Optimal badge/plaque collection path popmenu

[AboveTheChemist]

For background on this project, check out my optimal collection path maps thread.

 

This popmenu allows the user to load sets of zone-specific rolling keybinds that utilize the new /thumbtack command to place a thumbtack/navigation marker sequentially at each badge/plaque within the zone. The sequence is dictated by the optimal collection path, and the user can choose the direction (clockwise or counter-clockwise) in which they wish to travel.

 

This popmenu may seem a little awkward at first, because it requires the user to press 'Enter' twice to send a pre-populated chat command to load the binds for a given zone (see Use instructions below for more details). However, after a few zones I found that using the menu became much easier.

 

I've now tested the menu twice (once with approximate locations, and again once I had obtained more accurate locations) but I won't claim that it is totally free from bugs. If anyone notices any bugs or erroneous locations, or if there are any questions or comments, please let me know.

 

If anyone would like to use this mod as a starting point to build your own mod, please feel free to do so. All I ask is that I be acknowledged for the work that has been done to date, and that you take credit for any modifications that you make.

 

 

Installation

Spoiler

The menu file (attached as tspmenu.mnu) should be placed in:

 

<CoH Root Folder>\data\texts\English\menus

 

 

tspmenu.mnu

 

The bind files, contained within the attached binds.zip file, should be saved in a location dependent on the launcher used.

 

binds.zip

 

 

Users of the HC Launcher should place the contents of the zip file in:

 

<CoH Root Folder>\settings\live

 

Users of Tequila should place the contents of the zip file in:

 

<CoH Root Folder>\data.

 

Users of other launchers should place the contents of the zip file in whichever folder their launcher normally uses for keybinds. 

 

Updating an existing installation

Spoiler

Users with an existing installation will need to remove the existing set of binds before installing the new set of binds.

 

Users of the HC Launcher should navigate to:

<CoH Root Folder>\settings\live\binds

 

Users of Tequila should navigate to:

<CoH Root Folder>\data\binds

 

And in each case, delete the folder named tsp. Once that folder is deleted, please follow the install instructions as laid out in the Installation section above.

 

There is no need to delete the existing tspmenu.mnu file, it can simply be overwritten with the new version.

 

Use

Spoiler

The menu can be accessed in-game using one of the following methods:

 

from chat: /popmenu tspmenu
via keybind: /bind <your_key> "popmenu tspmenu"
via macro: /macro <macro_name> "popmenu tspmenu"

 

The popmenu is organized by Zone Type > Zone Name > Badge/Plaque (see screenshot above). Badges/plaques are listed by their VidiotMap marker type (B for badge, P for plaque) and number, with the badge/plaque name in parentheses. The basic idea is to use the popmenu to choose the initial badge/plaque, travel to that badge/plaque, then use the keybinds (which are the left bracket '[' and right bracket ']' keys) to cycle through the remaining badges/plaques in the zone.

 

Ideally the intial badge/plaque chosen will be the one nearest the player's current location. Users of VidiotMaps can refer to the in-game map for the nearest badge/plaque marker and choose the corresponding badge/plaque from the popmenu. Those without VidiotMaps can simply choose any badge and cycle through them with the keybinds to find the nearest.

 

Unfortunately, binds can't be loaded directly from popmenus, so choosing a badge from the popmenu will:

1. Set a thumbtack for that badge
2. Populate the chat bar with the appropriate command to load the bind files

 

The user will need to press Enter once or twice after choosing the badge from the popmenu to send the command to load the binds.

 

Once the binds are loaded, the user can use the keys below to cycle through the badges/plaques for that zone:

 

Left bracket key [ - Cycles counterclockwise

Right bracket key ] - Cycles clockwise

 

Other

Spoiler

Navigation waypoints in Mercy Island and Port Oakes sometimes don't work as intended, whether placed via the thumbtack command or placed manually by clicking on the in-game map. This is a known issue but not likely to be fixed as far as I know. More information can be found in this post. I have added bug warnings to the sub-menus for Mercy Island and Port Oakes regarding this bug. The bug only affects the navigation waypoints, and only in certain parts of these zones. The thumbtack on the mini-map will always appear in the correct position.

 

For badges inside buildings, the nav marker will lead the player to the door of the building and once the building is entered, the nav marker will lead the player to the badge.

