Problem with my new SS2 installation

[67311aee043aeJDoran]

I have a problem with my new SS2 installation; A few days back, I installed SS2 (a clean install, the GOG version), downloaded and ran SS2Tool-v.6.1.1.8.exe, and installed SCP beta 6 and various mods (as I posted at: https://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=7116.msg154984#msg154984), and when I run 'ss2bmm.exe', the game loads and works fine, with no apparent problems.

But today, I tried to run the fan mission menu, via the 'Fan Mission Selector.bat' bat file, which of course has the contents:

START "FMSel" shock2.exe -fm

but the FM menu doesn't load, I just get an error message, saying:

"Windows cannot find 'shock2.exe'. Make sure you've typed the name correctly, then try again."

Yet the FM menu did previously work fine, because when I installed SS2 + SCP beta 6 + mods, I later used the FM menu to install the fan missions.

There is no file called 'shock2.exe', here is the file listing from the SS2 folder:

Volume in drive E is E Data and Games
 Volume Serial Number is 51E3-DCD0

 Directory of E:\Wingames\System Shock 2 + SCP beta 6 (25-Aug-2024)

31/08/2024  20:45    <DIR>          .
31/08/2024  20:45    <DIR>          ..
26/08/2024  01:27    <DIR>          _English Subtitles (How to Install)
26/08/2024  01:18    <DIR>          Binds
26/08/2024  01:18    <DIR>          Cmds
31/08/2024  18:54    <DIR>          current
26/08/2024  01:18    <DIR>          Data
26/08/2024  01:21    <DIR>          DMM
14/08/2024  16:20    <DIR>          DMMArchives
26/08/2024  01:21    <DIR>          Docs
26/08/2024  01:27    <DIR>          FMs
14/08/2024  16:19    <DIR>          FMsArchived
26/08/2024  01:27    <DIR>          Microsoft.VC90.CRT
26/08/2024  01:27    <DIR>          misdml
26/08/2024  01:27    <DIR>          osm
26/08/2024  01:27    <DIR>          patch_ext
31/08/2024  18:25    <DIR>          save_0
31/08/2024  17:54    <DIR>          save_1
31/08/2024  18:36    <DIR>          save_13
31/08/2024  18:32    <DIR>          save_14
26/08/2024  02:16    <DIR>          save_2
26/08/2024  01:53    <DIR>          save_3
26/08/2024  01:27    <DIR>          save_4
31/08/2024  18:35    <DIR>          save_5
31/08/2024  18:33    <DIR>          save_6
26/08/2024  01:27    <DIR>          Schema
26/08/2024  01:27    <DIR>          SS2ToolSyncBackup
26/08/2024  01:27    <DIR>          Tools
15/03/2023  15:58                21 _Go.Bat
26/02/2023  11:24         1,073,664 7z.dll
31/08/2024  20:45               480 cam.cfg
14/08/2024  16:20            19,517 cam_ext.cfg
24/08/2024  17:15             2,709 cam_mod.ini
25/08/2024  15:46       638,678,249 crash.dmp
26/02/2023  11:24         1,998,168 D3DX9_43.dll
03/04/2018  20:07         1,902,080 darkdlgs.dll
19/08/2014  22:58            15,985 Default.bnd
26/06/2019  19:00             8,757 DromEd.cfg
26/02/2023  11:24            67,584 EnableLAA.exe
26/02/2023  11:24                28 Fan Mission Selector.bat
26/02/2023  11:24         5,600,256 ffmpeg.dll
26/02/2023  11:24           930,816 fmsel.dll
09/08/2017  15:28            69,248 gog.ico
14/08/2024  16:18             5,940 goggame-1207659172.hashdb
22/07/2019  12:09           151,197 goggame-1207659172.ico
14/08/2024  16:18             1,064 goggame-1207659172.info
14/08/2024  16:17                42 goggame-galaxyFileList.ini
26/02/2023  11:24               276 HYDRO2.DIF
26/02/2023  11:24             1,215 install.cfg
26/02/2023  11:24           169,472 ir41_32.dll
26/02/2023  11:24           222,720 ir50_32.dll
26/02/2023  11:24             2,862 lg.ini
26/02/2023  11:24            21,504 lgvid.dll
07/12/2014  00:29            17,589 menus.cfg
31/10/2012  14:42            11,613 menus-sample.cfg
31/08/2024  20:45                 0 monolog.txt
26/02/2023  11:24           326,656 MSVCRT40.DLL
26/02/2023  11:24           109,144 OpenAL32.dll
24/08/2024  20:08             3,409 Read Me NOW.txt
19/08/2014  22:58           129,739 Replic.vbr
26/02/2023  11:24             4,605 SHOCK.BND
26/02/2023  11:24             2,718 shock.cfg
25/08/2024  15:57             6,895 Shock2.log
26/02/2023  11:24               299 shock2.VisualElementsManifest.xml
15/06/2019  17:47         7,567,872 ShockEd.exe
26/02/2023  11:24               276 SHODAN.DIF
25/08/2024  16:04         5,121,024 SS2.exe
31/08/2024  20:45             5,239 ss2.log
26/02/2023  11:24               299 ss2.VisualElementsManifest.xml
31/08/2024  20:44               514 ss2bmm.cfg
26/02/2023  11:24         1,636,864 ss2bmm.exe
31/08/2024  20:44             9,934 ss2bmm.log
14/08/2024  16:21            47,244 ss2tool.log
14/08/2024  15:48         3,854,973 SS2Tool-v.6.1.1.8.exe
14/08/2024  16:18         1,777,954 unins000.dat
14/08/2024  16:18         1,343,072 unins000.exe
14/08/2024  16:18                41 unins000.ini
14/08/2024  16:18            23,147 unins000.msg
26/08/2024  01:40             4,434 user.bnd
18/02/2017  11:03             1,063 User.cfg
26/02/2023  11:24           171,488 VisualElements_150.png
26/02/2023  11:24            42,553 VisualElements_70.png
26/02/2023  11:24           445,016 wrap_oal.dll
13/09/2020  22:57                54 www.Systemshock.org.URL
              56 File(s)    673,609,582 bytes
              28 Dir(s)   7,156,744,192 bytes free

