[TEC] Concerns as a modder (file structure)

kapitan_zur_see · 05-29-19, 10:18 AM

Seeing how the few mods already out are made, it gets me thinking:
Too much different things goes into large single files. This is clearly very VERY BAD practices for making a game mods friendly.

that's very soon going to make mods conflicts a living nightmare as number of mods are growing

For now, it's not much of a problem...

But soon, countless mods will have to be merged within another if you don't want to lose each last one as you install a new one which will inevitably escalate the numbers of potential conflicts each time, users will have to be extra careful with their backups if they don't want to be trapped in a maelstrom of untraceable CTDs (a la GTA V). Not only that but it's going to be hell on Earth when users will inevitably want to build their own mods menu.

Ragtag, for example, already had to merge his own work with Vostok's one. How is it going to be when there will be tens of mods? How is it going to be if someone wants only a selection of 11 of the several dozens mods that will ineluctably modifies ressources.asset? Will you have to do dozens of separate installs to catter to anybody? How is it going to be when a modder doesn't want his work to be integrated via someone else's work and thread, who already integrate tens of other mods since it happens to be the most downloaded mod at the moment, and dozens of modders have the feeling that only one modder incidentally reaps most of the congrats (yes, modders do have egos sometime

)

Unless there's a "simple" merge tool from the devs (feels something complex like OpenIV for GTA more like, I'm afraid), who otherwise stated they wanted the game to be very modders friendly, this is quickly going to be hell on earth and mods will constantly have to be sacrificed as time goes by and new ones appears on the scene.

A game that wants to be as moddable as possible should ALWAYS stick to the much more practical rule of "One asset=one separate file readily accessible". Large packed files is a recipe for disaster...

Is it an inevitable consequence of working with Unity?

05-29-19, 10:18 AM	#1
kapitan_zur_see Commodore Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: France Posts: 614 Downloads: 60 Uploads: 0	Concerns as a modder (file structure) Seeing how the few mods already out are made, it gets me thinking: Too much different things goes into large single files. This is clearly very VERY BAD practices for making a game mods friendly. that's very soon going to make mods conflicts a living nightmare as number of mods are growing For now, it's not much of a problem... But soon, countless mods will have to be merged within another if you don't want to lose each last one as you install a new one which will inevitably escalate the numbers of potential conflicts each time, users will have to be extra careful with their backups if they don't want to be trapped in a maelstrom of untraceable CTDs (a la GTA V). Not only that but it's going to be hell on Earth when users will inevitably want to build their own mods menu. Ragtag, for example, already had to merge his own work with Vostok's one. How is it going to be when there will be tens of mods? How is it going to be if someone wants only a selection of 11 of the several dozens mods that will ineluctably modifies ressources.asset? Will you have to do dozens of separate installs to catter to anybody? How is it going to be when a modder doesn't want his work to be integrated via someone else's work and thread, who already integrate tens of other mods since it happens to be the most downloaded mod at the moment, and dozens of modders have the feeling that only one modder incidentally reaps most of the congrats (yes, modders do have egos sometime ) Unless there's a "simple" merge tool from the devs (feels something complex like OpenIV for GTA more like, I'm afraid), who otherwise stated they wanted the game to be very modders friendly, this is quickly going to be hell on earth and mods will constantly have to be sacrificed as time goes by and new ones appears on the scene. A game that wants to be as moddable as possible should ALWAYS stick to the much more practical rule of "One asset=one separate file readily accessible". Large packed files is a recipe for disaster... Is it an inevitable consequence of working with Unity? __________________ Last edited by kapitan_zur_see; 05-29-19 at 10:36 AM.