 

Some badges are located in underground areas, and the player will need to find the entrance to these underground areas to gain access to the badge.

 

Badge and plaque locations were individually 'surveyed' in-game using the /thumbtack command, and each one was re-visited to check for accuracy. There is still a chance, however small, that one or more locations is in error. Please report any location errors to me in this thread or via PM so that I may correct them.

 

If anyone knows of a better means of solving the problem of bind files not loading directly from popmenus, please let me know.

 

Edited February 24 by AboveTheChemist
updated for i27p7

[AboveTheChemist]

I manually collected highly accurate coordinates for all exploration badges and history plaques. I also re-ran my optimal path scripts to check for any route changes due to the more accurate coordinate data, and the routes for Brickstown, Founders' Falls, and Nova Praetoria did change slightly. I have updated the install files with the more accurate coordinates and the updated paths for those three routes that changed. Barring any other minor bugs/errors I think this popmenu is complete and ready for when i27p2 goes live.

Edited April 5, 2021 by AboveTheChemist
minor wording changes for clarity

[AboveTheChemist]

Now that Issue 27 Page 2 is live, this popmenu should work on the Live servers. Installation and use instructions are in the top post. If anyone notices any errors in thumbtack locations, please let me know.

[odingrey]

This is great!  Thanks for the work.  I think the install instructions for HC need to be updated to in /live instead of /beta

[AboveTheChemist]

37 minutes ago, odingrey said:

This is great!  Thanks for the work.  I think the install instructions for HC need to be updated to in /live instead of /beta

Thanks for the kind words, and for catching that. I've updated the top post accordingly.

[Monsoon]

I had to go through and do a search/replace to add "./" to the beginning of each of the paths in these files in order for them to work right for me.  I placed them in the correct folder of the Tequila install (C:\Tequila\binds\tsp\atlas_park\pt_0.txt for example) but if I tried to use the bind_load_silent commands as they were written in the files it would not load the next keybind file.  So I replaced all instances of "silent binds" with "silent ./binds" and it appears to be working for me now.

[AboveTheChemist]

1 hour ago, Monsoon said:

I had to go through and do a search/replace to add "./" to the beginning of each of the paths in these files in order for them to work right for me.

Interesting, it should not have needed the './' to work properly. I wonder if my instructions indicate the wrong folder for Tequila. I left Tequila in the dust as soon as the HC Launcher came out so my memory may have failed me there. Looking back at an archive copy of my Tequila install, it looks like the zip file contents might actually need to go in <CoH Root Folder>\data. I don't have a way to test it to be sure, but I think what I am seeing in my archive Tequila install is correct. I'll update the instructions. Thanks for letting me know!

[AboveTheChemist]

I've updated the popmenu to include the new badges in Cimerora. The updated files are available in the top post.

 

Edit 01-Dec-2021: I uploaded new mod files to account for the slight adjustment to the position of the Vision of Ambition badge in Cimerora.

Edited December 1, 2021 by AboveTheChemist
updated 01-Dec-2021

[Saturn-Knight]

Very cool, thanks!

[ColonelMustard]

This is great, @AboveTheChemist

 

I'm trying it out now on a new goldside character and it works really well. Definitely something I'll be using on my other characters.

[SnoBahr]

I've made a River Rat badge addition to this - it's currently its own popmenu, but it's based off @AboveTheChemist's TSPMenu. The River_Rat subdirectory goes in the same directory with TSPMenu's folders, and requires the double-enter to get it started, like TSPMenu.

 

It's currently parked on my Google Drive.

[Ironblade]

On 3/14/2021 at 12:14 AM, AboveTheChemist said:

This popmenu allows the user to load sets of zone-specific rolling keybinds that utilize the new /thumbtack command to place a thumbtack/navigation marker sequentially at each badge/plaque within the zone.

Absolutely brilliant.  I just saw this thread because of a new post, loaded all the files, and ran thru Founders Falls to check it out.

This is fantastic since you just need to hit a single key to go to the next item once you've loaded a zone.

I have a keybind file that I automatically load on every character and I just bound this popmenu to one of the F keys.

