reading the posts in this and other threads about people still not finding and getting what they need, or getting the game to work properly?

Have you been privy to the tons of PM's Huggy & I are sent requesting instructions on how to get up to speed even after following the wiki? So no, your "100 % of the people following the wiki" success rate is incorrect. In fact, it's not even close!

I fail to understand why you don't follow what I'm saying!

So let me repeat it yet again!

It does not work for allot of folks the way it is set up now, comprende!

The original idea of the CD install was to get to a point in time from when the game was created plus any additions that had been made up to then & conveniently packaged all in a easy to install CD. Any future updates were going to be released as "Booster Packs" that would have been packaged in a one file executable patch. This was agreed upon as a very cool and convenient way to keep the game easy to update.

Unfortunately, the continued development of this project came to a halt, so releasing the CD install portion seems like a very good idea.

Why don't we let those folks who want to have this alternative source make their own decision on this because for the 1000th time, it is not working for allot of them the way it is now.

You might call it confusing, I call it having an alternative. The way it is now is obviously what is confusing to many people judging by the myriad of posts & PM's we see!

[jatill]

Chill man. I'm just trying to have a discussion.

I DO read lots of post where people are confused about what they need. Of these post, none (except for this one) mention anything about having tried the wiki. Comprende? Do people that PM you say that they have tried the wiki and failed? My guess is that they never made it that far.

[Bog Wraith]

I'm as cool as a cucumber. I just don't like having to bang my head against the wall repeating the same thing over & over that is frankly, very easy to understand.

Well you are not reading the posts then as you can see. I said in my last one that they in fact DID follow the wiki. Please read my last one again!

There is a difference between discussion and disagreement from having the feeling you are talking to deaf ears.

You have my track record open to you here by the history of all my posts, and you can ask any of the vets on my behavior and demeanor as a mod. Don't mistake frustration with anger or hot headiness as that is not my nature!

[blotto]

Hey, no fighting...lol.

I just went through this myself. I just got a new PC and decided to do a fresh re-install from the Wiki. It's not that the Wiki is hard to understand it's just that it doesn't seem to be complete. I had a ton of missing card art files when I ran it. So I had to trace down another link ("new users start here") installed it, and was able to get most of what I was missing. This link isn't on the Wiki and if someone new came along, they wouldn't know where to go. Yeah, "new uses start here" should be pretty obvious, but it isn't to some. Plus if you install all the files from the Wiki first and realize you are missing files, you then have to back track with older links and then you are mixing old files with newer ones...maybe this doesn't matter, but can get confusing. Also when I installed fresh I was only able to find about 2288 cards. I saw somewere there are over 2350ish. So I'm still missing some. Oh, and I don't think "happy 2010" download is part of it either.

With several developers working on this at different times I can see how keeping things up to date can be a pain. So why don't you up date the Wiki with everything you need to do a fresh install, all the fixes, cards, programs, etc. to date. Then make a developers page where anyone adding cards can post their updates to it with the date added. A link can be added to the Wiki telling people to check there for new cards past this update. Then the Wiki only has to be re-updated every so often.

Does that make any since? Oh, well just my two cents.

[jatill]

With several developers working on this at different times I can see how keeping things up to date can be a pain. So why don't you up date the Wiki with everything you need to do a fresh install, all the fixes, cards, programs, etc. to date.

That's what I thought this page was (as of 12/25, anyway)

http://www.slightlymagic.net/wiki/Installation

[blotto]

I believe that is the intention. However, when I installed it how it says to. I ended up missing a lot of stuff, cards, art, ect. Especially card art. I eventually figured out where to get everything and I have it running "mostly" like I think it should be. Well, for some reason it is refusing to put background pictures in my play half of the screen and occationally the opponetes. But other than that it seems to be ok.

Have either of you guys tried a fresh install lately using only the Wiki? If you have a spare PC you should try it and see if I'm off my rocker...maybe I am.

[Bog Wraith]

I did an install just a few days ago to test the latest custom set editor. I do this often whenever something new comes out as a way to isolate it from my normal install of the game in case of any issues.

This is where I use the CD install of the game that I am referring to and then patch accordingly. I have followed the instructions of the sequence that Salbei put together as my guide for the upgrades & graphics changes, then I followed the wiki to apply the custom set editor and the My 2000 files to get them installed. Everything works well from these 2 sources of info for the multiple installs I have done over the last 2 months or so.

[blotto]

Yeah, but have you tried it from the Wiki? The CD install isn't part of the Wiki...right?

[mathusalem]

Ok, just a thought.
however this would require a lot of space and one huge download. I found out after a recent C hard drive formating that I could just move around (copy/paste) an Install from another drive and the program still runs perfectly.....the wonder of those ancient programs.
so What could be done is find some space ans actually just dump the whole install, with card arts, noncard arts, editors and all in a single zip file or rar file.
we could refresh this file every once in a while when there are too many further updates.
we make a big Sticky on page one. that's it

what we need is the means to host that file.

[Bog Wraith]

Yeah, but have you tried it from the Wiki? The CD install isn't part of the Wiki...right?

No it's not but I just wanted to report what instructions I followed for setting it up that I used and they worked very well.

@ Mathy,

We tried that when I got Huggy to upload the full install from my computer of the game as it was about a year ago, That is the one that is linked to in the new users section. It worked, with mixed results. That is where Hip63 stepped in & came up with his all in one CD project.

[mathusalem]

@ Mathy,

We tried that when I got Huggy to upload the full install from my computer of the game as it was about a year ago, That is the one that is linked to in the new users section. It worked, with mixed results. That is where Hip63 stepped in & came up with his all in one CD project.

[/quote]all right. I knew it was an easy concept that was hard to put in place. (the scourge of all easy concepts)

[gmzombie]

while i can see both points in this argument i think the cd + the wiki will be best and heres why. first the cd will bring everybody up to a set date. like if they setup to latest right now. which they did before. im sure the cd could be changed every so often to include the newest update and therefore will be less hassle of downloaded items. Not that the wiki is hard to follow it would just take some steps off of the download. either or.