A no nonsense installer for ExRM v3.5.3b

[bladerunner900]

Here is the latest stand-alone installer for Extended Realism v3.5.3


This installer includes Quinns 3.5.3b “hotfix”

- - - - Download ExRM v3.5.3b setup.exe from sendspace
- - - - Download ExRM v3.5.3b setup.exe from MediaFire



It includes all files to install Extended Realism v3.5.3b into its own mod folder and then creates a shortcut on your desktop with the -nm -show_err mod:ExRM switches.

IMPORTANT: RTRPE is not needed

Before running the installer, first make sure you have a clean, unaltered Rome Total War (RTW) & Barbarian Invasion (BI) installed, patched up to v1.5 and v1.6 respectively.

So this is how you would go about it.

• Install RTW
• Install BI
• Make sure that RTW is patched to v1.5 and BI is patched to v1.6
• Delete the old ExRM folder
• Do not install any earlier version of Extended Realism
• Run ExRM v3.5.3b setup.exe
• Direct the install into your main Rome - Total War folder, or wherever the RomeTW.exe and the RomeTW-BI.exe files are located
  

Because this Mod is continually being updated, I strongly recommend you go here and check for the latest "hotfix".
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=179715

Other mods can be installed alongside this mod as long as they are in their own mod folders and do not alter the contents of the main RTW install folder.

--Note--
To my knowledge, this installer in no way alters any registry entries on your machine. To uninstall this mod, all you do is delete the ExRM folder and the shortcut on your desktop.

If anyone still wants the older 3.4.1 version, you can get it here while they are still active.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Download ExRM_v3.4_setup.exe from FileFactory
Download ExRM_v3.4_setup.exe from FileFront
Download ExRM_v3.4_setup.exe from MEGAUPLOAD
Download ExRM_v3.4_setup.exe from sendspace

--Notes from Quinn Inuit--

• Is there a more up-to-date version of the hotfix?
  
  • Yes/No -- YES
  • If yes, link is here: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=179715
    
  
  
• Make sure this installs to the correct directory. I've had reports (thanks Carac Caratacus!) that it may try to install to the wrong subdirectory if you're using the anthology. If you're using the anthology and this doesn't appear to have installed, you may need to move what got installed into the RTW folder.
• Update 5/5/2014: I'm deprecating this post and closing the thread in favor of ExRM 4.0. It had a good run as a sticky.

[caledonius]

looks good

[Jingles]

OMG! I only saw this after installing manually 5 minutes ago! O fate thou art beginning to piss me off!!

[Pat89]

Just what was needed

btw... Jamey... weren't you working on one as well?

[Jamey]

Just what was needed

btw... Jamey... weren't you working on one as well?

Yeah, but I ran into issues with my choice of platform. I was going to scrap what I had and start again using a different installer framework.

Is this an MSI installer? If not, it will have issues on Vista.

EDIT: Also, out of curiosity, what software are you using to make the install package?

[Quinn Inuit]

Sweet! Thanks, bladerunner! You rock.

I'll link this post from the installation post as soon as Jamey's question gets addressed. I'm sure this will work well for XP users at a minimum, but I'd like it to be clear who can safely use this before I make it an official link.

[bladerunner900]

Is this an MSI installer? If not, it will have issues on Vista.

By default, it is compiled as a straight MSI installer but I compiled this one into an exe. It decompresses in the background and then goes from there.

EDIT: Also, out of curiosity, what software are you using to make the install package?

I used Advanced Installer 6.1 Enterprise on Windows XP Professional. I haven't got Vista so I don't know if it works with that. Seeing as it makes straight MSI packages, it should be ok. Perhaps someone could try it and let us know.

*EDIT* I could easily change it to an MSI if that would be simpler?

[Jamey]

*EDIT* I could easily change it to an MSI if that would be simpler?

It sounds like you've got an EXE wrapper the decompresses into an MSI. That should be fine (and a smaller download). I'd avoid making changes unless we get any complaints from Vista people.

[bladerunner900]

Yeah! When I put it together, it used the option of creating a single, compressed CAB file and placeing it inside an MSI installer and then wrapping it up into an exe file that uses what it calls a "Bootstrapper".

It all sound like magic to me

[Delvecchio1975]

i feel like uninstalling and reinstalling just to test this on vista ....

[Pat89]

i feel like uninstalling and reinstalling just to test this on vista ....

Why don't you install a second ExRM? It is -mod switch, so both versions will work

@ Quinn:
If you like... I can add it to the "RTR - Mod Index" for you

[Jamey]

Why don't you install a second ExRM? It is -mod switch, so both versions will work

Technically, this is incorrect. Implementing a mod switch mod requires you to hard code some of the paths in the Data files relative to the RTW executable. Multiple installs will work in the same RTW install if and only if there is an install in the EXRM directory with the correct files.

[bladerunner900]

Unless of course you make multiple copies of the main Rome –Total War folder and install a different version of ExRM into each one. (or any other Mod for that matter).

[Quinn Inuit]

Awesome. Consider this thread linked!

Do you think I should sticky this, too?

[Delvecchio1975]

stickeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

[Pat89]

Technically, this is incorrect. Implementing a mod switch mod requires you to hard code some of the paths in the Data files relative to the RTW executable. Multiple installs will work in the same RTW install if and only if there is an install in the EXRM directory with the correct files.

I forgot it would overwrite the original ExRM folder... (with the same name...)

[bladerunner900]

Do you think I should sticky this, too?

Has anyone with Vista tried it yet?

Anyway. Here is a quote from Caphyon, the makers of Advanced Installer.

"Installers created with Advanced Installer are designed to run flawlessly on Windows Vista. Your installers will install on the entire range of Microsoft Operating Systems, all the way from Windows 95 and NT to Windows XP and Vista."

You can read more here if you want to see what else they say before makeing up your mind.

http://www.advancedinstaller.com/vista-installers.html

[Jamey]

It looks good to me, since it should be an MSI internally. Since all we're doing is installing files, I don't foresee major issues on Vista. The real problems with Vista are when you try to do more than install files, registry entries, etc.

[Pat89]

I don't like registry entries

[bladerunner900]

I don't like registry entries

Me neither! Thats why I didn't use that feature in this installer. If you had the space, in theory, you could install this Mod 100 times or more.

If you want to delete the Mod, all you do is delete the ExRM folder and shortcut.