Noble Zarkon
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No problem - you should have a PM.
Help with installing BUFFY
- Thread starter Dubioza
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elitetroops
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Ever since I started using the Steam version I haven't been able to load any mods from the game menu or by loading a save that needs a mod. Those always give an error of type "Mods\ods\BUFFY-3.19.005\ is an invalid mod directory, ignoring". That extra "ods" directory is the problem. Only way for me to load a mod is by editing ini file. This subject was discussed in this thread 6-7 years ago, but it seems the solution back then was also to just edit the ini file. Has there been any progress since? Can anyone load mods from the in-game menu when using Steam version?
I also tried copying my Buffy mods to an ods subfolder. This way the mods will load, but I still can't load any saves using them, because that requires an exact path.
I also tried copying my Buffy mods to an ods subfolder. This way the mods will load, but I still can't load any saves using them, because that requires an exact path.
Noble Zarkon
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I'm not aware of any fix other than editing the ini file but @lymond is the steam expert!
elitetroops
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Maybe I could try going back to the disc version. Disc version is still supposed to work with Buffy, right? Don't remember why I switched to Steam in the first place.
Noble Zarkon
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Yeah I use the disc version, much less problems with that.
Install it to C:\Civ or similar though rather than Program Files.
Install it to C:\Civ or similar though rather than Program Files.
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elite - Steam is fussy. Easiest thing for me since I’ve been using steam is to create a BUFFY shortcut. Right click main executable>create shortcut. Right click shorcut>Properties. Click in the target field and hit end button to go to end of the field after the qoute. Add a space between the end quote and the following:
mod="BBUFFY-3.19.005" (Or whatever exact mod name is of the mod folder - not on my computer) Moderator Action: Updated with exact Mod name --NZ
However, note the extra B at the front is intentional. It’s just a placeholder and anything would work including a space. The purpose is to offset the issue caused by steam”s folder structure. The extra layer is there as BTS is stand alone and has its own copy of iv vanilla assets on the higher layer. For some reason this causes the glitch.
Don’t like using INI as it’s too limiting for me. Once shortcut is setup you are all set.
Not being able to load a mod in game from a different save is a problem. You will have to exit and load the mod first. I’ve been used to that issue for years but very rarely a problem.
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Thanks NZ!
Honestly, elite, I can't remember my logic at the time as its been a few years. But I recall when first encountering those well with Steam...well...after..you know..dealing with the whole beta version issue first, that it caused me to play around with things kinda like you tried to and I came to that solution. I'd already been using shortcuts for mods for years. Not sure the exact problem but assume its the deeper folder structure created by high level vanilla folder and the game's engine simply not being able to deal with it.
As for switching between different mods in games when you need to load some other save, I've just been so acclimated to exiting the game to do that that I don't think about it anymore.
Anyway, creating said shortcut makes it very easy to load BUFFY or any mod.
I did edit the post above but forgot the quotes around the mod name...target line should look something like this:
"D:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization IV Beyond the Sword\Beyond the Sword\Civ4BeyondSword.exe" mod="BBUFFY-3.19.005"
Honestly, elite, I can't remember my logic at the time as its been a few years. But I recall when first encountering those well with Steam...well...after..you know..dealing with the whole beta version issue first, that it caused me to play around with things kinda like you tried to and I came to that solution. I'd already been using shortcuts for mods for years. Not sure the exact problem but assume its the deeper folder structure created by high level vanilla folder and the game's engine simply not being able to deal with it.
As for switching between different mods in games when you need to load some other save, I've just been so acclimated to exiting the game to do that that I don't think about it anymore.
Anyway, creating said shortcut makes it very easy to load BUFFY or any mod.
I did edit the post above but forgot the quotes around the mod name...target line should look something like this:
"D:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization IV Beyond the Sword\Beyond the Sword\Civ4BeyondSword.exe" mod="BBUFFY-3.19.005"
elitetroops
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I now remember I used to have different versions of .ini and simple batch files that copy the relevant version over the active ini before launching the game. Same result as your shortcuts, only with more retro MS-DOS feel. 
You're right it's not a huge issue. Just a minor annoyance. But if it would be fixed by using the disc version and there's no upside to using steam, it would still probably be better to switch back.
You're right it's not a huge issue. Just a minor annoyance. But if it would be fixed by using the disc version and there's no upside to using steam, it would still probably be better to switch back.
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I use .bat files to switch DLLs myself...actually got that idea from Dhoomstriker years ago. Steam version is kind of a pain but once its setup it is fine. I understand the disk version has some issues after Windows 8 but I think once you get BTS running you don't need the disks anyway. There's some threads somewhere regarding it.
A friend just installed Civ 4 via disc with complete version and he saved the data from the disk to the hard drive. Albeit he is not using Buffy. The disk version will still install even with Microsoft attempt to stop us doing this.