[Falxu]

Just found this amazing "mod" and started using it.  Using Tequila launcher still (cuz I'm just lazy to switch).  I have found one irregularity? although I am not sure if it is intentional.

When I click on the button to pop the menu, then select an objective, it puts the thumbtack on the map as intended but then next part of the macro gets printed out in chat input and I have hit enter a couple of times to actual invoke it.

 

/bind_load_file_silent binds/tsp/atlas_park/pt_10.txt

Is a sample of the line that appears in the chat input.  Is this intended? if so not a problem I'll deal with the small nuisance for an incredible mod.  If not, anything I can do to fix it?

[AboveTheChemist]

2 hours ago, Falxu said:

Is this intended?

 

Indeed it is, see the third paragraph in the top post, and the Use instructions section. Long story short, it is the only practical method to invoke the bind_load command from within a popmenu.

[AboveTheChemist]

I've updated the popmenu to include the new Bicentennial plaques, as well as to update the locations of a few other badges that have moved. The updated files are available in the top post. I have also added a section on updating an existing installation, as it is best to remove the old bind files and folders before updating them with the new set.

 

If anyone notices any issues, please let me know. Thanks!

[Alo?]

I have to assume this popmenu and binds list isn't getting more love because all the Badgers out there already had all the Exploration/History badges before you made this, because I'm working on a second badger, and I decided to see what this did, and boy howdy is it handy!

 

I almost gave it a pass on the premise of the binds folder, thinking it would impact my already highly customized binds, but I don't use the brackets keys, since they're not really convenient for normal use; however, they work great for this.

 

Thanks so much for both making this and keeping it updated.

[Spectarz]

  Does this still work? Or am I just not able to get it to work?  I click on the macro button I made for it and nothing at all, no errors...Just nothing.  @AboveTheChemist

  I am going to continue editing the BadgeSetList popmenu with numerals to match your Vidiotmaps, which I was doing when I saw you had made this.

Edited June 10 by Spectarz

[AboveTheChemist]

11 hours ago, Spectarz said:

Does this still work? Or am I just not able to get it to work?

 

I haven't had any other reports of issues with it. Perhaps double-check the Installation and Use sections to make sure you are following the installation and use guidelines. And double-check that it is installed in the correct location. Many errors of the 'I can't get it to work' variety often are the result of installation in the wrong location.

[Spectarz]

  All my other  stuff works, your badgePopmenu, I have a farm popmenu and now your TSP menu all located in same folder.

  It all seeemed pretty basic cept you added some temp keybinds.

 

  So after reloading next dfay it works fine like it supposed to....well the menu comes up.  About to test it but sure it will be working fine.

 

  Perfection just like your other mods/menus!

Edited June 11 by Spectarz

[SnoBahr]

Can I make a suggestion for Echo: Faultline's route? I find that I prefer doing all the front-end explore badges before going through the bunker to the back end of the zone, and drop an Ouro portal at Pristine - it's faster than doing a circle in the zone. Might I suggest having that route be:

 

3. Apex

2. Faultless

8. Dug Too Deep

6. Claim Denied

1. Newsman/Newsgirl

7. Spare Parts

4. Forsaken

5. Pristine

 

Because it's a helluva schlep from Pristine to Newsman, after hiking from Spare Parts to Forsaken. Proposed route in Green.

[lemming]

1 hour ago, SnoBahr said:

Because it's a helluva schlep from Pristine to Newsman, after hiking from Spare Parts to Forsaken. Proposed route in Green.

That's very close to what I do.  (I tend to pickup the plaques as well, unless I already picked them up in Faultline)

 

So, #3 Exp, #3 Plaque, #2 Exp, #1 & #6 Plaque, #6 & #8 expl, #1 & #7 Exp, #2 Plaque before heading to the back forty for #4 & #5.   (If plaques already, then

[AboveTheChemist]

19 hours ago, SnoBahr said:

Can I make a suggestion for Echo: Faultline's route?

 

Sure, but having considered your suggestion I am not inclined to alter my mod at this time, for various reasons. If you and others find your proposed route more optimal for your specific circumstances, that's great and I encourage you to do what works best for you. The optimal paths in this mod (and the related map mod) are only recommendations, not requirements.

[SnoBahr]

I completely respect that, and love the popmenu. Thank you for putting for the effort on it, to begin with!