They can mod the game back to the original version of entrenchment.  Hell, they can even mod units back to the original version of Sins, more or less.

You assume everyone who can play can mod.  Besides, why can't the people who want the changes do the same thing?  They're the ones who want the changes, so they should have to work for it.  Not the people who liked it before.  (Not that i did.)

If they can open up a file in Notepad, they can mod the game.

Because if the people who want the changes (the MP people) mod the game, then obviously they can't play online anymore, can they?  But that's a non-issue to SP'ers.

Can't you play modded games online if both have the mod?  I'm saying make a MP fix mod and post it somewhere online so the MPers who want the changes can have them.

Nope.  Certainly not on ICO.

Custom maps and mods can be played on ICO but people who want to join that game need to have the maps and mods installed (and for the mods, enabled).

The actual problem is that custom maps and mods will not auto-download, which means that people have to go out of their way to manually download and install them.  People have played custom maps on ICO before, but it's a rarity and it takes promotion and effort by the game host.

Requires effort?  More like the persistance of an undead zombie!  I'm lucky to get even a 2v2 rolling at peak hours on a custom map!  I've never managed to get a 3v3 or larger on a custom, but not for lack of trying...

I've done it before several times, but I had the help of people from the various clans and other friends of mine.  Ironically, it might actually be easier to get people to come play a custom at an off time since your game might be the only game in town, especially if you can get one or two other people to join it.  Once people see other people in the game, they might be more willing to go get the maps.

That much is true, though "off hours" often have only 2 or 3 people in the lobby to begin with <_<

ya... mods and custom maps are hard... but not impossible...

after about 6 hours of constant advertising... a forum thread... and other shizznits... I and the DS people managed to get a... 4v4(iirc) of distant stars going.

IF *YOU* bothered to download the custom map pack... we could do some custom map games... which are freaking awsome.

This thread has sure shied away from Skirmishers at this point.

yeah, that was fun (until my internet dropped ) and it can be done. But yeah, there was a lot of hassle invovled. We should try that again, especially because we streamlined a lot of things to make it smoother for MP.

It's much easier to do the custom maps now since Darvin created that compilation with the auto-installer.  Instead of having to spend 10 minutes helping people find their Application Data folder, now they can add the maps in just one minute's time.  Download the Setup.exe file, run it, and you're done.

we should... like link to that setup file... (it works for windows 7 too... not just vista btw)... so we can be like to anyone reading this thread "there is no fking way your too lazy to click the button."

Not everyone has to place the maps in the application data folder, I just have mine in the main Galaxy folder with the rest- though they still have to be added to the galaxy manifest for Entrenchment.  I've been able to play custom maps online.  Though there was a drop, it was on a bad day on ICO, and we didn't test enough to tell whether the map was more prone to drops.  I'd be up for another test if we can sort one out. 

Has anyone got the GalaxyForge template editor to work?  I haven't yet- it might be a .net problem, but there seems to be no 'save' option?  Is it possible to have more options for militia guarding planets? 

On-topic, after more play, perhaps the light frigates don't require a general buff, though the illuminator bug doesn't help when determining balance.  I'd still want the reintegration fix though.  Also, if skirmishers are to be valued at 7 slots to 4/5, then the v1.18 buff should have raised the dps as well, otherwise its an effective nerf compared to other light frigates.  The proposed raise seems small enough.

That's because they intentionally kept the application data folder consistant for the purpose of backwards compatability.  

Anyways, if we can get a larger game rolling over the weekend that would be awesome

It's the editor that's bugged.  The problem has persisted since they changed the map format to support quick-start, leading me to believe that they forgot to update the template editor and it crashes because it's now inconsistant with the rest of galaxyforge.