I managed to get the disc version to install 2-3 years back but I lost the games before BTS. Of course I had 3 seperate discs to install. More effort.
Yeah you don't need the disks after BTS.
Of course many PC now don't come with disk drives. Albeit I recycled mine when I upgraded to Ryzen a few years back. It's suprising how well modern computers can now run this game without it crashing due to memory issues. Civ 4 was well ahead of it's time computing wise.
I managed to get the disc version to install 2-3 years back but I lost the games before BTS. Of course I had 3 seperate discs to install. More effort.
Yeah you don't need the disks after BTS.
Of course many PC now don't come with disk drives. Albeit I recycled mine when I upgraded to Ryzen a few years back. It's suprising how well modern computers can now run this game without it crashing due to memory issues. Civ 4 was well ahead of it's time computing wise.
I finally got BUFFY working after giving up on several attempts over the past decade. The keys where setting up a shortcut as lymond suggested, and figuring out that I had to use the Betas tab on Steam to use the original version (I only have Vanilla on discs). I realized the latter from a post by leif on page 5 of this thread.
I'm wondering if it's possible to make it more obvious that the Steam version needs to be reverted? The error message about not being able to submit a game to the HOF/GOTM mentions nothing about the possibility of the problem being the Steam version needing reverted, and yet that's what was foiling me, both today and likely on previous attempts. I thoroughly read and tried the "Windows Fixes" part of the instructions (https://hof.civfanatics.net/civ4/mod.php?show=vista), but to no effect. I found that page by reading the main "Mod" tab, specifically where it says:
So I tried those Vista fixes, and entirely overlooked the "Steam" tab. The "Mod" tab lists "added support for Steam version" in three places, so I thought it ought to work out of the box. Maybe it should mention the Steam hazard right below the Vista/7 hazard? The bold font there worked better than the tab at the top for getting my attention when I knew something was wrong but had no idea what it was.
But at least now I'll be able to try the France game! And while it would be great if the error message could be improved, or native support for the current Steam version added, half of the point of writing this post is so that I can search for my own posts in this forum and figure out how to get it working again the next time I switch computers.
(I should also note that I haven't had any problems running other mods - RFC Europe, History Rewritten, Caveman2Cosmos. Just BUFFY doesn't seem to like the Steam version)
I'm wondering if it's possible to make it more obvious that the Steam version needs to be reverted? The error message about not being able to submit a game to the HOF/GOTM mentions nothing about the possibility of the problem being the Steam version needing reverted, and yet that's what was foiling me, both today and likely on previous attempts. I thoroughly read and tried the "Windows Fixes" part of the instructions (https://hof.civfanatics.net/civ4/mod.php?show=vista), but to no effect. I found that page by reading the main "Mod" tab, specifically where it says:
Instructions said:
So I tried those Vista fixes, and entirely overlooked the "Steam" tab. The "Mod" tab lists "added support for Steam version" in three places, so I thought it ought to work out of the box. Maybe it should mention the Steam hazard right below the Vista/7 hazard? The bold font there worked better than the tab at the top for getting my attention when I knew something was wrong but had no idea what it was.
But at least now I'll be able to try the France game! And while it would be great if the error message could be improved, or native support for the current Steam version added, half of the point of writing this post is so that I can search for my own posts in this forum and figure out how to get it working again the next time I switch computers.
(I should also note that I haven't had any problems running other mods - RFC Europe, History Rewritten, Caveman2Cosmos. Just BUFFY doesn't seem to like the Steam version)
Noble Zarkon
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Thanks, can't do anything about the in-game warning without a new Buffy version (!) but the web page definitely needs tidying up (Vista???!!).
Noble Zarkon
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I didn't realise how buried key information was on that page - have updated it now.
Thanks, that will be much easier to spot going forward!
I sort-of got BUFFY working on my new laptop... once again more of a pain that I'd expect it should be, I only figured it out through a combo of the posts here and comparing with the working install on my older desktop. A couple takeaways:
- It appears the BUFFY mod must be installed in the "Mods" folder in the "Sid Meier's Civilization IV Beyond the Sword\Beyond the Sword" folder (when using Steam), rather than the one in "My Documents\My Games\beyond the sword".
- The actual string for the shortcut should look like:
"C:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization IV Beyond the Sword\Beyond the Sword\Civ4BeyondSword.exe" mod="BBUFFY-3.19.005"
Note the double-B as lymond mentioned above. The "How to Use" section, specifically step 3, is confusing in this regard. It says first:
Also, rather than changing the ini file, you can make a copy of the Civ4 shortcut and add
mods= \BUFFY-3.19.005
at the end of the Target field
But then gives the example:
"C:\Program Files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Civilization4.exe" mod= Mods\BUFFY-3.19.005
And the screenshot shows:
/mod= BUFFY-3.19.003
Three different variations. I only got it working, after repeated attempts to follow the three variations above, by following my desktop's already-working shortcut, which happens to not match any of them. There should be one working version on the instructions page.
