MOD in game implementation - Announcement

[Hubert Cater]

In the next update, we will introduce the ability to easily turn on and off graphical, sound, localization mods etc. in game. The nice thing about this new in game feature is that players will no longer need to overwrite any default files and will simply need to place a properly formatted grahpical mod in the appropriate USER Mods folder.

NOTE: None of this applies to custom campaign mods as those will continue to work as they currently do.

Mod packages that simply include modified graphics, sounds as well as possibly localization text, that will overwrite the game defaults, must be formatted to the following folder structure and installed to the USER Mods folder in order for the game to properly locate and read the modified files.

Example:
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\<modfoldername>
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\<modfoldername>\Bitmaps
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\<modfoldername>\Interface
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\<modfoldername>\Sound
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\<modfoldername>\localization.txt

Mod packages that also include modifications to the default campaigns can be installed here as well.

Example:
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\<modfoldername>
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\<modfoldername>\Campaigns
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\<modfoldername>\Campaigns\_1939 Storm over Europe
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\<modfoldername>\Campaigns\_1939 Storm over Europe\Bitmaps

For an example of a proper grahpical mod folder structure that can easily be dropped into the game, please refer to IronX's custom graphical mod for World at War found here:

tm.asp?m=4584600

In game turning on or off a graphical mod will look like this where the mod folder name will be listed in the Mod selection screen:

[SIPRES]

Really good Hubert, mods will be easier to handle in such a way.
Just a question, would it be possible to select and play 2 gfx Mods at same time?
Eg: Highres counters + IronX flags

[Taxman66]

Would it be possible to include the Media folder too (for picture modifications)?

[TheBattlefield]

ORIGINAL: SIPRES

Really good Hubert, mods will be easier to handle in such a way.
Just a question, would it be possible to select and play 2 gfx Mods at same time?
Eg: Highres counters + IronX flags

+1 [8D]

Just a second question, would it be possible to select a graphical mod and play a custom campaign mod?
Eg: Highres Counters for Elite Forces + Elite Forces Mod

[Hubert Cater]

ORIGINAL: SIPRES

Really good Hubert, mods will be easier to handle in such a way.
Just a question, would it be possible to select and play 2 gfx Mods at same time?
Eg: Highres counters + IronX flags

Yes, the way it will work is it will load mods in the listed order shown in the MOD selection screen. It will load the first mod selected, and then the second mod selected and so on. If there are graphics in the second mod that are also modded in the first mod, the second mod will overwrite the duplicates in the first mod.

For example, in IronX's mod he has edited the flags, but changed the flags back to the non swastika symbols. However in his real flags mod, if this is also loaded, then the historical flags will overwrite the flags in the first mod.

Hopefully this makes sense, and while there is currently no way to list the mods in a specific order in the mods screen, the mod screen does list them by default alphabetically, so as long as you rename the mod folders alphabetically in an order that you prefer, it should work as needed.

Hubert

[Hubert Cater]

ORIGINAL: Taxman66

Would it be possible to include the Media folder too (for picture modifications)?

I'll have to add that to my ToDo list.

[Hubert Cater]

ORIGINAL: TheBattlefield
Just a second question, would it be possible to select a graphical mod and play a custom campaign mod?
Eg: Highres Counters for Elite Forces + Elite Forces Mod

Yes this remains unchanged. Loading a graphical mod doesn't get in the way of a custom campaign mod, it will just change the default visual graphics.

- Grahpical mod changes the default graphics first
- Custom campaign mod (if it has altered grahpics as well) changes any applicable graphics after that

[TheBattlefield]

ORIGINAL: Hubert Cater

ORIGINAL: TheBattlefield
Just a second question, would it be possible to select a graphical mod and play a custom campaign mod?
Eg: Highres Counters for Elite Forces + Elite Forces Mod

Yes this remains unchanged. Loading a graphical mod doesn't get in the way of a custom campaign mod, it will just change the default visual graphics.

