I just downloaded several mods from this site and virtually none of them of them included any form of documentation explaining what people are supposed to do with them. Don't just assume that everyone knows what to do, and don't force them to go back to the site in order to figure it out. I consider it very unprofessional not to include some sort of explanation, and if you can't be bothered providing this type of courtesy for players, I can't be bothered trying out your mods.
Come on modders, include docs!
- Thread starter Willem
- Start date
Are you talking about full modpacks or something else like units, modcomps, graphics, ect?
If it's for a full modpack that is loaded via Advanced/Load a Mod then installation is explained in the stickied thread above you located here. And if that doesn't help you can always post in the mod's thread about specific questions or issues. Most modmakers will go out of their way to help someone figure out how to play their mods.
If it's for a full modpack that is loaded via Advanced/Load a Mod then installation is explained in the stickied thread above you located here. And if that doesn't help you can always post in the mod's thread about specific questions or issues. Most modmakers will go out of their way to help someone figure out how to play their mods.
asioasioasio
Fallout Scrubber
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=184567
Making models of buildings uints isn't enough help to moders? - i don't care about adding .xml to it - it's waste of time for me (modelling is enough time consumming process) and i don't want to hear "i would add 22 strenght than 20". If someone wants to add this to mod it'll find out how to add this (or ask author how to do that) - besides there's many tutorials how to.... http://forums.civfanatics.com/forumdisplay.php?f=177 If you're lazy don't expect that people will make all the job for you!
About mods - the modding process takes a lot of time - many ppl give instalatoins instructions or use automatical installers. There's no need to write 100 page manual for person who is lazy to read install instructions on site from where he downloaded mod - he won't probably read .doc or .pdf.
And finally - noone force you to play mods. you don't have to be bothered trying mods.
Making models of buildings uints isn't enough help to moders? - i don't care about adding .xml to it - it's waste of time for me (modelling is enough time consumming process) and i don't want to hear "i would add 22 strenght than 20". If someone wants to add this to mod it'll find out how to add this (or ask author how to do that) - besides there's many tutorials how to.... http://forums.civfanatics.com/forumdisplay.php?f=177 If you're lazy don't expect that people will make all the job for you!
About mods - the modding process takes a lot of time - many ppl give instalatoins instructions or use automatical installers. There's no need to write 100 page manual for person who is lazy to read install instructions on site from where he downloaded mod - he won't probably read .doc or .pdf.
And finally - noone force you to play mods. you don't have to be bothered trying mods.
The Last Conformist
Irresistibly Attractive
Expecting hobbyist modders to provide a professional level of documentation is pretty rich in the first place. Sure, it's nice if they do it, but it's strictly a bonus.
Zebra 9
Emperor
I try to put documentation in all my my MOD comps (as few as they may be), but I find that I spend about 75% of my time just documenting!
Yes, I'm talking about full mod pacs. And yes, there is some documentation on the download site, but that doesn't do anyone alot of good when they're actually in the process of installing the mod. If they have any confusion at that time, it's a hassle to have to go back on line, track down the page and read through it to all to figure it all out. It's alot more convenient just to have a short text file with the mod itself explaining what needs to be done. I see it as a matter of courtesy, trying to make things as easy as possible for someone who may not know what they're doing. I DLd over a dozen mods yesterday, and only about three of them made the effort.
Who's talking about professional level, just a short text file is sufficient. It would take all of 5 minutes to bang off in Notepad. It would even be nice to include a short explanation of the mod. It might sit on someone's harddrive for awhile afterwards and they could easily forget about it. Having a short description would help out whenever they get back to it, instead of leaving them wondering, "What the hell is this?"
I am willing to include installation documentation for the low low price of 100$ per hour of work. Negotiation over payment methods is also billable.
Pretty much all full mods install the same way, as a subdirectory of the mods subdirectory of the game (be sure to know if it is a warlords or vanilla mod -- they go in different spots).
When you start hitting something the level of FFH, it tends to have documentation. But on lower end mods, there is a standard installation procedure that is stickied at the top of the forum.
Pretty much all full mods install the same way, as a subdirectory of the mods subdirectory of the game (be sure to know if it is a warlords or vanilla mod -- they go in different spots).
When you start hitting something the level of FFH, it tends to have documentation. But on lower end mods, there is a standard installation procedure that is stickied at the top of the forum.
Well that's nice, but I didn't know about that link beforehand. And as it I said, it's a matter of courtesy to the people who use your mods to make it as easy for them as possible. That doesn't mean having to surf the web again trying to track down the link where they got the mod from, or one like you provided, just to install the mod. That info should be included with the mod itself.
Then it's a waste of my time to try out the mods that you've worked so hard on.