- The mod now loads, but when I try to load a GOTM start file, I get a message "The save file you have selected is protected to ensure that the assets in your mod folder have not been changed." and it doesn't load. I just installed BUFFY on this machine today, so I have no idea what may have changed. I did copy-paste it from the "My Documents" mods folder (where I installed it) to the install folder, but didn't change anything. Is there any way to figure out what it thinks has changed?
- The Vista Help link (https://hof.civfanatics.net/civ4/mod.php?show=vista) no longer works. I am wondering if there was a step there that I need? I did remove all the read-only properties to the install folder and set Civ IV BTS to always run as admin in order to get BUFFY to start, but maybe there's another step I did in 2022 that I can no longer see today.
----
All in all it's quite disappointing how difficult it is to participate in the GOTM. It's super-simple in Civ3, just download a save, put it in the save folder, load it, and you're playing. With Civ4, it feels like you're slaying vampires to figure out how to just load the starting save. Clearer instructions would help, but I also wonder why the installer can't automate more of the setup. Isn't that the point of having an installer rather than just a ZIP file to decompress?
I realize there probably isn't much appetite for significant investment at this point in the game's lifecycle, and that it doesn't solve anything for the established player base, until they get a new machine and have to set up the mod again. But if any of these are easily fixable, that could help the GOTM competition going forward. I don't think very many potential players will spend an hour plus trying to get a save to load, and at this point, I agree with them... it's back to the future and to my Civ VI game, or back to the past with Civ III for me.
- It appears the BUFFY mod must be installed in the "Mods" folder in the "Sid Meier's Civilization IV Beyond the Sword\Beyond the Sword" folder (when using Steam), rather than the one in "My Documents\My Games\beyond the sword".
- The actual string for the shortcut should look like:
"C:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization IV Beyond the Sword\Beyond the Sword\Civ4BeyondSword.exe" mod="BBUFFY-3.19.005"
Note the double-B as lymond mentioned above. The "How to Use" section, specifically step 3, is confusing in this regard. It says first:
Also, rather than changing the ini file, you can make a copy of the Civ4 shortcut and add
mods= \BUFFY-3.19.005
at the end of the Target field
But then gives the example:
"C:\Program Files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Civilization4.exe" mod= Mods\BUFFY-3.19.005
And the screenshot shows:
/mod= BUFFY-3.19.003
Three different variations. I only got it working, after repeated attempts to follow the three variations above, by following my desktop's already-working shortcut, which happens to not match any of them. There should be one working version on the instructions page.
- The mod now loads, but when I try to load a GOTM start file, I get a message "The save file you have selected is protected to ensure that the assets in your mod folder have not been changed." and it doesn't load. I just installed BUFFY on this machine today, so I have no idea what may have changed. I did copy-paste it from the "My Documents" mods folder (where I installed it) to the install folder, but didn't change anything. Is there any way to figure out what it thinks has changed?
- The Vista Help link (https://hof.civfanatics.net/civ4/mod.php?show=vista) no longer works. I am wondering if there was a step there that I need? I did remove all the read-only properties to the install folder and set Civ IV BTS to always run as admin in order to get BUFFY to start, but maybe there's another step I did in 2022 that I can no longer see today.
----
All in all it's quite disappointing how difficult it is to participate in the GOTM. It's super-simple in Civ3, just download a save, put it in the save folder, load it, and you're playing. With Civ4, it feels like you're slaying vampires to figure out how to just load the starting save. Clearer instructions would help, but I also wonder why the installer can't automate more of the setup. Isn't that the point of having an installer rather than just a ZIP file to decompress?
I realize there probably isn't much appetite for significant investment at this point in the game's lifecycle, and that it doesn't solve anything for the established player base, until they get a new machine and have to set up the mod again. But if any of these are easily fixable, that could help the GOTM competition going forward. I don't think very many potential players will spend an hour plus trying to get a save to load, and at this point, I agree with them... it's back to the future and to my Civ VI game, or back to the past with Civ III for me.
Noble Zarkon
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Thanks for the feedback, will look at the documentation but it does get a bit arcane trying to get a game as old as this working with a Mod. The people who had the skills to create and package the Mod are long gone so there will be no updates there I'm afraid.
The Vista link was renamed as I doubt there's anyone running Vista out there now! It's https://hof.civfanatics.net/civ4/mod.php?show=windows - did I miss somewhere it is linked??
The Vista link was renamed as I doubt there's anyone running Vista out there now! It's https://hof.civfanatics.net/civ4/mod.php?show=windows - did I miss somewhere it is linked??
Nope, I just hadn't realized it was renamed, and was following the link from a couple years ago in this thread.
Still a bit confused why BOTM 264/266 think my files are modified, but if I really get a hankering to play them, I can haul the old desktop out of media center duty.
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