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Ducimus · 03-07-12, 05:59 PM

Wow, so someone has finally attempted a supermod/mega mod. I applaud your effort.

I can't help but notice the poll, and the multiple parts for the install. Having worked on a supermod myself for a number of years, here is my unsolicited advice:

1. Keep the published install simple. Mainly because it will save you headaches in terms of number of files to upload, and answering the same questions over and over again. Also minimizes the chances that someone screws up the install, which also saves you headaches.

2.) Having said keep the published install simple, if your at a stage where your doing rapid fire updates, or updating on a regular basis, break the published mod down into two parts.

- Part one being anything code like. Cfg, eqp, dat, dsd, upc, etc etc etc etc. This is the guts of the mod anyway, and really the stuff you update the most. It also happens to be the smallest part in terms of file size, which makes uploading easier.

- Part two being all the stuff you don't normally update. Primarly Graphics, and sounds. This tends to be the bulk of the file size, and the longest to upload. Also Granted there will be some dependency between part one and part two. (IE, UI mod in part 1 that will require some graphical file you've put in part 2) But if their installing your megamod, they should have both parts installed for it to work correctly anyway right?

3.) Keep your working copy of the mod, Your way.
Install the published mod, but for the changes your making, keep everything in separate JSGME modlets, and use naming conventions. For example, my JSGME mod list might look like:

MY_SUPERMODPart1
MY_SUPERMODPart2
WIP_SUB_Dats
WIP_SUB_EQP_UPC
WIP_SUB_ConningTowers
WIP_INT_ControlRoom
WIP_INT_RadioRoom
WIP_INT_ConningTower
WIP_UNITS_AIR
WIP_UNITS_Sea_Merchants
WIP_UNITS_Sea_warships
WIP_CAMP_Flotilla
WIP_CAMP_Layers
z_TEST_SomeCrazyIdea

etc etc etc.

Going about it this way gives you more scalabilty, gives you more direct access to individual parts, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, reduces trashing of your hard drive. Its much easier to enable/renable an individual part, then half a mod. Much quicker too.

Once your done making changes, deactivate and compile all those smaller Works In Progress into a patch for your reference. Just so you know what all the changes are being made. Save that somewhere (i never did, but i should have), and then copy that patch's data directory, straight into the data directory of your Part1, increment the version count, and off it goes onto gamefront or where ever.

03-07-12, 05:59 PM	#452
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	Wow, so someone has finally attempted a supermod/mega mod. I applaud your effort. I can't help but notice the poll, and the multiple parts for the install. Having worked on a supermod myself for a number of years, here is my unsolicited advice: 1. Keep the published install simple. Mainly because it will save you headaches in terms of number of files to upload, and answering the same questions over and over again. Also minimizes the chances that someone screws up the install, which also saves you headaches. 2.) Having said keep the published install simple, if your at a stage where your doing rapid fire updates, or updating on a regular basis, break the published mod down into two parts. - Part one being anything code like. Cfg, eqp, dat, dsd, upc, etc etc etc etc. This is the guts of the mod anyway, and really the stuff you update the most. It also happens to be the smallest part in terms of file size, which makes uploading easier. - Part two being all the stuff you don't normally update. Primarly Graphics, and sounds. This tends to be the bulk of the file size, and the longest to upload. Also Granted there will be some dependency between part one and part two. (IE, UI mod in part 1 that will require some graphical file you've put in part 2) But if their installing your megamod, they should have both parts installed for it to work correctly anyway right? 3.) Keep your working copy of the mod, Your way. Install the published mod, but for the changes your making, keep everything in separate JSGME modlets, and use naming conventions. For example, my JSGME mod list might look like: MY_SUPERMODPart1 MY_SUPERMODPart2 WIP_SUB_Dats WIP_SUB_EQP_UPC WIP_SUB_ConningTowers WIP_INT_ControlRoom WIP_INT_RadioRoom WIP_INT_ConningTower WIP_UNITS_AIR WIP_UNITS_Sea_Merchants WIP_UNITS_Sea_warships WIP_CAMP_Flotilla WIP_CAMP_Layers z_TEST_SomeCrazyIdea etc etc etc. Going about it this way gives you more scalabilty, gives you more direct access to individual parts, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, reduces trashing of your hard drive. Its much easier to enable/renable an individual part, then half a mod. Much quicker too. Once your done making changes, deactivate and compile all those smaller Works In Progress into a patch for your reference. Just so you know what all the changes are being made. Save that somewhere (i never did, but i should have), and then copy that patch's data directory, straight into the data directory of your Part1, increment the version count, and off it goes onto gamefront or where ever.