mod installation order?

[Vger]

Hi,

I'm very excited to finally have the full game, but now I'm confused. I have 16 billion mods and races and I don't really know what order to install them in.

I was planning to use 1.72 TDM, Devnulmod and the Borg. I installed 1.72 am going to install devnul now, but I don't know what to do with the Borg. Do I install them in the TDM directories?

I suppose my basic question is: How do you install new races that aren't in a mod pack?

Thanks for the help.


Ciao,
V'ger gone

[Marty Ward]

The new races go in the pictures/race directory of the mod you want to use them in. I usually unzip the races to their own folder and copy the entire race folder where needed. I find this easiest for me given my computer skill level. Most races will work ok in the standard and TDM game. The Dev mod has a lot of new components that the AI will not use. Dev has modified the races included in his mod to use the new techs/components.
I think everything I have told you is correct, if not someone else will supply the right stuff.
Enjoy!

[This message has been edited by Marty Ward (edited 27 May 2001).]

[Dubious]

To elaborate a bit:

Component mods will need to be manually added to the "components.txt" file if you don't want to wipe out whatever has already been added to it. Since the TDM uses only the standard components file, you can install it and replace it's component file with the same file from a really extensive mod, such as Devnull's. But additional mods must then be added to it line by line. The same holds true for any other files (such as TechAreas) included in a mod, and as pointed out by Marty Ward, you will also have to change the AI and (probably) "emp" files for all the other races (both custom and default) before they will use the new "added" components. (Changes to existing components will be automatically implemented.) If you don't bother with changing the AIs, you will have a decided advantage over the other empires and ultimately be (unfairly) disappointed in the AI's performance.

In addition, when the next patch comes out, you will need to repeat the entire process unless you can determine that nothing has changed in the same "standard" files. (The "ExamDiff" tool in the Modders Tools archive is a help with this.)

All of this is why LemmyM is working on a "mod merger" tool or tools. (Give him some encouragement.)


------------------
"All sources are dubious until their reliabilty has been repeatedly proven. Even then their information should be independently verified." - The unwritten "spooks handbook"

[This message has been edited by Dubious (edited 27 May 2001).]