Benitomuso's Il-2 TotalMODder ToolHow I Set it Up

by RedSpadeas of 8/01/2012

version 0.2

Abstract :

This is a tutorial of how I set up Benitomuso's IL-2 TotalMODder Tool for my DBW and Ultrapack 3 installations. I've never used the SAS Modact mods, nor HSFX, nor even Ultrapack 3. I'm strictly an offline Dark Blue World kinda guy. Of course I do have Ultrapack 3 RC 4 installed on my system because it is required for DBW. I should also point out that I a total newbie on modding IL-2 and I find so many of the concepts very confusing.

When I first started modding my IL-2 game, I was loading up my installation with so many mods and planes and I started to worry about reaching the Java limit that I've read about. So when I saw the forum thread on this tool that Benitomuso had created, I figured this could be a method where I could have one game installation and then build multiple profiles for different “types” of games. I think I have to credit Crazyflak for putting this idea in my head from a posting in the forum on this tool. I envisioned having a WW1, a Spanish Civil war, a WW2, a Korean War, and Vietnam War game all within the same game installation. I also envisioned have only WW1 planes to choose from for my DBW_1916 profile. Can I can avoid the Java limit problem. We shall see.

I am going to show you step by step using screen prints and text on what steps I took to configured Benitomuso's TotalMODder Tool to create 3 separate “Game Profiles” within one installation. In my humble opinion, I think this is an especially great tool and probably the future direction for the future of IL 2 modding. You can decide after installing it.

When I embarked on writing this guide, it was with a great deal of fear of looking really stupid in front of people of admire and look up to. But hey, I like learning new stuff and you often learn great things by making mistakes. So here we go.

Pre - Installation Orientation:

I'm going to use my own install for the installation. I'm going to use a great amount of detail, a lot of it unnecessary, but I want to make this guide explicit enough and with enough level of detail that it will help you get the TotalMODder Tool installed on your own system.

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This is my main game installation folder.C:/games/IL-2_Installs/

Below are the install folders that I use;

IL-2-4.07M/ a vanilla copy of the DVD game IL-2 Sturmovik 1946 IL-2-DBW1.71sp/ a vanilla copy of DBW 1.71 created from the super pack download. IL-2-DBW1.71sp-Mods/ my main game folder with all the mods (30 Gb) IL-2-DBW1.71sp – Copy/ my emergency backup folder

I'm going to install the TotalMODder Tool on my emergency backup game folder, IL-2-DBW1.71sp-Copy/. OK Let's get started.

Installation :

Down load Benitomuso's TotalMODder Tool. I'm installing version 1.3, but the process should be similar regardless of the version. The newest version is always probably the better version to install.

Inside the zip file you will find 2 files; il2fbMODder.exe and a ReadMe.pdf file. The file il2fbMODder.exe is the tool's executable code and the PDF file is the installation/guide instructions. I found the installation instructions very daunting, because I'm a noob.. I read them several times, but it was only when I started implementing the tool, that most of the instructions became clear to me.

I always unzip my downloaded files to my Downloads directory and then manually move them where they belong.

1. Download the TotalMODderV1.3.rar file. It is written automatically to my “Downloads” directory.

2. Unzip the TotalMODderV1.3.rar file. You should now have a directory named TotalMODderV1.3RC that contains the before mentioned two files.

3. Copy these two files, the exe file and the PDF file, to the main directory of your main installation directory. In my case that is C:/games/IL-2_Installs/IL-2-DBW1.71sp - Copy/. I included the PDF file because when you click on Help in the TotalMODder Tool menu bar, this file will display as your help file. I want it this file handy and don't want to go looking for it later.

4. In the main installation directory, locate the il2fbMODder.exe file.

5. Before we launch the program for execution we need a little sidebar. I run Win 7 – 64 bit Professional. This version of Windows has a feature called UAC, User Access Control. UAC is a lame attempt to try to protect your system from being damaged by user carelessness. You might know this feature as having “administrator rights” or “run as Administrator”. Win 7 Professional, Win 7 Ultimate, Win 7 Enterprise, and Win XP Professional all have this feature. If you use one of these versions of Windows, then continue with step 6, else jump to the next section, First Use of TotalMODder Tool.

