Forgotten Hope 2 Mapshot Pack

Another Mappack has emerged from the void and it includes several 640x480 screenshots for all the Forgotten Hope 2 Maps up to version 2.15.

get it here: http://www.mayhemic.net/qtracker/

Qtracker MapshotPack Maker

Well, my simple Mappack Converter has been improved to be a full Editor and now it´s ready for the community.

You can now create new Packs from scratch, import old ones and edit the Images with Drag-and-Drop functions. 

Get it here: MapShotPackMaker_1.4.zip (.NET Framework 2 required)

If you are scared about unknow executables (and you should be!) or just interested in the source code you can check the source of this .exe with a dot net reflector: http://www.red-gate.com/products/reflector/

Qtracker Mapshot Pack Converter

To use the new features (mod specification and default image) from Qtraker 4.7 I had to convert my old Mapshot Packs still using the maplist.txt and author.txt to the new XML format.
I wrote myself a little tools with Visual Studio Express in C# that converts the maplist.txt into the new XML format.
It generates XML code that you can simply copy & paste into your new qtracker_mapshot.xml file.

Download Link: MapShotPackConverter

Updates will follow, please leave comments..

Manage Windows Services

Tired of manually shutting down all the running Services on your Windows Box to get more Performance for your Gaming Sessions ?

Thanks to good old .bat files and the net Command you can switch your system to Gaming Mode and back with a single click. Here´s how:

Check your running Services and see their Names:

1. Open a DOS Command Prompt (start -> run -> cmd )
2. type in "net start"
This will give you a list of all the Services currently running.

Create a .bat file

Create a empty text file on your desktop and insert the services you want to be stopped in the following form

net stop "Automatic Updates" /y

net stop "Printer Spooler" /y

and so on..
Use the names you got from the "net start" command and put them in quotes behind "net stop"
Save this file as stop_services.bat or whatever you like.

And another

You can also create another .bat file to start all the services again after you played by using "net start":

net start "Automatic Updates"

net start "Printer Spooler"

Get rid of the window

If all runs well you can create a Shortcut to your .bat file and choose run as minimized in its properties. If you then start the shortcut instead of directly starting the .bat file, the window

Googles Picasa Webpicture Service

My God, google is taking over the world. I just used my google account and tested the Picasa Webalbum option. (sorry, i got the german version)
1 Gb for free, I just couldnt resist any longer :p
A nice website by itself, but as if it wouldn´t be nice enough, the integration with Googles Picasa is very well done.. Picture sharing could hardly be any easier I think..
Check out my public pictures :)
http://picasaweb.google.de/magicmad2000