Question on the v1.08 Patch

[AttilaTheHungry]

Is this the only one I need for the bundle pack? Also, I never installed a patch before, how do I do it? :confused:

[Philippe]

The Bundle pack consists of two separate games, and each game has its own patch.

The 1.08 patch is for SC 2 Blitzkrieg.

SC 2 WaW has its own 1.01 patch.

All games require patching these days, so it's a good idea to get used to doing it.

Make a separate folder somewhere where you won't forget, and call it something like "Patch Folder". I keep mine in C:\Program Files\A Patch Folder so it appears at the top of my folder list.

Download the two patch zip files to this folder.

The patches will be zipped and you will have to unzip them. Unzip them to the patch folder, and not to the game.

[if you've never done that before you will need to install Winzip or Winrar software. You can get trial versions of either one easily enough by googling, downloading, and installing. Both programs will eventually harass you to buy them, and last I looked Winzip (the most commonly used) had inserted a very annoying day timer that counts -- very slowly -- how many days you've been using the program for free before it allows you to unzip. Winrar is a better program, and allows you to unzip in just about any format, and zip in zip or rar format. And it's timer feature is just a simple one-click for not buying the free program (next time I'm flush I get around to buying it -- it's that good). So my advice is to go with rar, it won't annoy you as much, it's easier to use, and if someone sends you a rar file by mistake you won't be stuck. The link to their site can be found at http://www.rarlab.com/

And if you ever forget, the download section at subsims.com for Silent Hunter III has links to winrar and winzip at the top of the Silent Hunter III page.]

When you've unzipped the patches to the patch folder you will find that they are both self-installing files. All you need is to have the game already installed before you try to patch them. [seems obvious, but I've done this one once or twice]. Some patches now ask you to repeat the security code that you used when you installed the game. I can't remember if that happens with SC 2 or not, but if you bought a hard copy the cd code is usually fixed to the cd jacket or the back of the manual with a sticker.

[AttilaTheHungry]

So in the end I can unzip these patches without needing to buy anything?

[Philippe]

Yes.

If you go to the winzip site and download and install their product you'll get to use it for about a month before they start harassing you to buy. I think rar starts in sooner, but it's not obnoxious. I strongly recommend rar -- it is much easier to use, and is flexible enough to handle other people's products. It seems better at handling zip files than winzip, and I actually use it for zip more often than I do for rar.

My problem with winzip is that the interface was designed by computer technicians and marketers, and is therefore incomprehensible to a normal person. Rar is set up so all you have to do is push the first button -- if you really want to get obsessive you can learn what the other ones are for, but you won't need to because you really don't need them and they are self-explanatory anyway. Self-explanatory does not seem to be a popular concept at Winzip.

[AttilaTheHungry]

I downloaded the patches to my folder and they were ready to install. Did the winrar unzip them automatically?

[Philippe]

I doubt it. If it was ready to install it may not have been zipped. What I described to you was how to deal with the worst-case scenario.

Look on the bright side. Now you're fully equipped to go to cmmods.com and start downloading mods (which are always zipped). You have to register (you won't get spam because of them) and use a password, but if you remember to check the little box under your password when you sign in, you'll never have to remember it afterwards.

[AttilaTheHungry]

Don't mean to ask a stupid question here but Mods are new scenarios and/or unit types? I'm still learning.

[Philippe]

There are several different kinds of mods.

CMMODS has mods for many different battlefront games, and separate sections for each game.

The SC mods are listed in a section called SC2 Campaigns.

Many of the mods are actual campaigns or adjustments to campaigns, some for SC2 WaW, some for SC2 Blitzkrieg. You have to pay close attention to which mod goes with which game version or you'll be wondering why a mod doesn't work (or why your game suddenly crashes for apparently no reason).

The mods in SC2 section include complete campaigns like the Thrawn European Theatre mod, or the Advanced Third Reich mod (an adaption of an Avalon Hill game to the SC2 engine).

There are a couple of very interesting media mods for SC 2 WaW that include material that doesn't seem to have been able to make it into the game for copyright reasons (colorful period BBC broadcasts).

There are also several graphics mods, one of which changes the flags to the historically correct flags that were actually in use during the 1940's. German law and EC harmonization make it effectively impossible to use these in the commercial version of the game.

You can find all of this by going to cmmods, signing in, clicking on SC2 Campaigns, and then clicking on Newest mods.

The rule of thumb when using any mod, though, is to never forget to back up your unmodded original. SC2 is small enough that you can just copy and paste it into a holding folder.

[AttilaTheHungry]

Okay, thank you for all your help.