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6. Right click on il2fbMODder.exe and choose Properties. On the Compatibility tab of the subsequent dialog box, shown below, near the bottom in the Privilege Level section, select “Run this program as an administrator”. Then click on the “Apply” button and then on “OK”.

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First Use of TotalMODder Tool :

1. Now before we launch the TotalMODder Tool, we need another side bar discussion. We need a folder to put all of our mods into. This folder will be the parent folder to hold each of the mods for all of our “Game Profiles”. When we create our game profiles we will move/copy the mods from their current location to this location, so that the TotalMODder Tool will have access to them. On page 12 of the PDF file (the help files that were part of the download with the tool), Benitomuso has a detail outline of how to do this. I followed his example implicitly, because I was starting to get confused here. Later I saw the sense and value in why we were doing this.

▪ Go into the jsgmemods folder of your main main game folder, my case that would be \IL-2 - DBW1.71sp -Copy\jsgmemods\, and there create a new folder to hold all of your mods. He suggests calling it #DBW-MODAct. At this point I was reaching for the eject button because it felt like it was time to “Hit the silk”, but I did what I was told to do and I just followed his directions.

▪ Now copy/move your entire #DBW folder to the jsgmemods/DBW-MODAct/ folder. Being a person of so little faith, I copied my #DBW folder here. Mine was so large that as it was copying, I went to lunch.

2. Now launch the TotalMODder Tool program by double clicking on il2fbMODder.exe.

3. When the TotalMODder Tool launches, the first screen you will see is shown below. There are two very important parts to configure first. I have highlighted them in red near the bottom of the screen shown below. They are the MODs source Folder and the IL-2 Game Root Folder. Since I placed the il2fbMODder.exe in my root folder for my game, it is

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already set up, ready to go. No change is required (the bottom entry field). However, a change is required for the MODs source Folder entry. But first . .

4. Let us discuss what are final goal is going to be. ◦ I want a full DBW game as a profile, ◦ I want a DBW_1916 game profile,◦ I want an UltraPack 3 game profile.

I will create the full DBW game profile first.

5. Note in the above image, the green highlighted section with the arrow is pointing to the “Profile” area of the tool. Here is where we will define our various “game profiles”. Game Profiles is a term I am using, not necessarily one that Benitomuso might use.

6. In the “Profiles” area, click on the “Add” button. A dialog box will display for you to enter a name for your “Game” profile name. I entered. “DBW_Full”.

7. Another dialog box is displayed, asking “if you want to copy the contents of '' to your new profile.” It is similar to the image to the below. What this is asking is (from the TotalMODder Tool image shown above), do you want the items selected in the left hand column, added to the new profile (and copied into the right hand column)? Since nothing is selected, it does not matter what you answer at this point. Later it will come in handy.

8. Now it is time to configure the location of our MODs folder to the TotalMODder Tool. So using the image above, the upper red outlined box is where we configure the location of our MODS folder I click on the “Change” button and use the dialog boxes to navigate to

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Then click on the “OK” button.

9. The left hand column will refresh and all of the folders in your jsgmemods folder will display. Now select those folders (Mods) which you want to include in this “game profile”. Note: the order in which you click on the mods is be reflected in the right hand column of this screen. Try to select them in the order in which you want them loaded. Do not worry if you didn't. You can always use drag and drop technology to rearrange the right hand column as necessary. Note: You will ALWAYS want the folder in which you put your mods to be the last one, so that I can overwrite any of the files above it. In my case that is #DBW_MODAct folder. Note the image below.

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C:/games/IL-2_Installs/IL-2-DBW1.71sp-Copy/jsgmemods/ .

10. When you have selected all the mods you wish to include in this “Game Profile”, then press the “Activate Profile” button.

