VNGE and MMDD install guide (Patreon)

This post is for new users. I'll try to explain the installation steps in detail.

Step 0: Get the game ready

This guide doesn't mean starting from a vanilla game, you should have basic plugins installed before starting. If you are using Better Repack or something like that, these plugins are already installed. But if you only have a vanilla game, I recommend install HF Patch first (just google it and follow its guide).

Anyway, at least you should have the following plugins installed:

- BepInEx
https://github.com/BepInEx/BepInEx

- BepisPlugins
https://github.com/IllusionMods/BepisPlugins

- IllusionModdingAPI
https://github.com/IllusionMods/IllusionModdingAPI

- PoseEditor (KKPE/KKSPE/HS2PE/AIPE)
https://github.com/IllusionMods/HSPlugins

Notice that, except for BepInEx, all other plugins must suit your game. All these plugins should have a shortened name of the target game to show what it is for, either in its download package or in its filename. VNGE and MMDD use the following shortened names too.

• HoneySelect - HS or HS1
• PlayHome - PH
• Koikatu/Koikatsu Party - KK
• Emotion Creators - EC
• AI-Shoujo/AI-Syoujyo - AI or AIS
• HoneySelect2 - HS2
• Koikatsu Sunshine - KKS

Step 1: Install VNGE

Download a release package of VNGE, and use the latest version if no special reason. The download link can be found here:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/vnge-release-92082611

VNGE supports HS1, PH, KK, AIS, HS2, and KKS. Again, download the version suitable for your game!
When you unzip it, you should see some folders like this picture, and then copy all of them to your game folder!

* This picture is an example of HS2. AI and HS2 share the same VNGE package. For other games there may be more folders in the VNGE package, be sure to copy them all.

* Technically you can exclude the "UserData" folder and txt files in the root folder. These are just samples and text info files.

* For the first installation, there should be no file overwrite warning. If you are updating to a new version, click yes when asked about overwriting old files.

Step 2: Check VNGE

Start your studio, if you see the VNGE button (circled by red in the following picture) on the toolbar, it is ready. You can close the studio and go forward.

* VNGE has a lot of utilities, buttons circled by green pen are all from VNGE. But these buttons can be hidden if you don't need them. Refer to https://youtu.be/vl9OImIBxGI

* You will NOT find anything about VNGE in the plugin manager (or Plugin/mod settings, the window pops up by pressing F1). It's just not there. Though VNGE installed a DLL file "Unity.Console.BepInEx.dll" into bepinex/plugins, it is old style and does not support configuration manager.

If the VNGE button does not appear. The first thing to check is your game install path. If your game install path contains any non-Latin letter, such as Chinese or Japanese characters, VNGE will fail to load. Make sure your game's path uses only Latin letters! If that does not help, check the doc on the VNGE release site.

Step 3: Install MMDD

Download a release package of MMDD. I always recommend the latest version. The download site is here or from each release post:

https://mega.nz/folder/NQhG3IjA#rwyaVwE0O1t3pJe5Fefv2Q

*paste full URL to the browser, or if mega asks for key, paste the string after #

MMDD supports KK, AI, HS2, and KKS, other games are not supported. Again and again, download the version suitable for your game!

Then unzip it, there may be a subfolder in the package, but what you need is the "BepInEx" folder, copy it into your game folder! BepInEx is already installed in the very first step, so this folder must already exist in your game folder, and copy the BepInEx folder from MMDD package to game root to merge all contents in it. 

Also, for the first installation, no file overwrite will happen. For updating, click yes when asked about overwriting old files.

Step 4: Check MMDD

Run studio again, after it starts up, start VNGE from the toolbar, then click "All games" and then "Utilities", find "MMD Director vX.X" from the list, and click to start.

* You will NOT find MMDD in the plugin manager either, MMDD is a Python script, not a DLL file. MMDD package installed "CharaAnime.dll" into bepinex/plugins folder, and it can be found in the plugin manager, but no need to config it at all. All these settings about CharaAnime are just some useless test code.

Now MMDD should start up, for how to use it, refer to my other tutorials.

If in trouble...

Don't worry, ask me. Tell me which step are you stuck in. If VNGE is working but MMDD is not, please give some detailed logs to help me identify the issue.  To get the log, please refer to this post: https://www.patreon.com/posts/when-you-report-59540118