SS2Tool v6.1

[673f09d875ef9Kolya]

SS2Tool is a patcher/updater for System Shock 2. Before you can use it, you need to Install System Shock 2 on Windows, Mac or Linux. Then SS2Tool can be used to fix a broken SS2 game and to regularly keep your game up to date.

SS2Tool includes the latest New Dark version, a lot of checks and fixes written especially for System Shock 2, as well as Blue Mod Manager to manage game modifications and Shocked Basic Toolkit to create your own mods and missions.

System requirements

• Windows Vista or above is required. If you're on Windows XP please copy the complete game folder to a machine running Vista at least. Run SS2Tool there, then copy the game back to the XP machine.
• Internet access required: SS2Tool compares and syncs your game with a master version that is maintained here on the systemshock.org server. It uses Rsync for this comparison and therefore both - SS2Tool and Rsync - will need to be allowed in your firewall when the request pops up.

How to install SS2Tool

• Drop SS2Tool into your game folder and start it there.
• Run it regularly in Update mode.
• SS2Tool may fail to complete if the network connection breaks off. In this case simply run it again.

Game modifications
Lost at which mods to use? Check the Newbie Modding Guide.

Support
If you need help, please post the contents of ss2tool.log from your game folder on the Helpdesk board.

[673f09d876082Kolya]

Version 6.1.0.1 removes a bug with spaces in the game path and corrects some URLs from beta to official threads.

[673f09d8761a4Kolya]

Version 6.1.0.2
- Backups are now incremental (in dated folders in SS2ToolSyncBackup)
- Better client performance due to less requests
- Better server performance due to bandwidth limit
- Better separation of clean vs. update mode in the GUI

All of these refer to changes in the SS2Tool application. No game updates.

[673f09d8762e0Kolya]

I have updated the master server to the latest New Dark version 2.44 which is already being discussed here and on TTLG. You can sync it down with SS2Tool now. Due to some changes in New Dark's configuration files the "Clean Install" option is recommended.

Incidentally I also updated the SS2Tool application today. The biggest change in version 6.1.0.4 is that Rsync is now being run from the game folder instead of the system's temp folder. Plus a bunch of minor fixes to descriptions, the times of backup folders, log file contents.

[673f09d876417Kolya]

6.1.0.5
- fixed the problem where SS2Tool did not run successfully when placed outside the game folder
6.1.0.6
- additional option in "safe mode" installs static linked lgvid.dll to fix persistent video problems in the game
- SS2Tool notices when it is run on a lower Windows version than Vista, explains how to proceed then quits.
6.1.0.7
- fixed a bug where the blending of explosions was not enabled correctly

[673f09d876530Kolya]

6.1.0.8
Improved install mode suggestion: If any DMLs are found in the game root, a clean install is suggested (which has been renamed to "Perfect Mode"). A file flag is written when Perfect Mode has been used before, suggesting to use Update Mode in future. Explanations of these modes have been expanded.

The previous SS2Tool-v.6.1.0.7.exe was downloaded 13872 times.

[673f09d87665eKolya]

I updated the files on the master server with NewDark 2.45. Please run SS2Tool in update mode to get this latest patch.

EDIT: I accidentally overwrote one of voodoo's fixes (gamesys.dml inside patch_ext.crf) last night with the version from New Dark that doesn't have that fix applied. This has been fixed now. Also a config file for the editor (dromed.cfg) has it's changes from Shocked Basic Toolkit reapplied now. Unrelated to these blunders I have enabled full crash dumps in lg.ini to allow for easier debugging.
Please run SS2Tool update mode again if you did so in the last 10 hours.

[673f09d8767efKolya]

Steam users: An update for System Shock 2 (NewDark v2.45) was distributed through Steam's update system. SS2Tool already provides this update plus many other fixes. Steam will overwrite it anyhow, resetting your game's configuration, your activated mods and deleting those fixes unique to SS2Tool.

Since Steam updates cannot be disabled it is recommended to move the game folder out of Steam's way (as detailed in the first post) and running SS2Tool again.
 

[673f09d876928Kolya]

6.1.1.0
This release fixes an issue where running SS2Tool in Perfect Mode after installing fan missions could break these fan missions (not that perfect).
If Microsoft Visual C++2008 is missing on the host system SS2Tool will now use the installer provided in Steam installs (_CommonRedist).
The last version of SS2Tool was downloaded 7672 times. As you may have noticed we jumped a version because work on 6.1.0.9 had already begun when the aforementioned issue popped up.

