Migrating from D2SE to Cactus, and PlugY

[scuti]

Hi, I'm looking to migrate off D2SE onto Cactus.

D2SE is a mod manager from:

D2SE Modmanager V2.3 Announcement & Patchlog

D2SE Modmanager V2.3 Announcement & Patchlog

web.archive.org

which also supports PlugY (allows the user to enable/disable PlugY with a chosen patch/mod). Is there anything I should know about to get PlugY working? (Not mentioned at all in Cactus' documentation.)

 

[fearedbliss]

Moving this to Technical Support.

Hey Scuti, the first thing to understand is that Cactus is a File Level Version Switcher, which means that Cactus doesn't make any modifications to the game itself, and the Platform needs to contain everything it needs to play the game. D2SE normally modifies the game executable (in memory IIRC) in order to allow mods (like PlugY) to be automatically loaded without the D2SE core having to have those files. For Cactus, you'll just need to copy the platform version you are interested in in the Cactus/Platforms folder, to your D2 root directory, and then just copy the plugy files into the platform as well. Then launch the game through PlugY.exe. That should be it.

 

[Manny]

Welcome, @scuti! Glad you found us. I highly recommend Cactus above D2SE. It's the bee's knees when it comes to managing Diablo II, isolating multiple patches, etc.

And yeah, what @fearedbliss said. Well actually, my PlugY install just lives in the primary Cactus directory (not inside the platform folder). So I guess it will work either way.

If a visual helps, you can see the attached screenshot(s). Just set the launcher to the Plugy.exe and you should be good to go!

P.S. check out my Meteorb Sorc w/ 1005% Magic Find... lol shameless flex

 

[fearedbliss]

@Manny Yea it will still work if you put it in the root of the D2 folder but if any of your platforms also has a file by the same name, it will be deleted because PlugY isn't a protected file. Every platform can also have their own plugy version / files so I normally recommended to keep everything specific to a platform in its own folder. There are only a few files that I protect that are critical for Cactus operation and shared across all versions and platforms, and this includes cnc-ddraw, and open al / dsoal.

 

[Manny]

@Manny Yea it will still work if you put it in the root of the D2 folder but if any of your platforms also has a file by the same name, it will be deleted because PlugY isn't a protected file. Every platform can also have their own plugy version / files so I normally recommended to keep everything specific to a platform in its own folder. There are only a few files that I protect that are critical for Cactus operation and shared across all versions and platforms, and this includes cnc-ddraw, and open al / dsoal.

Take notes children, class is in session.

Ok so I this is good to know. I'm going to move my PlugY files into the 1.09 folder. OR, is it better to have a "vanilla" platform folder (i.e. unfked with), and then duplicate that platform to add the PlugY files? Does it make sense to keep it seperate? What sayest thou, oh creator of Cactus?

 

[fearedbliss]

@Manny lol, it depends how you want to do it. If you aren't gonna play vanilla d2 and want to use plugy, then just combine the platform and plugy together.

 

[Manny]

Ok. I just tried it both ways and prefer it best when the PlugY files simply live within the OG platform folder. Minimalism ftw! Thank you!

 

[scuti]

Moving this to Technical Support.

Hey Scuti, the first thing to understand is that Cactus is a File Level Version Switcher, which means that Cactus doesn't make any modifications to the game itself, and the Platform needs to contain everything it needs to play the game. D2SE normally modifies the game executable (in memory IIRC) in order to allow mods (like PlugY) to be automatically loaded without the D2SE core having to have those files. For Cactus, you'll just need to copy the platform version you are interested in in the Cactus/Platforms folder, to your D2 root directory, and then just copy the plugy files into the platform as well. Then launch the game through PlugY.exe. That should be it.

Do you mean the contents of the Platform folder into the root directory, or the folder containing the patch and PlugY such as `1.13c-plugy`?

I tried placing PlugY files into `Platforms/1.13c-plugy` but Cactus can't find PlugY.exe nor can I set the Launcher as Platforms/1.13c-plugy/PlugY.exe`

 

[fearedbliss]

Hey @scuti,

Follow the Cactus guide to get it running and working first, once you have it running, then just drop in your PlugY files into the platform you want to use it with and edit your entry to launch with PlugY.exe (instead of Game.exe), that's basically it.

There's also a video I made that goes into everything step by step and in depth.

 

[scuti]

Hey @scuti,

Follow the Cactus guide to get it running and working first, once you have it running, then just drop in your PlugY files into the platform you want to use it with and edit your entry to launch with PlugY.exe (instead of Game.exe), that's basically it.

There's also a video I made that goes into everything step by step and in depth.

If I don't have PlugY in my root directory, it says "can't find PlugY.exe".

 

[fearedbliss]

You need to put the PlugY files in the Platforms/<your platform> folder. Then click reset, and re run the same platform with that name. Cactus will copy all of the files from that platform folder into your root directory. So any changes to PlugY should be done in your platform folder, and then always click Reset, and run it again.