The Dink Network

Hello all,

I have tried to run different D-mods and none are working for me. I am running Dink v1.07 on Windows XP. The main game works no problem.

I have read the help file on how to install mods. I beleive I am doing it correctly.
I have created a directory for the Mod, under the Dink directory. I then unzip the files into that directory. I run the front end program and I do see the name of the mod in the list. I choose it, and I check off the box to run that mod.

What happens next, is that I see the V1.07 at the bottom of the screen. but the rest of the screen is completly black, save a blue cursor (arrow). If I click with the mouse, it makes the same thump sound that you hear, when your on the starting menu of Dink (the main game).. where you are suppose to choose Start or Continue. But in my case, the entire screen is black except for 1.07. I can't even quit the program. I have to alt tab out and end the program that way.

Any idea's. I'd really like to play some of these mods.

Thank you,
Zanatar.

Hmm.. I also had this problem when I started playing d-mods. Tell me, do you see the name of the d-mod or simply the folder name you saved the files to?

Hi Nunzilla..

Well I am seeing the actual Mod name, not the folder name. For example, for Stone of Balance, in the Dink Smallwood Front end, I am seeing "Stone Of Balance - full version 2.12" and I have the checkmark to run it.
The actual directory where it's files were copied too, is just named SOB.

Not sure what the problem is. How did you resolve this on your PC, as you said it happend to you?

Thanks very much for your help.
Zanatar.

This should have an easy solution. Something that most people miss actually. Remember to check the "Run with this dmod" box in the front-end for it to work.

Hi Pheonix,

Thanks for your reply. Hate to say it, but if you re-read both my posts in this thread, you'll see that in both posts I mentioned that I do have that check mark, to run the selected mod.

One thing I haven't tried, and I think I will right now, is to de-install and re-install Dink, and the 1.07 patch again, and see if that works.

I'll let you know.

Zanatar.

If nothing helps, you could change the compatibility for the programs to Windows 95/98. It worked for me but you have the v1.07 patch (helps with Windows XP) so that shouldn't really be the problem.

Well I just tried un-installing and re-installing. Still no go. The same thing happens, as I describe in my first post.

Proof that I do have the checkmark, is that if I remove the checkmark in the front end program, dink the main game loads instead.
So I do have the checkmark, and I instead get a black screen, with just the cursor and the version number at the bottom.

Is there anything in particular that I am doing wrong with the mod install itself maybe? Once I unzip say Stone of Balance in the SOB directory that I created within the Dink directory, is there anything else I need to do with the files?

I noticed that for the main game, and for the Mystery Island mod, that they have subdirectories within, such as: Tiles, Story, Sound, Graphics.

The only reason I mention this is because the Mystery Island mod (that comes prepackaged with the main game download), does work for me, and using the Front end software too.
So I am just wondering if those subdirectories have something to do with it. Because Stone of Balance, is just a bunch of files, (alot of them mind you), but with no subdirectories.

Thanks for you help,
Zanatar.

Hi Simeon

Just noticed your post. You must have posted as I was typing my last one.

I just tried your idea. It didn't help. Actualy right now I had just version 1.06 installed, since I had de-installed and re-installed Dink. But I didn't re-install the patch yet. So I just re-installed v1.07 patch. And well same problem. Still can't get any of the mods to work (other then Mystery Island that comes with the main game. )

Zanatar.

then you unzipped it wrong, I think. All dmods need to have those subdirectories: graphics, sound, story, tiles. and some files in the main dir. Try extracting them like is done in Mystery Island. If that doesn't help try another frontend.
Hope that helps

Hmm that must be it then. I don't get it though. I am using the latest version of winzip and I am just selecting Extract and choosing the subdirectory that I created ie: Sob, for Stone of Balance. And it unzip's the files. But it's not creating any of those subdirectories.

Zanatar.

Perhaps you're having 2 folders. If you already made a dir named SOB and then extract the zip into SOB, the zip will unzipp a main dir SOB in the dir SOB you've created.
So you'll have:
c:\program files\dink smallwood\sob\sob
instead of
c:\program files\dink smallwood\sob

Hi again,

Ok well it wasn't creating any subfolders at all. So it wasn't a problem with that.

I got it working though. Mind you, I had to bypass Winzip. For some reason, Winzip will not create those subfolders. What I had to do instead is right click on the zip file and click explore. XP has a build in Unzip reader, so it was able to see the proper directory structure with the sub folders. I then just copy/pasted it into the dink/sob folder.

Stone of Balance is working now, as I'm sure the rest will too, so long as I extract it that same way. I wish I knew why Winzip isn't working.

Anyhow, thanks for all the help. Take care.

Zanatar.

Glad you got it working. winzip is having problems here as well. meh. I use winrar most of the time anyway

There's a checkbox you have to check if you want Winzip to extract with subfolders (see the extractscreen). And in Windows XP, you can just doubleclick on a .zip file to open/explore it.

Thank you all again for all your help.

Christiaan: That's what it was. I feel like a real newbie now Hehe. Thanks though. I just added that checkmark on the winzip extract folder, and winzip is obviously now creating those folders. I don't know how that got unchecked. I think it was when I last downloaded the recent version of Winzip. They should make checked off by default. hehe.

Thanks again all,
Zanatar.

Ops. Sometimes I read too fast.