11. A warning dialog box will display asking if you want to set this profile as your current IL-2 Configuration.

Respond with “Yes”. If you respond “No” and then later press the “Launch Il-2 Sturmovik” button, the last profile that was “activated” will be the “game profile” that is launched for play. (It may not be the one you thought it was if you did not activate it).

12. The very first profile created will throw up another warning dialog box Again you will want to answer “Yes”. This will back up your Il2fb.exe original file, renaming it il2fb.bak, and it will install the il2fbPAL.dll file.

13. Yet another warning dialog box displays reminding you that from now on your launch your game with the TotalMODder Tool. And then another warning dialog box displays telling you how many folders were configured for this game profile.

14. We are ready to test our first game profile! Click the “Launch Il-2 Sturmovik” button on the TotalMODder Tool. It took about 7 seconds for my DBW to launch, When the Dark Blue World, DBW, Splash screen displayed I was very hopeful that I was successful. The game came up and ran fine. Fabulous!

15. When I exited the game after my test, I was returned to the TotalMODder Tool as expected.

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Creating a DBW _1916 Game Profile :

1. Copy/move the Ultrapack Mods folder, #UP#, to our TotalMODder Tool mods directory. This is the one within the jsgemods folder. For my install the location is in the box below.

This is where we put the DBW mods folder. We did not have to do this step for our DBW_1916

2. In the “Profiles” area, click on the “Add” button. A dialog box will display for you to enter a name for your “Game” profile name. This time I entered. “DBW_1916”.

3. Then the dialog box asking “if you want to copy the contents of '' to your new profile.” Again, I answer “No”.

4. Now it is time to configure the location of our MODs folder to the TotalMODder Tool. Before I pointed the tool to C:/games/IL-2_Installs/IL-2-DBW1.71sp-Copy/jsgmemods/ . But the DBW_1916 files are within the DBW folder, so I use the change button and navigate to

If you think about it for a minute the logic of it will dawn on you. If not just stay with me on this.

5. Now select the mods you want to include in this “game profile”, which will be all of them.

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C:\games\IL-2 Installs\IL-2 - DBW1.71sp – Copy\jsgmemods\#DBW-MODAct\

C:/games/IL-2_Installs/IL-2-DBW1.71sp-Copy/jsgmemods/#DBWMODAct/#DBW_1916.

6. Once that is done, Press the “Activate Profile” button. You will get the dialog box asking if you want to set the contents to the DBW_1916 profile as the Current Il-2 configuration and since we are going to test it out, I respond with “Yes”. Then you get the dialog box letting you know the number of Mod folders that were configured, answer “OK”.

7. “Press the “Launch Il-2 Sturmovik” button. When I see the DBW_1916 splash screen display, I get pretty excited about it. The game loads, I run a quick test with the QMB (Quick Mission Builder) and everything works really great. I exit the game and I'm returned to the TotalMODder Tool.

Creating an UltraPack 3.0 Game Profile :

1. Copy/move the Ultrapack Mods folder, #UP#, to our TotalMODder Tool mods directory. This is the one within the \jsgemods\ folder. For my install the location is in the box below.

This is where we put the DBW mods folder.

2. Create a new “profile” for the UltraPack game profile. This time I entered. “UP3”.

3. Then the dialog box asking “if you want to copy the contents of '' to your new profile.” Again, I answer “No”.

4. Now it is time to configure the location of our MODs Source Folder to the TotalMODder Tool. Just like we did for our DBW game profile I pointed the tool to C:/games/IL-2_Installs/IL-2-DBW1.71sp-Copy/jsgmemods/ .

5. Again I select only the UP3 mods that I wish to activate.

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C:\games\IL-2 Installs\IL-2 - DBW1.71sp – Copy\jsgmemods\#DBW-MODAct\

6. Once that is done, I press the “Activate Profile” button. You will get the dialog box asking if you want to set the contents to the UP3 profile as the Current Il-2 configuration and since we are going to test it out, I respond with “Yes”. Then you get the dialog box letting you know the number of Mod folders that were configured. Answer “OK”.

