The TS NextGen Story Sticky post during the longlasting development of the reworked NextGen TS. It took a lot of time to get to the finish line, and we tried to keep you patient fans up to date.
Not every user shared the love, there always will be those that post:
Broken Mod. Shame...
Which triggered me enough to reply:
You could argue the mod isn't broken, but the NextGen game is. Update is on its way, but it is a lot of work, because NextGen broke everything Transfer Settlements relied on. Read the stickies about development for NextGen above if you want to know why FO4 broke, not TS
] May, 5th, 2024
Expect a longer wait for the !NextGen update!
Yes, new F4SE is available. Yes, CDante is working hard on compiling an update.
ETA -> when Tested, Stable, and Done. There will be no release untill it is ready to go public.
So much things can get in the way of a solid ETA. Revisiting a game that has been slumbering for years takes time, rebuilding the backbones for the development environment, refreshing old test procedures, etc... And... the biggest hurdle we are facing is tackling massive internal changes in the NextGen FO4 release.
Be patient we will no longer answer any questions on when TS will be updated.
DEVELOPMENT NEWS: Initial Issue Discovery ] CDante: May, 8th, 2024
Update on Transfer Settlements NG compatibility development:
transfer_settlements.dll fully working - compiled and loads up with NG version
terminal+.dll fully working - compiled and loads up with NG version
BUT... for each terminal+ update in the past I always needed to find 6 internal addresses for internal functions based on their binary signature patterns from previous versions of Fallout 4. However, it seems like these internal addresses changed/shifted so much in NG that so far I could locate only 2 of those 6.
So please be patient, it takes more time but I'm getting there.
NOTE: The working DLLs CDante mentions are DEVELOPMENT versions and not available for the public.
] CDante: May, 9th, 2024
Update on TS development: I made a windows application to decode the bin files from the Address Library for F4SE Plugins by Ryan, but turned out THEY don't have all the addresses decoded. even comparing the filesizes between 1.10.163 (9.1 MB) and 1.10.980 (2.2 MB) it's obvious that it's just a fraction of the known internal addresses in that bin file.
to be continued...
CDante has some additional plans to deal with the elusive internal functions. ] CDante: May, 10th, 2024
Update on TS development: I made a python script that finds the closest known 1.10.980 memory addresses, but it landed thousands of steps away from the address I'm looking for, another dead end.
I have some more ideas to try. [nerd-alert] Dissasemble the machine-executable code further and create assembly language code to decompile and generate a high level, C source code-like representation [/nerd-alert]
Shifting more and more towards the decision of getting rid of the TS holotape, it needs high level trickery that is no longer available. It will require restructuring the mod to work with a physical, buildable terminal instead, which can have dynamic texts using less convoluted quest aliases.
Side note: Working with the FOLON devs to add compatibility with Fallout London so TS recognises London workshops from the get go.
NEXT FO4 UPDATE ANNOUNCED by BGS for monday may 13th.
] May, 13th, 2024 FO4 update dropped. Tiny 38MB, only Fallout4.exe and interface.ba2 updated, version bumped to 1.10.984. Likely not gonna be such a huge problem for Script Extender mods like the massive internal changes in 1.10.980 were. CDante is still working on the previous NextGen conversions for this mod.
] May, 14th, 2024
Expect a much longer wait for the ?!? NextGen update ?!?
This ain't an easy quick update to a new FO4 version number, it requires a complete rework. Only possible thanks to the awesome support from legends like reg2k, ianpatt and other members from the amazing f4se-team.
] May, 5th,2024 ...the biggest hurdle we are facing is tackling massive internal changes in the NextGen FO4 release.
Turns out, a lot of the advanced functions Transfer Settlements depends on changed drastically or are no longer available.
] reg2k: Some of the functions may not even exist anymore... I'm guessing Bethesda updated their compiler platform toolset, the single worst thing you can do to your modding community for native mods. Old signatures broke because the assembly instructions changed.
] ianpatt: Yeah, pretty sure we are at worst case scenario
] CDante: This is a much greater problem than the issues I had earlier, but I won't give up. ] May, 20th, 2024
] CDante: Currently restructuring the mod so it would work with a built terminal instead of a holotape. I want a more robust solution, and having dynamic texts in a "world object" type terminal is much easier and doesn't require so many internal functions that changed drastically or are no longer available. + In NextGen there are additional issues whith the built-in power line and wire functions needed by TS, those are still disabled in the latest version of F4SE. the F4SE team already fixed those, which is awesome, but those fixes need to be included with a future F4SE update.
DEVELOPMENT UPDATES Progress News.
] June, 5th, 2024 It is an honor to announce that there has been huge progress on the NextGen TS build. CDante succeeded in jumping over the biggest hurdles BGS threw at him and we have a working testbuild now. It is looking very good. Early tests are promising, but there still are a few issues that need finetuning. However, we will be testing it thoroughly and will take our time to do so. Again, we will not give an ETA, it will be done when it is done. ] June, 27th, 2024 We are expecting the upcoming test build iteration to be running soon, and it might as well be the final build if all goes well. Nobody wants CDante to release his mod while there are still some useability issues. But i'm confident enough to say we are approaching the NextGen TS release. Earlier tests have been very promising, it just works almost flawless. But almost isn't good enough. ] July, 20th, 2024 I know the last development update has been a while ago. Despite that, yes, CDante keeps on working on it in his spare time. All his free time goes to finishing the NextGen update. He just does not have much spare time to do so. ] August, 5th, 2024 Last weekend we started testing development iteration no 4 since OldGen TS v1.93. Major bugs have been squashed, new quality of life features are rocksolid, and maybe some more awesomeness has been added. Testing is ongoing, and there might be a pleasant surprise incoming for some of you. (hint: see side note on the May, 10th dev news) ] August, 19th, 2024 This morning CDante gave the testers beta v2.14. Not much to tell about it, but the build version number (vs 1.93) at least tells you a lot of work has been done. Maybe we are testing it too hard, lol? Can't help it, bugs... must... be unearthed... and squashed hard.
