Cannot load modded save file after transferring from PC to Mac?

[yxa2734000]

Hi guys. I have a save file which uses about seven different mods from the Steam Workshop on my PC, and I decided to transfer the save file from my PC to my Mac. So, I installed the game via Steam on the Mac, activated the Mod tab on the main menu so it would be possible to play modded games, successfully transferred all of my mods (active and inactive), and finally transferred the save over. All of these files are in the correct folders, as far as I can tell, since they all appear in the list of mods on the main menu. All of the mods and dlc's which are active on the PC (including those which it says are required to run the save) are also active on the Mac. However, when I select my transferred save in the load menu, it says that not all required mods are installed, and prevents me from loading the game. My problem is that I cannot figure out what "mod(s)" it is referring to, which I do not have. Any suggestions are greatly, greatly appreciated!

As an aside, the save uses a map I constructed in the Worldbuilder, which I haven't installed on the Mac. However, after placing the map file in the Mac's map folder, I am able to use the map to start a new save/scenario on the Mac, so I don't think that is the issue. Also, this save file uses both GaK and BNW.

 

[AlanH]

Hi, welcome

If you open your save using a text editor (TextEdit, TextWrangler, BBEdit &#8230 you should see some text near the start of the file that lists all the mods it is expecting. This list is followed by the list of DLCs that it requires. I think the game software compares these lists with your loaded mods and DLCs in order to decide whether you have everything required to run the game. The mod names should match the ones in your MODS menu. So you can use this to check whether there's anything missing or not enabled.

The start of the file also contains a string defining the map script name. I think that should match the map name that you have used.

 

[yxa2734000]

Thank you, Alan!

I opened the save file in TextEdit and compared the list of DLC's and mods therein with the ones that appear in the game. The only thing listed in the TextEdit (save file) that I could not find (or identify, for that matter) was a DLC called "Upgrade Data 1". Every other DLC and mod was accounted for. Anyway, I saw "Upgrade Data 1" both in the save file and in the list of required DLC's on the load game menu, but it does not appear on the list of DLC's on the main menu. When I checked the original save file on the PC, the same "Upgrade Data 1" was listed as a required DLC on the load game menu, just as it was on the Mac. However, on the PC I am still able to load the save file. I didn't know what the Upgrade was, so I verified the game cache on the Mac, and nothing changed. I still can't figure out what it is or what it does.

Also, after checking, the map script name in the save file TextEdit matches the map name in the list of available maps ingame.

 

[AlanH]

Upgrade Data 1 was an early enhancement that everyone has, I think, so that should not be a problem.

Do any of the mods you are trying to use contain a custom DLL? you would see a file called CvGameCoreDLL. dll in the mod folder if this was the case. The Mac version cannot run such mods.

 

[yxa2734000]

I think I found it. One of the mods required to run the save file is "Really Advanced Setup", which contains a file called "GTAS_AIPlayers.lua". It says in this file's TextEdit that "the following constants and comments were copied from CvGameCoreDLL".

So that must be the problem, right? One of the files in one of the mods contains script copied from a file that can't be run on a Mac?


And one more thing. While the RAS mod was active when I started the save file, I did not actually use it, and am able to load the save file on the PC even if it is deactivated. Could I, in theory, deactivate the mod on the PC, load the save file without that mod on the PC, save it onto a new save file, transfer it to the Mac, and run a version of that save file that no longer uses that mod?

 

[AlanH]

I think I found it. One of the mods required to run the save file is "Really Advanced Setup", which contains a file called "GTAS_AIPlayers.lua". It says in this file's TextEdit that "the following constants and comments were copied from CvGameCoreDLL".

So that must be the problem, right? One of the files in one of the mods contains script copied from a file that can't be run on a Mac?

I don't think that's the issue. Lua scripts are OK. That read me file is probably referring to info copied from the source code of the CvGameCoreDLL.dll file. If there isn't a modified version of that dll in the mod then it's not a problem.

And one more thing. While the RAS mod was active when I started the save file, I did not actually use it, and am able to load the save file on the PC even if it is deactivated. Could I, in theory, deactivate the mod on the PC, load the save file without that mod on the PC, save it onto a new save file, transfer it to the Mac, and run a version of that save file that no longer uses that mod?

You can certainly try, but don't hold your breath for a fix.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[yxa2734000]

That idea didn't work. Oh well.

But now, I can't think of anything else that could explain the problem, yet alone how to solve it. Alan, you've been a tremendous help so far, and I thank you sincerely for it, but I don't where to go from here. If you can come up with any ideas, or need any additional information, let me know. But if you can't, then I'm already grateful for your efforts, and I'll just keep trying new things as they come to me.

 

[AlanH]

I'm currently scratching my head. It's a pity the software doesn't tell you which mod it thinks is missing. If you want to send me the save, either as an attachment here or via email to thealanh <at> me <dot> com, I can have a look myself.

 

[yxa2734000]

Alan, thank you, but that won't be necessary!

Turns out, the same day I resubscribed to the mods to place them in the MODS folder on the Mac, one of the mods was updated, and I didn't notice. So all of the correct mods were present and running correctly, except one of them had just updated, and was no longer compatible. I was digging through all of the mods' files on the PC when I saw it. I found an older version, swapped it in, and the game loaded!

So technically, this was all a ridiculous oversight on my part. How embarrassing. But it's fixed!

Anyhow, thank you for helping me out with this, Alan. I really appreciate it!

 

[AlanH]

No problem, pleased to hear you sorted it out. Most mods have their version numbers in the name. Was this an exception?

 

[yxa2734000]

It wasn't; I just noticed it looking at the mod files first. Then I checked the versions, and sure enough, it had updated the day before, and I'd missed it. It was a humbling experience, really.