7. “Press the “Launch Il-2 Sturmovik” button. When I see the IL-2 Sturmovik V.4.101 splash screen displayed with a 95% load hang up, I just groan.

Now the newbies may not know this, but you guys who have been around this game for a while should know what is wrong. How do you normal differentiate and switch between DBW and UP? Well, I know that the JSGME application is usually configured to deactivate the DBW mods and then activate the UP mods. I try that. I launch JSGME.exe in my main install directory,

C:\games\IL-2 Installs\IL-2 - DBW1.71sp – Copy\JSGME.exe

When the screen displays I deactivate all of the DBW mods and activate the UP mods that I want.

I close the JSGME screen, shown above and the return to the TotalMODder Tool screen and click on the “Launch Il-2 Sturmovik” button. After a few seconds, the UP3 splash screen displays, much to my relief. Once the game I enter the Quick Mission Builder, QMB, and create a quick mission. The game runs fine.

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Advanced Topics:

In my introduction I talked about how I wanted a DBW_1916 profile where the only planes of that era were in the game to select. In a WW1 game I don't want Bf-109 or Spitfires to be selectable. Or what if you want to create a Spanish Civil War era game, you certainly don't want MiG-19s or F-4 Phantoms to show up in the selection lists. I will to now show you how I accomplished this by customizing my air.ini file. It was done via the “Configuration” feature that is part of the TotalMODder Tool.

If you have been modding IL2 for any length of time you are familiar with the air.ini, chief.ini, all.ini, Ships.ini, etc, files, that you generally have to add lines to when new mods are installed. The TotalMODder Tool has a provision where you can define a location and build “customized” configurations specific to a given “game profile”. Did you pick up on the fact that I said configurations. Plural! More than one.

Think about this for a second. This is really a powerful concept. Above, I created a DBW_Full “game profile” that has every mod that I've downloaded in it. Now I can create a folder of configuration files to define only SCW era planes. Another folder of configuration files to define Korean Era aircraft only. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Each of these different configures CAN, if you want, be related to the same game profile.

I'm going to demonstrate how to do this by creating a DBW_1916 configuration folder of file for my DBW_1916 “game profile”.

To start I am going to create a parent folder or directory to put my collection of “game profile” configuration files into. I'm going to locate it within my \jsgmemods\ folder. I create a folder that I call ##ConfigFiles##. Within this new folder, I create a child folder to hold my DBW_1916 game profile configuration files. I call it “##ConfigFilesDBW_1916##. Next week I may add another child folder to hold my Jets_Only game profile configuration files. And then the week after that I may add yet another child folder to hold my SCW (Spanish Civil War) game profile configuration files. If I did all, that I just described above, my file structure would then be as follows:

\##ConfigFiles##.\##ConfigFilesDBW_1916##\\##ConfigFilesJets_Only##\\##ConfigFilesSCW##\

I configuration folder will not be required for the DBW_Full game profile that I created earlier, since that profile has everything. If I do not create a configuration file specific to a given game profile then the TotalMODder Tool with look to the standard default location to locate the files it needs.

OK, sorry I digressed, but I thought that was important to note. To the task at hand, I've only got the \##ConfigFiles## directory and below that is the \##ConfigFilesDBW_1916##\ directory. Now I copy all of the configuration files from the

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\jsgmemods\DBW-MODAct\DBW_1916\STD\com\maddox\il2\objects

file into my ##ConfigFilesDBW_1916## folder.

Now I'm ready to let the TotalMODder Tool know the location of our specific “game profile” configuration file. Open the TotalMODder Tool and activate the DBW_1916 game profile. From the menu bar, click on Tools, and then on Configuration Files. The screen below will display. The default location will point be the main game folder where the TotalMODder Tool is installed.

Click the “Change” button and navigate to the location of our DBW_1916 configuration files.

Click on the “OK” button. The tool will load your DBW_1916 configuration files and the screen should look like the image below.

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\jsgmemods\##ConfigFiles##\##ConfigFilesDBW_1916##\

Now if you have the registered version, you can do this.........