[673f09d876b15Kolya]

6.1.1.1
- Adds an option to let the game's autosave feature store its saves in slot 13 instead of the special "Current" slot where they get easily overwritten, eg by loading any save game. In Perfect mode this option is automatically selected. In Update mode it is optional, like all options in Update mode, so you will have to specifically select it.
- Option to enable subtitles (all but nonverbal). Optional feature. Thanks to ZB for styling subtitles and additional work on the font etc.
- If SS2Tool detects that Perfect mode was never used before, this selection is now enforced (Update mode is unavailable) as using Update mode on an imperfect game causes problems.
- The popup at the start asking for network access is only displayed once.
- Final page with option to start the mod manager added.

The last version was downloaded 7133 times.

[673f09d876c5dKolya]

6.1.1.2
- fixed false mode reporting in ss2tool.log
- fixed potential program flow bugs
- better cleanup in case of errors
- better description of what the subtitles option does
- safe mode options (DX6, disable HW sound, static lgvid.dll) are now hidden in Perfect mode
- Updated NSIS and plugins (InetC), switched to Unicode

[673f09d876d6dKolya]

6.1.1.4
 - can deal with shock2.exe or ss2.exe
 - quicksave and autosave slots reversed to accommodate steam/gog users
 - renamed "Safe mode" to "Legacy mode" to account for today's reality

The last version was downloaded  6242 times

[673f09d876e60Kolya]

6.1.1.5
- fixes a bug in the previous version where autosaves would overwrite quicksaves

If you used 6.1.1.4 it it is recommneded to run SS2Tool in Update Mode and check: Game options => Keep quicksaves and autosaves

[673f09d876f77Kolya]

Resource update. Run SS2Tool in Update Mode to get it.
- fix for the Delacroix quest by Voodoo47, the sign now says "Cargo Bay"
- Latest NVScript
- ShockEd now uses hardware rendering by default (requires ShockEd reinstall, or check DromEd.cfg to make the changes manually)

[673f09d877078Kolya]

Resource update. Run SS2Tool in Update Mode to get it.
- compatibility changes for vanilla fixes vs. gamsys mods, specifically SecMod, SCP
- cleaned up directory structure (fixes reside in patch_ext dir)

[673f09d877209Kolya]

This update integrates the changes of the latest New Dark engine release 2.46.
Also included are new default keybinds as discussed here.

Run SS2Tool in Update Mode to get only the New Dark update.
Run SS2Tool in Perfect Mode to get  the New Dark update and the new default keybinds.

Note that Perfect Mode will overwrite any changes you may have made to config files or keybinds. You will find backups of changed files in the folder SS2ToolSyncBackup. Save games, mods, FMs, screenshots will never be overwritten.
If you are running SS2Tool for the first time Perfect Mode is mandatory.

[673f09d877366Kolya]

6.1.1.6
 - removed blendingexplosions option in patch_ext.crf
 - removed MSVC 2008 check
 - prefer ss2.exe if ss2.exe and shock2.exe exist (GOG bug)
 - fast content version check on startup (based on new content version numbering)
 - lots of smaller improvements

The previous version 6.1.1.5 was downloaded 20824 times.

[673f09d8774ceKolya]

This update integrates the changes of the latest New Dark engine release v2.47.
Run SS2Tool in Perfect Mode to make sure you also get the new config files.

Note that Perfect Mode will overwrite any changes you may have made to config files or keybinds. You will find backups of changed files in the folder SS2ToolSyncBackup. Save games, mods, FMs, screenshots will never be overwritten.
If you are running SS2Tool for the first time Perfect Mode is mandatory.

[673f09d877602Kolya]

6.1.1.7
 - always use ss2.exe as game exe name to prevent problems with forced windows compatibility mode
 - there is now an option to give the game HUD 10% transparency. It looks nice.
 - SS2Tool can now display a remote description of a new content update.
 - made OK|Cancel buttons less confusing when local content is up to date
 - always get new exclude list from remote
 - always enforce new ss2tool version if available
 

[673f09d877738Kolya]

This update integrates the changes of the latest New Dark engine release v2.48.
This is a content update, SS2Tool itself has not changed. Just run SS2Tool and use the update mode to get the new engine.

[673f09d877896Kolya]

We discovered today that the master game build on the server was version 2.47. In other words it was missing the last update to 2.48 (see above). The last update may have gotten lost during our server move.

This has been fixed and marked as a new content version ("NewDark 2.48 re-update").
If you used SS2Tool since Sunday 14. July, please run it again to get version 2.48.

[673f09d8779ceKolya]

6.1.1.8
- massively reduced first installation time < 2min
- slight lingering of subtitles (cam_ext.cfg: subtitles_extra_time 800)
- SS2ToolExcludeSync updated (includes fmsel.ini, excludes new GOG files)

The previous version 6.1.1.7 was downloaded 39891 times