- Grahpical mod changes the default graphics first
- Custom campaign mod (if it has altered grahpics as well) changes any applicable graphics after that

Ah. So the full answer to my somewhat unfortunate question is: Yes, it is possible to play my (Elite Forces) campaign with one (or more) selected new (Elite Forces) graphic mod...but the desired effect only occurs if I previously remove/separate the (old and competing) graphical modifications which are already included in the modified campaign. Roger that...[:)]

Thank you for the explanation and the new tool Hubert!!!

[&o]

[Hubert Cater]

Another thing you could try, which I believe will work as I did enable the ability of a graphical mod to also overwrite the custom graphics of a campaign mod, is to add those custom graphics you want for any campaign to your mod as well. It works for the default campaigns and should work for modified campaigns too.

IronX inspired this addition with his mod as he added files that would also overwrite some of the customized graphics we have in place for the default campaigns.

I haven't tested this, but I believe as long as your graphical mod has a structure like this for a targeted campaign it should do the trick (where you replace the name of the default campaign below with that of your custom campaign):

Example:
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\<modfoldername>
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\<modfoldername>\Campaigns
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\<modfoldername>\Campaigns\_1939 Storm over Europe
Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\<modfoldername>\Campaigns\_1939 Storm over Europe\Bitmaps

[PHalen]

This is indeed GREAT news!
And it works like a charm too! [:)]
As requested by Taxman, please add the Media folder as well.

So convenient & reassuring to always have a fresh vanilla installation just a click away!
This feature has inspired me to pull a NATO counters mod out of my drawer and try to compete it this time.
But let’s see about that… [8|]

Thanks again so much for this! [&o]

[Plainian]

I'm trying to add the Knights Cross Mod to my steam game. (d/l'd 2 weeks ago so its the latest version)

I've created Mods folder and inserted the files as recommended....but the mod is not showing in the games Mod launch utility?

So......?

[comsolut]

Thank you! Great feature and addition to the game!

[JoeyBlau]

Hi.. so I loaded this mod in this directory
C:\Users\Kevin\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\Big WiE NATOs_v2.2

and it shows up in the setting mod checklist.. and I check it.. but the option for nato counters does not appear on the next setup page...options page.

what is wrong?

[BillRunacre]

ORIGINAL: JoeyBlau

Hi.. so I loaded this mod in this directory
C:\Users\Kevin\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Mods\Big WiE NATOs_v2.2

and it shows up in the setting mod checklist.. and I check it.. but the option for nato counters does not appear on the next setup page...options page.

what is wrong?

The option should always be there, to turn 3-D units on/off, and if 3-D units are off then by default the NATO counters (or whatever the modder has put in their place) should show.

Hopefully that explains it?

[El_Condoro]

I am using the Mod folder structure for a campaign and everything seems ok (graphically) but the localization.txt does not seem to be loading. I am using custom unit names, as well as heap of other custom stuff but the standard unit names and country names are displaying. I can easily move the file back into the campaigns folder but am wondering if this is a bug.

[BillRunacre]

Hi

Have you modified the settings in your campaign's campaign.ini file?

Only for the localization.txt to work you will need to set the last line in it as #CUSTOM_LOCALIZATION= 1

[El_Condoro]

Yes, all of the settings are set at 1.

[BillRunacre]

Do you want to email me all your campaign files and I'll take a look?

Sending via WeTransfer is a good way, or at least zipping the files.

My email is Bill.Runacre@furysoftware.com

[El_Condoro]

Am I using this for its intended purpose, though? Reading back over this thread, the Mods folder seems to be for graphical mods - and my graphical elements are working as mods. I was assuming that other things included in the localization.txt file would also be affected, such as country and unit names. Perhaps that's why I am having 'problems' - I am trying to do something that is not intended. Anyway, a copy of the localization file per campaign is OK. If it *is* meant to include country and unit names etc., I will zip my campaign and mod and send them over.

[BillRunacre]

You're right, as user campaigns, and that includes changes to localization, need to be placed in the Campaigns folder rather than the Mods folder.

e.g.

Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\Strategic Command WWII - War in Europe\Campaigns