Double click on the Air.ini file. Your default text editor should launch and load this Air.ini file. I edited this file and removed all of the aircraft that were built after 1920. Save the file and exit/quit the text editor. Click on the “OK” button which closes the “Configuration Files” folder dialog box. You should be returned to the TotalMODder Tool screen. Press the “Activate Profile” button. This is necessary because you have added the configuration file to the profile.

Press the “Launch Il-2 Sturmovik” button. The DBW_1916 splash screen displays and the game loads. I jump into the Quick Mission Builder (QMB) and press the Aircraft button. The drop down only shows the 11 planes that I remained in the Air.ini file that I edited.

In the example above., I just added the seven configuration files to my DBW_1916 configuration files directory. If you have a non registered version these are the files that need to be loaded. However, if you have the registered version of the TotalMODder Tool you should add all of the configuration files. See the list of those files below.

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Complete list of the configuration files of IL2, {also the files in the \STD\i18n\ directory ? }

air_ru.propertiesardennes_ru.propertiesarmy_ru.propertiesberlin_ru.propertiesbld_ru.propertiesberma_ru.propertiescolor_ru.propertiescontrols_ru.propertiescountry.propertiescountry_ru.propertiescredits_ru.propertiescrimea_ru.propertiesfinsgulf_ru.propertiesgui_ru.propertiesgwindow_ru.propertieshud_log.propertieshud_log_ru.propertieshud_msg_ru.propertieskhalkhinGol_ru.propertieskiev_ru.propertieskuban_ru.propertieskurland_ru.propertieskursk_ru.propertiesIviv_ru.propertiesmanchuria_ru.properties

Conclusions:

I do not know about you, but I got excited about the TotalMODder Tool the first time I read about what it could do. I downloaded it, read the PDF Help file and was totally lost. Such a newbie. But I wanted this functionality so much that I kept playing around with it. I learned more by writing this document about how to use it. There is probably still more here than I know now. I am just amazed by the elegance, the practicality, the sheer genius behind this tool. It is the perfect companion to a modded IL-2 installation.

I see so much value in this tool, even from my limited perspective in modding. Those of you who have been modding for years, should see a whole lot more to get excited about. As I gain more experience with the TotalMODder Tool, perhaps I shall revisit this document and updated it with my newly gained knowledge.

Benitomuso, you have done an outstanding job on this tool. Thank you so much. You have my undying respect and I take my hat off to you.

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Reference:

Menu Bar Options:

File:Manually Add External Folders

I don't know how or why I would use this.

Exit this allows you to exit the TotalMODder Tool .

Tools:Configuration Files

When you select the Configuration Files menu item, the following screen is displayed.

The directory file defaults to the parent directory of your install. Click on the button labeled “Change” and then using the file selector dialog tool, drill down to the location of your game profile configuration folder. From my example above;.

REMEMBER, this is where the TotalMODder Tool will look for the game profile specific configuration files it needs. If not found, the it will look in the default game location that it has always used.

Click the “OK” button. The next screen to display is shown below.

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C:\games\IL-2 Installs\IL-2 - DBW1.71sp – Copy\jsgmemods\##ConfigFiles##\##ConfigFilesDBW_1916##

Here are all of your configuration files. The nifty thing about this is, if you have the registered version of the TotalMODder Tool, if you double click on one of the files shown here, the file will open in your text editor! That is a feature worthy of a donation..

. rc Wizard (Available only in the Registered version:) No even in my registered version is this

active? I don't know how to use this.

button Wizard Available only in the Registered version: No even in my registered version is this

active? I don't know how to use this. I suspect this is a feature you would want if you played the mods where “Button files” are required.

air . ini Wizard When you click on the air.ini Wizard, the following screen is displayed. {Sorry, while I was figuring out how to use this screen it got populate. Pretend that the screen is mostly blank! :-) } At the top of the screen is a directory path to the parent level of your game install and a button labeled “Change”.

