Current Status of the WeMod Launcher

[marvin1099]

Current Status of the WeMod Launcher

Hey everyone,

I wanted to give you all an update on the current state of the WeMod Launcher project.

Functionality & Issues

• The launcher mostly works, but there are issues with Flatpak support, and there are other small issues.
• Another major pain point is NVIDIA support when running Steam on Wayland over Wine. Unfortunately, this is outside our control, as it depends on one of four external entities (NVIDIA, Steam, Wine, or Wayland).

Code Quality & Refactoring Efforts

• The current codebase is in bad shape. A large part of this is my (marvin1099) fault—I simply continued the previous maintainers’ approach instead of restructuring it early on. At the time, as a new maintainer, I didn’t want to impose too many changes. But now, after significant work on the project, it’s clear that the structure needs serious improvement.
• Marakai has been working on restructuring the code, but since this is a passion project, progress is slow.
• ShyMega has also started a refactor, mainly targeting Nix systems, but he is even busier and has limited time to contribute.
• Ideally, both refactors should go in the same direction to avoid splitting the community, though I’m not sure if this can be achieved.
• Personally, I believe in Marakai’s rework, as it seems to be a more general solution—but nothing has been released publicly yet since they were only recently recruited.

Binary Releases & Updates

• Currently, there are no precompiled binaries available, so you’ll need to git clone and run the launcher from source.
• A binary will likely only be released once the refactor is in a somewhat stable state.
• The update process is a bit strange at the moment—it resets the local git clone and pulls the latest version. This ensures updates always happen, but it also overwrites any user modifications. Of course, this approach won’t work once we release binaries, and I haven’t found a better solution yet.

Wiki & Documentation

• The wiki is a bit disorganized and could use a rework, but since the refactor will change things, I’m holding off for now. However, community contributions are welcome! You can edit the wiki here: WeMod Launcher Wiki.
• The video tutorial also needs an update, but I’m waiting for the refactor before creating a new one.

Testing & Logging

• Right now, there is barely any testing before shipping an update. This is mostly my fault, as I simply don’t have the time for it. The only automated checks in GitHub Actions catch syntax errors, but that’s about it.
• Better automated testing might come with the refactor, but I can’t guarantee anything yet.
• The logging system also needs improvements, and the rework should help with this as well.

Final Thoughts

At this point, I’m basically the only active maintainer, while the others (Marakai & ShyMega) are mainly focused on their respective refactors. Since all of us are working on this in our free time (and for free), progress will be slow. I appreciate everyone’s patience and contributions!

If anyone is interested in helping with development, documentation, or testing, feel free to join in. Every bit of support is welcome!

Thanks,
marvin1099