] September, 1st, 2024 This weekend we have been testing 2 closed beta iterations, v2.15 and v2.16, Beta 2.16 has more debug log entries added, to pinpoint two specificly stuborn background processes that refuse to become rocksolid and 100% reliable. Progress.
] September, 11th, 2024 v2.18 beta has entered testing, with a broader test group including a bunch of volunteering users from the discord server, these really are the final steps. v2.18 can truly be considered as a release candidate. You can expect a release in the foreseeable future. /edit the v2.18 broader test group has been locked, no more entries welcomed.
] September, 17th, 2024 Time for a final dev update, and an overview of all the hard work that went into all this: There will be a video when the update gets released. Blueprints will be compatible.
Each developper has their own versioning methods, it usually comes down to:
Alpha -> very early versions, barebone proof of concept. (TS May, 5th-June, 3rd)
Release Candidates -> `In the wild testing`, for TS that was with selected users in normal use cases. (TS Sept, 7th-Sept, 12th)
All that is done. (which entailled v1.94a up to v2.18rc)
Why is there no public release yet? CDante will need time to finetune final details, file packaging (there will be several different downloads available), documentation (including a video), etcetera.
And because people keep asking: There will be no release untill it is ready to go public.
TS v1.93 had years of getting mature, the completely reworked v2.xx aims/needs to be at the same level (and above) in one big jump.
A lot of you OG fanatics around i see. That is fine, each their own preferences and choices. I do highly doubt FO4 OG is bigger than FO4 NG regarding Transfer Settlements users. We'll know soon enough how it balances out when we can compare download numbers.
What i can already say is that despite all the backlash NG gets. There are some huge benefits to it regarding this mod. That is after CDante got it working again. Which wasn't easy at all.
Transfer Settlements works noticably faster in NG, quicker exports, quicker imports. Also one huge improvement over OG is the fact that the game no longer freezes up when saving after importing a BIG settlement.
It is not all doom and gloom. In our testgroup it was hard to find people still running OG, and almost everybody reporting the FO4-NG itself to be more stable and less crash prone. Not because they all were on fresh savegames and moderate loadorders. NG is, what, a few months old now? Those players have played their games as hard as any other OG gamer.
Thanks for posting this! I think it's incredibly helpful to have a glimpse of "how the sausage is made". While the NG update provided some great benefits to console users (so i've heard), us PC users didn't see nearly as much benefit and, clearly, there has been quite a bit of detriment/damage. Just wish people took the time to understand the massive amount of work that can go into modding, that mod authors do this stuff for free in their spare time, and that mod users aren't "owed" anything. Personally, if I can't do something myself, I'm going to be grateful for those that can and as supportive as possible.
I played Fallout 4 exactly once back then, then no more. This settlement building really got on my nerves.
Now with Fallout London I've found a taste for it, I got the GOG version of FO4 especially to avoid the drama with the downgrade.
This leads me to the question: Does it make sense to install the NG update for a new Fallout 4 playthrough or not? I like modding my game a lot. I get the impression you don't really need the bullshit, do you?
The update is not worth it. Tried it on a second pc. Saw the stutters with npcs and deleted. WIth a F4SE plugin you can even run the CC from the NG and any BA2 files from NG on the good version. No reason to upgrade.
I too, won't be updating my game, haven't so I never had an issue with this mod and shame on Bethesda who put out an update which was underwhelming and broke most of the BEST mods like this one. Transfer settlements are one of the absolute staples and we've been using it since it started. So I think we won't be worrying about this Next Gen update and for those of us who didn't update our games...we'll continue to use it. Don't think we'll EVER update with NEXT Gen so Hopefully the mod author still would support the older version for the majority of us who used it and it still works just fine.
6 comments
I do highly doubt FO4 OG is bigger than FO4 NG regarding Transfer Settlements users. We'll know soon enough how it balances out when we can compare download numbers.
What i can already say is that despite all the backlash NG gets. There are some huge benefits to it regarding this mod. That is after CDante got it working again. Which wasn't easy at all.
Transfer Settlements works noticably faster in NG, quicker exports, quicker imports. Also one huge improvement over OG is the fact that the game no
longer freezes up when saving after importing a BIG settlement.
It is not all doom and gloom.
In our testgroup it was hard to find people still running OG, and almost everybody reporting the FO4-NG itself to be more stable and less crash prone. Not because they all were on fresh savegames and moderate loadorders. NG is, what, a few months old now? Those players have played their games as hard as any other OG gamer.
Now with Fallout London I've found a taste for it, I got the GOG version of FO4 especially to avoid the drama with the downgrade.
This leads me to the question: Does it make sense to install the NG update for a new Fallout 4 playthrough or not? I like modding my game a lot. I get the impression you don't really need the bullshit, do you?