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Click on the “Change button”. Navigate your way down to your jsgmemods directory and then down to your #DBW-MODAct folder, then continue down to where your air ini file has always been.

REMEMBER, all your modding files are in the same relative locations they have always been in except now they are under the jsgmemods folder.

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C:\games\IL-2 Installs\IL-2 - DBW1.71sp – Copy\jsgmemods\#DBW-MODAct\ DBW_1916\STD\com\maddox\il2\objects

Click the “OK” button.

PROBLEMS>>>HERE Albeit the air.ini file in my DBW_1916 directory only has 38 planes in it, the tool is showing all the planes in my DBW air.ini profile! ??

Special Folders When you click on the Special Folders menu item the following screen is displayed.

{I can't even guess what this is for or about}

Configuration Files Report Available only in the Registered version: No even in my registered version is this

active? I don't know how to use this.

Configuration Files Wizard Available only in the Registered version: No even in my registered version is this

active? I don't know how to use this.

Executable Wizard When you click on the Executable Wizard, the following screen is displayed. I don't have a TrackIR unit yet so I leave the checkbox for 6 DOR for TrackIR Enabled unchecked. Obviously if you use a TrackIR unit, check this box.

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But you will want to select the checkbox next to Enable Special Memory Options. When you check that box the Memory Selector Slide bar will display, as shown below.

Here there are two other check boxes. When you click on the 4 Gb(>2Gb) Address Space Flag for il2fb.exe checkbox, then ________________________________________________?. If you have 4 Gb of memory or more, you should check this box.

When you click on the 4 Gb(>2Gb) Address Space Flag for .dlls checkbox, then ________________________________________________?. If you have 4 Gb of memory or more, you should check this box.

Then there is the Java Extra Options (read about) area. This is for _____________________ ______________________________ ___________ _______?.

Just above the buttons on the bottom of this dialog box in another check box labeled, Make Backup before Writing Changes. When are backups not a good thing? Check the box. _____________________ _____________________________ ______________ ______?.

**** button bar***************.Write Changes Button: After making changes on this dialog box, press this button to save the changes.

Defaults Button: Clicking on this buttons restores the TotalMODder Tool factory set default values for this dialog.

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Cancel Button: Clicking this button negates all changes made since the last time the “Write Changes” button was pressed and closes this dialog box.

Total MODder Shortcut to Desktop Clicking on this entry will automatically add a shortcut to the TotalMODder Tool on your desktop.

Add Profile Shortcut to Desktop Clicking on this entry will automatically add a shortcut to the current selected “Game Profile” on your desktop.

Skins:5 different skins for the User Interface screens are available for your sense of decorum.

Help:Read Me (Basic Help)

If you copied the ReadMe.pdf file to your main install game folder, then selecting this menu options will display the contents of the PDF help file.

About:Typical Help file info such as version number, the author's name, and the author's email address

Donate:If you click on the donate button, a dialog box with an explanation and a plea from the author requesting a donation to compensate him for the long hours it took in the development of this fine product. There is a picture of a handsome young man . . . it must be the author's son. :-)

If you are considering obtaining a copy of the registered version of the TotalMODder Tool, on the Donate screen, there are two buttons. Don't click on the one labeled “Donate with PayPal”! Click on the one labeled “Enter Key”. This will display a form that you can fill out with the information the author needs to supply you with a proper registration key. I think you will find a small donation is well worth the extra features, IMHO.

.

Advanced Topics :

A: Two versions of the TotalMODder Tool

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There are two versions of TotalMODder Tool. There is the downloaded version and the registered version. All the profiles created above were made with the downloaded version that is freely available on the SAS forum.

The registered version can be obtained from Benitomuso by making a small donation to the author for this great tool. Where upon you shall receive a numeric key which unlocks some advanced features.

B: Auto Recognize Files/Mods and Special Folders (JSGME style)

{I can't even guess what this is for or about}

C. Renaming “Game Profiles”

This allows you to rename any existing “Game Profile”.

D. Deleting “Game Profiles”

This allows you to delete any existing “Game Profile”.

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