Welcome to SC4 Devotion.
Where's my BSC dependency file?
Over 150 BSC dependency files are now available in a single package, the SC4D LEX Legacy BSC Common Dependencies Pack, which can be downloaded at SC4Evermore (SC4E) (no account required). We've been doing the same things with other common dependencies over at SC4E as well.
What's up with SC4 Devotion?
SC4 Devotion suffered a series of catastrophic software-related failures, after our webhost mandated an update to PHP 8.1 on a weeks' notice, which rendered the entire site (as it existed prior to that point) inoperable. While the forums and wiki relied on commonly-used open-source platforms, the LEX downloads section was reliant on a custom piece of software, parts of which dated back to 2006. It was already having difficulties dating from our webhost's previous mandated update to PHP 7.4 in September 2022, which knocked out the Dependency Tracker, one of the key features that were really necessary to handle the complicated array of dependency packages upon which much SC4 custom content had relied.
SC4D's forums and wiki remain available in their current semi-archived/as-is state, and will remain accessible at their current links. We may consider re-opening the forums, but only if they are going to attract enough activity to justify the time and effort involved (i.e. levels similar to that before the 2019 ownership change).
The successor to the LEX is the brand-new site, SC4Evermore: https://www.sc4evermore.com. All of the files that had been previously available on this temporary frontpage have been migrated over to SC4Evermore, in a more organized fashion. More content from the LEX be added and updated in the days and weeks--follow SC4Evermore for all the details.
The SC4 Devotion Discord Server will become the SC4Evermore Discord Server, and will be undergoing upgrades, including conversion to a full Community Server.
Thank you for your patience and continued support as we navigate these challenges. We're excited to serve you at the new SC4Evermore, and on Discord.
-Tarkus and Staff
Other Frequently Asked Questions Regarding SC4 Devotion and SC4Evermore
Why aren't all of the LEX's files available already at SC4Evermore? And why didn't you just try to get the LEX and SC4D back up and running?
The LEX had 4198 files in its database prior to being taken offline, and many of those files had descriptions with information about dependencies and the like. Recreating all of that is going to take a lot of time, and it's been slower going of late due to the fact that, since the closure, heavy-duty RL has affected many of the key stakeholders involved.
The LEX's custom software, while at least partially fixable, suffered from an onerous and ancient account system, which was a common source of complaints (see the frequent password/registration issues). Additionally, its key feature that helped make the dependency-heavy file ecosystem manageable, the Dependency Tracker, was very resource-intensive, and severely taxed our server (particularly in terms of RAM usage). Upgrading the server or changing webhosts is not an option at this time (and won't be until 2025), so there was a real need for something less intensive.
To deal with the loss of the Dependency Tracker, offer a more streamlined and complaint-free distribution system, and curb server RAM usage, there has been an effort underway (spearheaded by Tyberius06, Ulisse Wolf, and myself) to repackage many key LEX files into a more convenient form that doesn't require exotic infrastructure, as evidenced by the LEX Legacy packs we've been compiling since SC4D was knocked down by the PHP issues. This also takes time, but we hope it will lead to a much better experience for users of SC4 custom content in the long term. We've been prioritizing more frequently-used files, especially dependency packages that also get used by many files on the STEX.
Why have I been having issues with incomplete downloads on SC4Evermore?
One of the issues with running a file exchange which allows guest downloading without user accounts (accounts were a frequent source of complaints about SC4D and the LEX) is that it is a lot more susceptible to issues with bots. We've had numerous cases in the few days that SC4E has been open with bots downloading the same file repeatedly (and often large ones, at that), sometimes as many as hundreds of times in a row in a short time span, which seems to have had the effect of a mild DDoS attack. We're in the process of finding solutions to curtail this bot activity without introducing roadblocks that hamper the experience for legitimate users in other ways. We are in the process of trying to get CloudFlare protection working on the site (note that there may be some SSL/connection-related issues that render the site inaccessible at times, as we attempt to work out some issues with it).