USB Portable?

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StuntMan0404
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USB Portable?

Post by StuntMan0404 »

K, I'm a comlete noob at this but i was wondering if it would be at all possible to create a version of BZFlag that ran off a usb drive without leaving any files on the actual computer. I got the idea from http://www.portableapps.com which has usb apps for all sorts of stuff, so i was just wondering if this could work. Like i said, im a total noob so i have no idea.
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Spazzy McGee
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Post by Spazzy McGee »

I believe Saturos made a bzflag Live CD, prehaps you should talk to him. I think it was called 'BZAnywhere' - try searching the forums for it.
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StuntMan0404
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Post by StuntMan0404 »

k, thanks.
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Post by Longhair »

Sounds like a great idea to me either way. How about both?

Live CDs are great for demonstrating Linux, and for taking a complete set of tools with you. (office software, browser, antivirus, system rescue, etc.).
The big disadvantage of the live CD is that you need to have the proper accelerated OpenGL drivers work on just about anything, and do it automatically. You also need to be able to reboot the computer in question, AND have access to the BIOS setup in case the CD drive is too low on the boot priority list. I'm also thinking of a friend of mine's computer I tried using Knoppix on. You simply can't boot from a live CD on his computer. (and it ain't a windoze 98 box, either! )

The big thing about having a portable app version of BZFlag is that all of the drivers should be in place already, you don't have to reboot, you don't have to monkey w/ the BIOS, and a lot of us carry these little keys around anyhow.

I should say here that I know exactly zilch about the process of making a portable app, or what goes on during a standard BZFlag installation. Maybe it's no big deal, or maybe it's impossible.

It would be nice.
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Post by dango »

I opened bzflag on my USB flash drive on a computer that you are disallowed to use the "My Documents" folder. it works great!
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L4m3r
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Post by L4m3r »

Does the "directory" parameter for the bzflag client work under Windows? if so, all you'd have to do is set the game's working directory to a folder on the thumb drive and you'd be set.

But even without that, it works fine. If you have to, clean up the mydocs folder when you're done.
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Post by Legolas_ »

I put bzflag on my iPod video 80 gig and take it with me everywhere... works fine :P
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JeffM
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Post by JeffM »

-configdir can be used to specify a local path for the configs to be made in. you can set the dir to a path on the flashdrive.
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Post by Longhair »

Well shoot, that just sounds too easy. Thanks guys!
StuntMan0404
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Post by StuntMan0404 »

sweet, thanks. now all i need to do is learn how to edit the source code lol :doh:
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Post by blast »

Nobody said anything about a source code modification. The -configdir parameter is just passed to bzflag.exe when it is run.
Last edited by blast on Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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StuntMan0404
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Post by StuntMan0404 »

o, ok. so what file would i put that comand in? im a noob, remember?
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Post by dango »

Jeff:
is there an option i didn't see that sets the cache directory? because the -directory option seems to be where the fonts and textures are.
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JeffM
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Post by JeffM »

me1
-configdir is what you use NOT -directory

-configdir sets the dir used buy the config and the cache, and anything else normaly put in the "my bzflag files" dir.

It was made just for this reason ( can't write to the my docs dir ).

StuntMan0404
It is a command line option, you would put it in the shortcut to bzflag in the target field, after the last ", just put a space then -configdir "some\folder\on\your\usb\drive\"

but note this is only in the latest 2.0.9 builds, so you will need one of those from http://beta.bzflag.bz/builds/2.0.x/
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StuntMan0404
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Post by StuntMan0404 »

o, that's where you put it. :shock: k, i know what you mean now, thanks.
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Post by GMMan »

I've got BZFlag working on my thumb drive just fine under Windows. You'll need PStart for this. I'll post more details on my BZFlag blog, BZJournal.WordPress.com some time.
I haven't touched BZFlag for years, but maybe sometime I'll make a comeback.

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