The single player menu loads, and starts the game no problem, and the game plays properly. But not the FM menu. Any ideas what the problem is?


Edit: I am using Malwarebytes and Avast anti-virus, and have been for years, and they don't seem to have deleted the file (well, 'shock2.exe' isn't listed as quarantined in either of their virus vaults). And I can't tell if Defender somehow deleted it, as Windows won't allow proper access to Defender's options if you use a third party AV program (such as Avast) but I have heard that Defender can pop up and delete a file even when your third party AV is the only one that should be active. I don't know it that's true, but it's Microsoft, so....

[67311aee0457fvoodoo47]

fmselect.bat? where did that come from. either way, just create a windows shortcut, then rightclick properties, add -fm to the target field, click ok, run the shortcut.
[fm.JPG expired]

[67311aee046c0JDoran]

That works, thanks.

As to where 'fmselect.bat' came from, if it's not part of the 'SS2Tool' install, then I must have written it and somehow forgotten - my sciatica and back are playing up, the pain killers aren't helping too much, so I've not been sleeping, plus I'm an idiot, so it is possible, I suppose. Strange, though.

[67311aee047ebvoodoo47]

the bat is failing because it points to shock2.exe, and the SS2 ecosystem has been using ss2.exe for maybe a decade now. so it must have been either something really old, or created manually.

[67311aee04972JDoran]

Has anyone begun a mod to place a laser pistol somewhere early? Maybe at the start of Engineering, or inside a crate in the cargo bays, or in the security station immediately after engineering control, wherever you think best. I'm keen to see such a mod, and play with it.

[67311aee04ae4ZylonBane]

My god man, if you want a laser pistol that badly, just summon one.

A mod that did nothing but add a single object would be very silly.

[67311aee04bdcvoodoo47]

it would be silly to have such a tiny change available as a standalone mod, so I'll probably pop it into the Repairman as already mentioned. bit later this week.

[67311aee04ce5ZylonBane]

That would be silly in a different way, combining completely unrelated changes in the same mod.

Like, then what are people supposed to do who like Repairman, but are also happy with the laser pistol's default placement?

[67311aee04e11voodoo47]

those who want to fully customize the mod can always edit the dml.

Repairman is supposed to give the repair skill more value, and making a broken gun available earlier so those who can repair it will be able to utilize it actually fits the bill quite well, if you ask me.

[67311aee05168sarge945]

As I've already explained, RSD already adds a broken laser pistol to utility storage 4 on the engineering deck. It's accessible as soon as you start the deck.

There's your mod.

I agree that a standalone mod for this would be silly. Then again, I've done sillier mods for equally small/niche changes.

EDIT: holy crap I just noticed that mod has zero downloads despite being up for a very long time. That's insane! I guess I really am the only person annoyed by that jump.

[67311aee052b2ZylonBane]

"It's not just a death jump, it's an INSTANT DEATH jump!" (heavy metal intensifies)

[67311aee0541asarge945]

It's the new eXtreme Death Jump!

It's WACKY! It's DANGEROUS and your mom HATES it!!!

*camera zooms in and out 7 times*





Oh god, that was the most 90's post I've ever made. I'm sorry

[67311aee05c6eJDoran]

those who want to fully customize the mod can always edit the dml.

Repairman is supposed to give the repair skill more value, and making a broken gun available earlier so those who can repair it will be able to utilize it actually fits the bill quite well, if you ask me.

That would be brilliant, I look forward to it, thanks.

Doing it this way would add more incentive to use the (underused) repair ability, I agree.

As I've already explained, RSD already adds a broken laser pistol to utility storage 4 on the engineering deck. It's accessible as soon as you start the deck.

There's your mod.

We can't use RSD with SCP 6, I think, until he updates the mod for compatibility's sake. I will definitely try RSD then (I've never tried it before), as it does seem very intriguing.

[67311aee05fb1sarge945]

We can't use RSD with SCP 6, I think, until he updates the mod for compatibility's sake. I will definitely try RSD then (I've never tried it before), as it does seem very intriguing.

AFAIK RSD works with SCP b5, and is mostly compatible with b6 from what I understand.

Either way, you can probably copy the DML from RSD to create the laser pistol.