27 replies to this topic

[aVENGER]

How about only installing mods that won't screw up your game?

Thanks for helping the SHS modding community and all users, Kulyok ;-)

mm75

IMO, she has a valid point.

If you only install mods that you know (either by reading the appropriate documentation or from personal experience) are safe and work flawlessly alongside each other, the chance that something will break you game is significantly smaller then when you randomly install a bunch of (mega)mods just for the "Ooh, this might be cool, lets add it too!" factor disregarding any warnings along the way. Sadly, a lot of players tend to do the latter and are then completely perplexed when something doesn't work as intended.

Edited by aVENGER, 28 November 2007 - 12:02 AM.

[melkor_morgoth75]

How about only installing mods that won't screw up your game?

Thanks for helping the SHS modding community and all users, Kulyok ;-)

mm75

IMO, she has a valid point.

If you only install mods that you know (either by reading the appropriate documentation or from personal experience) are safe and work flawlessly alongside each other, the chance that something will break you game is significantly smaller then when you randomly install a bunch of (mega)mods just for the "Ooh, this might be cool, lets add it too!" factor disregarding any warnings along the way. Sadly, a lot of players tend to do the latter and are then completely perplexed when something doesn't work as intended.

Oh ... i know it very well ...

in fact my post was created hopefully to solve THIS issue.
SHS seems to focus recently only trying to create a MEGA installation without taking into consideration that the mods FIRST need to be playable. I'd like to focus on "possible" projects or working on just an installation ... solving critical bugs for existing mods, etc ... and not just cover holes around.

My posts within this thread are trying to change something (but i know ... it's just my heart that is willing to do that),

cheers!

mm75

[Ascension64]

If you only install mods that you know (either by reading the appropriate documentation or from personal experience) are safe and work flawlessly alongside each other, the chance that something will break you game is significantly smaller then when you randomly install a bunch of (mega)mods just for the "Ooh, this might be cool, lets add it too!" factor disregarding any warnings along the way. Sadly, a lot of players tend to do the latter and are then completely perplexed when something doesn't work as intended.

Unfortunately, that is an impossible sentiment for new players who have suddenly fallen into the world of IE mods and want to try them all with their gimme gimme gimme attitude, so it is no surprise you often see the scenario you mention. To avoid this, there would have to be crystal-clear compatibility information between combinations of a wide variety of mods, something which has been attempted of old but hasn't continued save a few mods.

SHS seems to focus recently only trying to create a MEGA installation without taking into consideration that the mods FIRST need to be playable. I'd like to focus on "possible" projects or working on just an installation ... solving critical bugs for existing mods, etc ... and not just cover holes around.

That's because players are players and modders are modders. I'm all for your idea, though.

[Azazello]

Are we talking about any mods in particular? Apart from BP, aren't even the older quest mods tested and corrected? Which mods are gripes directed to?

[Ascension64]

Are we talking about any mods in particular? Apart from BP, aren't even the older quest mods tested and corrected? Which mods are gripes directed to?

'Badly coded' mods spring to mind, particularly those ones that might not necessarily be compatibility-friendly. For example, EXTEND_TOPs on area scripts are an egregious annoyance. Not to mention baldur.bcs crammage. Others might overwrite instead of patch. I can't seem to think of any specific examples at the moment.

[sadun]

I think combining mods together with a single mod would be ideal solution. Maybe most modders refuses that but i think at least some of the big mods author will give permission (TDD,CTB,SOS etc..). This will also reduce size of the mods in total.

Modders will not lose anything their credits will still remain in the project

We just need modders to take responsibility of that project.

I am sure if such a mod project succeded more and more modders will want their project in.

[Leonardo Watson]

I think (and hope) also so.

'Badly coded' mods spring to mind, particularly those ones that might not necessarily be compatibility-friendly. For example, EXTEND_TOPs on area scripts are an egregious annoyance. Not to mention baldur.bcs crammage. Others might overwrite instead of patch. I can't seem to think of any specific examples at the moment.

Can they not be repaired? And if not, then the BiG World Project would be the best place to mention, which mod would interfere with others and why, in order to save players from getting into troubles.

[aVENGER]

I think combining mods together with a single mod would be ideal solution.

IMO, this is not likely to happen.

The main reason being that the design philosophies of various modders are usually quite different. Something that appears like a good idea to one modder may seem completely unfeasible to another. You can't hope to cram all modders into a single line of thinking, and that's precisely why we have so many mods out today.