No ,and normally I don't. Partly because I'm only interested in mods that have a level of professionalism that comes to close to what I see in the game itself. And quite obviously that attitude is badly lacking in the current modding community. I only downloaded those mods on a whim, but after this experience I'm not really interested in bothering with it again. I'll stick with what Firaxis has provided me with, at least I'll know what to expect from them.
A couple of the mods I got were on a higher level like that, and even they didn't bother with any sort of docs. There were several folders, and I was supposed to intuitively understand where they all went. Sorry, but I can't be bothered if the author can't be bothered taking the time to explain it to me.
snipperrabbit!!
Deity
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2006
- Messages
- 3,396
Deity,pfffffffffffffff !!!!!!!!
If a mod pleasen you, you should be able to get it to work !
If a mod pleasen you, you should be able to get it to work !
We're not professionals.
Besides, if it's a full mod, you just put it in the mods folder. If it's a mod component, and you're not a modder yourself; it's no use to you anyway.
No, but you can at least try to adopt the attitude. It's an indication of perfectionism, something that some people like myself look for in a mod. I've downloaded stuff for other games; I have a ton of Neverwinter Nights 1 mods, and things like that are something I've come to expect. I'm frankly surprised that the Civ 4 modding community is so amateurish in it's approach. I would have thought by now, with the SDK and other tools long ago released, that there'd be a fairly high standard in the work that people are doing. But I really don't see it happening. It's a pity really.
PS: And it's not just about providing instructions, it's a way of personalizing your mods. When it's on my hard drive it's just another file. Add a small blurb about it , and maybe yourself, and it puts a bit more of your own personality into it. This will help me remember you later if you happen to do anything else. It will make me more inclined to download your future work if I get a sense of the person behind the mod. It's a way of developing a fan base.
doronron
King
Willem, you do realize that the people whom you're complaining about have introduced entirely new features into the game, such as revloution, a superior religious model, plagues, immegration, more realitic nuclear weapons, dynamic polar caps, superior AI, new animated leaders, enough units for three versions of Civ 4, an improved method of industrialization, a primitive form of archeological discovery, enslavement, zone of control, food, hammers, and oil as national resources -- this list can go on. That's fairly high level modding right there.
And you're complaining about installation instructions because you didn't bother to check the stickies?
And you're complaining about installation instructions because you didn't bother to check the stickies?
I try to add documentation into my full packs - like CIV Gold or Canada Deluxe. But I don't include docs with standalones like leaderheads or units (unless they require tweaking that is not intuitive).
In the past, I've tried to develop a PDF manual for CIV Gold but I simply haven't the time to develop and maintain something like that. A simple Word file containing the basics will have to do for now.
This isn't aimed at anyone, but on the topic of instructions, I took the time to write a sticky on Downloading, Installing and Playing a New Civ, and you still can't believe how many people post questions - in that very forum - asking how to do the above. They also asked about issues specifically addressed in the FAQ section on that sticky.
In other words, you can lead a horse to water...
In the past, I've tried to develop a PDF manual for CIV Gold but I simply haven't the time to develop and maintain something like that. A simple Word file containing the basics will have to do for now.
This isn't aimed at anyone, but on the topic of instructions, I took the time to write a sticky on Downloading, Installing and Playing a New Civ, and you still can't believe how many people post questions - in that very forum - asking how to do the above. They also asked about issues specifically addressed in the FAQ section on that sticky.
In other words, you can lead a horse to water...
doronron
King
Yeah, but with Willem's post count, you'd think he'd know his way around forum functions -- with this board at the very least.
asioasioasio
Fallout Scrubber
If i would have ten moders more in team i would carry about fully documentation than
ClassicThunder
Prince
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 511
Hey Willem have you ever made a mod? If so I want a link to your documentation, if not then you don't know whats involved in modding and should keep your ignorant mouth shut. Many people have worked very hard on the mods. Spending most if not all of their free time. Dissing a community because it not "professional" is funny when every one here just doing a hobby and not getting paid.
For my own uses, not for public release.
Now that's real professional! Can't handle a little constructive criticism? And yet another reason why I don't spent very time on CivFanatics anymore, too many people with your attitude.
The same can be said for other modding communites I've dealt with, like Neverwinter Nights, but they still try and make the effort to communicate to the people using their mods. Maybe the community here is just far too ego driven. It would certainly seem that way judging by the kind of responses I'm getting for putting in my two-cents worth. They should be resorting to personal attacks any time soon.
Did you also read my PS? And I didn't read the stickies since I was expecting to get some readmes in the mod archives. It's pretty much standard procedure in any of the other mod communities I've dealt with the past few years. So what's so special about the Civ community that they can't be bothered doing this as well?
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