I have found a new functionality of the game!

[prizedcoffeecup]

Hello there!

 

This function I have discovered is actually an exploitation of one installation method that allows you to take the game with you on a flash drive or storage drive formatted as FAT32 or NTFS (the only two I have tested so far). This involves the method of running the OpenRCT2 installer to install into the flash drive, then running the self extractor or extracting the zip file to the installation directory all like normal. Once that's done, you may now take the drive with you and run it on almost any other Windows computer. 

There is only one problem with this exploitation, however: The multiplayer on XP and older. If you install OpenRCT2 to a machine with XP or older, it will still run multiplayer, but this portable version will cause a crash upon clicking on the multiplayer button at the main menu if the operating system is older than Windows Vista. 

Otherwise, I hope you enjoy being able to bring OpenRCT2 to school and other places with you, should you so desire. 

[Nubbie]

@prizedcoffeecup This is not bad at all, more people should know about it, good for making it portable

Most developers are on Github, but still

Edited April 6, 2016 by Nubbie

[janisozaur]

@prizedcoffeecup I'm quite confused by your explanation. What is it that you achieved and what's the problem with XP?

[prizedcoffeecup]

2 hours ago, janisozaur said:

@prizedcoffeecup I'm quite confused by your explanation. What is it that you achieved and what's the problem with XP?

The game can be installed on a flash drive in the same way you would install the game if you used the TTP Demo method. The only difference is that with each computer you run the game on, it creates a small registry set critical to the game's operation before it starts. Literally all I did was run the OpenRTC2 installer, point it to a new folder on my flash drive and install, then extract the OpenRTC2 ZIP file to the flash drive's installation directory and run it. 

 

This means that RTC 2 can be taken on the go, and the data is also saved locally to the flash drive the way the game is programmed by default.

 

The problem with doing this is that Windows 2000 and XP handle this game differently than Vista and later, and so the game will actually encounter an error and crash if you click the multiplayer button. My portable version seems to be the only version affected, but seeing as XP is stubborn with portable games, this was not a surprise. 

[janisozaur]

I'm still quite confused by your explanation.

Why are you using installer and then extract a zip with those same files?

XP is only supported in mingw-built versions, as far as I can tell, so I'm quite surprised it works for you just like that. I have no idea about Windows 2000 compatibility, as far as I know, nobody has tested it.

There was recently a bug with the server entries, which I fixed, are you sure it's not simply a matter of that? See https://github.com/OpenRCT2/OpenRCT2/pull/3212

Also, the program by default is set to create a data directory in your $HOME, you can change it with --user-data-path=path option.

[prizedcoffeecup]

12 hours ago, janisozaur said:

I'm still quite confused by your explanation.

Why are you using installer and then extract a zip with those same files?

XP is only supported in mingw-built versions, as far as I can tell, so I'm quite surprised it works for you just like that. I have no idea about Windows 2000 compatibility, as far as I know, nobody has tested it.

There was recently a bug with the server entries, which I fixed, are you sure it's not simply a matter of that? See https://github.com/OpenRCT2/OpenRCT2/pull/3212

Also, the program by default is set to create a data directory in your $HOME, you can change it with --user-data-path=path option.

The unusual cooperation of the game on Windows 2000 could be due to the fact that I have an unofficial SP5 and Update Rollup installed, but as for XP I am not sure. 

 

Also, I do apologize for the confusion...I have a mild form of autism that still plagues my explanations occasionally. What part is confusing you, just so I know?

 

In short, I'm saying that the game will run from a flash drive on any Windows machine down to Vista through the demo method of installation. (I am only using the demo as my brother took my game disk when he moved out.)

 

I also want to thank you for mentioning the directory thing...I'll give it a shot.

Edited April 7, 2016 by prizedcoffeecup
Almost forgot to thank for suggestion

[imlegos]

Huzzah! Someone on the internet who knows what autism actually is!