MultiEx Commander
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{{Notability|product|date=August 2024}}
{{Primary sources|date=August 2024}}
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{{Infobox software
| name = MultiEx Commander
| logo =
| screenshot =
| caption =
| developer = Mike Zuurman
Jeremy Walton
Ben Moench
| released = v1.07, (August 16, 1999) {{cite web |url=http://www.gamers.org/pub/idgames2/newstuff/mcmex1_9.txt |title=readme.txt |date=1999-08-19 |accessdate=2012-06-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120412093455/http://www.gamers.org/pub/idgames2/newstuff/mcmex1_9.txt |archivedate=2012-04-12 }}
| latest release version = 4.6 {{cite web|url=http://multiex.xentax.com |title=MultiEx Commander |publisher=xentax.com |date=2022-11-10 |accessdate=2022-11-12}}
| latest release date = {{release date and age|2022|11|10}}
| latest preview version = None
| latest preview date = None
| operating_system = Windows
| genre = File manager
| programming_language = Visual Basic
| license = Shareware (Windows)
| website = [http://multiex.xentax.com/ multiex.xentax.com]
}}
MultiEx Commander was a game resource archive manager for Windows published by the Xentax Foundation. Some features include a built-in MexScript (AKA BMS) interpreter, file extractor and importer, stand alone mod creator EasyMod.
This application is currently written by Mike Zuurman in Visual Basic.{{cite web|url=http://sourceforge.net/projects/mexcom/|title=MultiEx Commander|date=14 August 2015 }} The first versions of the program were written in Borland Turbo C in 1998 and 1999 as a user interface for a command line DOS archiving tool, called multiex, that was created in 1997.http://www.xentax.com/downloads/multiex/MexComManual.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}} The program is extensible by programmers via a plugin-API.{{cite web|url=http://www.moddb.com/downloads/multiex-commander-dpc-plugin|title = MultiEX Commander .DPC Plugin file| date=14 September 2010 }} The first multiex release was built around MexScript, a custom script written specifically to enable programmers to process (game) archives by simply typing a few lines of script. All the low-level events would be carried out by the main program. MexScript (or BMS as it is also called, after Binary MultiEx Script{{cite web|url=http://forum.xentax.com/viewtopic.php?t=399|title = XeNTaX - Login}}) is still a prominent feature of the tool, as the user can write scripts via the built-in script window. It also enables the use of QuickBMS scripts, a later third party produced improvement (or "forking") of the original MexScript.{{cite web|url=http://aluigi.altervista.org/quickbms.htm|title = Luigi Auriemma}}
Additionally, MultiEx Commander can create stand-alone mods for games via the EasyMod creator. Custom changes made to certain game archives (such as sounds, or textures) are stored as a stand-alone program, enabling users to distribute their mods without others needing MultiEx Commander.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}
The Windows version is freeware, although it was donateware up until September 2014: users could download it after they donated a certain amount to the Xentax Foundation. As part of the 25th Anniversary of the publisher in 2014, it became free to download.{{cite web|url=https://forum.xentax.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=11755 |title=25th Anniversary of Xentax |publisher=Multiex.xentax.com |date=2014-08-09 |accessdate=2022-08-12}}
History
In 1997, the command line MexScript based game archive extraction and importation tool multiex.exe for DOS was programmed using Turbo C. From 1998 through 2001 MultiEx Commander was created as a GUI for multiex.exe with new versions.{{cite web |url=http://www.xs4all.nl/~michael/multiex.html |title=XeNTaX MultiEx Page! |website=www.xs4all.nl |access-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000117034404/http://www.xs4all.nl/~michael/multiex.html |archive-date=17 January 2000 |url-status=dead}} One can still see the last DOS version (2.3) in action in this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rLlX9bQ8H4 video], a version that was released on February 23, 2001.{{cite web|url=http://www.bluesnews.com/s/22620/editing-stuff-new-multiex|title = Editing Stuff - New MultiEx - Blue's News Story}} In that same year, the first Windows version was released (3.0b) along with a number of updates to higher versions,{{cite web|url=http://www.bluesnews.com/s/24069/editing-stuff|title = Editing Stuff - Blue's News Story}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesurge.com/archive/may2001.shtml|title = GameSurge - News Archive - May 2001}} a task Mike Zuurman first discussed with fellow programmers.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamedev.net/topic/8629-please-some-feedback-would-be-welcome/|title=PLEASE! Some feedback would be welcome!}} During the years that followed, new versions came out{{cite web|url=http://silentx1.tripod.com/gamersresource/id11.html|title=Quake 3}}{{cite web |url=http://planetquake.gamespy.com/fullstory.php?id=76805 |title=Planet Quake - News, Screenshots, Previews, Reviews, Guides |accessdate=2012-06-16 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003142945/http://planetquake.gamespy.com/fullstory.php?id=76805 |archivedate=2013-10-03 }} up until version 3.9.68, of which source code was uploaded to SourceForge on October 9, 2003.{{cite web|url=http://sourceforge.net/news/?group_id=91699|title = MultiEx Commander / News}}{{cite web|url=http://mandrivausers.org/index.php?/topic/8562-multiex-commander-and-openmex/|title = MultiEx Commander and OpenMex| date=10 October 2003 }} A brief Open Source development period started, including a major update to version 4.0 on June 29, 2004.{{cite web|url=http://tweakers.net/meuktracker/6602/multiex-commander-400b.html|title = MultiEx Commander 4.0.0b}} This period ended when version 4.2 was completed{{cite web|url=http://www.dvhardware.net/software/2356|title=MultiEx Commander 4.2.0 - DVHARDWARE}} in August 2005. The current version is 4.5.1,{{cite web|url=http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/board.pl?action=viewthread&boardid=1&threadid=144331|title = Etc. - Blue's News Comments}} that has "approval" of Duke Nukem (as acted by original Duke Nukem voice actor Jon St. John).{{Cite web |url=https://www.xentax.com/audio/jsj_xentax_md1.mp3 |title=Xentax Duke Nukem Advertisement |website=xentax.com |last=St. John |first=Jon |type=MP3}} As MultiEx Commander was pirated on, and cracks and registration numbers released, it was an on-line only tool, until November 2022. The developer announced the last version (4.6) had been released, that is stand-alone and is used offline. In addition, they stated there would be no more new updates.{{cite web | url=http://www.xentax.com/?p=1334 | title=XeNTaX » Blog Archive » MultiEx Commander 4.6 (Final release) }}
Press
The gaming press had received MultiEx Commander with positive articles in hard-copy magazines, such as PC Action, PC Games Hardware and PC Gameplay.{{cite web|url=http://www.xentax.com/?page_id=183|title = XeNTaX » Press}} PC Gameplay (a leading Belgian game magazine at the time) stated "MultiEx Commander makes modding possible for everyone",http://www.xentax.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/pggameplay_multiexcommander_oct2006_eh_s.jpg {{Bare URL image|date=March 2022}} while PC Extreme called it "the ultimate game modding utility".http://www.xentax.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/cover_pcextreme_s_large.jpg {{Bare URL image|date=March 2022}} In September 2012, a book was released about MultiEx Commander.{{cite book |last=Toll |first=Aaron |date=13 September 2012 |title=MultiEx Commander |publisher=Ceed Publishing |isbn=978-6201754515}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://multiex.xentax.com The official site of MultiEx Commander]
- [http://forum.xentax.com Game Research and MultiEx Commander support forum]
- [http://www.file-extensions.org/multiex-commander-file-extensions Extensions of MultiEx Commander installation files]
{{file managers}}