I think the problem Chayton is having here is pretty common...among non-mod makers/users. They are unfamiliar with the folders/files for a game and what they do. I am fairly adept at dealing with mods for the Rainbow Six series but I get lost trying to install mods for CIV 4 series. Part of this is not understanding the structure of the program and part is not being familiar with the jargon used. I'm sure that many of the explanations I see online are quite good, but they suffer from a total lack of ignorance. The poster does not put themselves back in the time when they understood nothing of CIV 4.
Mods would ideally come with instructions for a complete newb, every time. Unfortunately they are often written for experienced users who are already familiar with the process. Giving directions with exact paths would be a great start. (ex. Civilization 4\Beyond the Sword*\PublicMaps) In this instance, however, the helpful user, TCO1, knew the difference between "Public" and "Private" maps directory. The learning user, however, probably does not. So what is needed is a INSTALLING CIV 4 SERIES MODS/MAPS FOR DUMMIES article that would be a "sticky" and would explain it on a level that your grandmother could understand and install a mod with first time. With this generic guide, a newb to CIV 4 mods could make a good guess at what the pathetic/absent instructions that come with many excellent mods intend to be done with the downloaded file.
"For custom mods you want to either put them in your CustomAssets folder in the proper directories, or place an entire mod with it's own Assets folder in your Mods folder. Most of the time the modder will specify which folders to place the given mod in. My suggestion is to never ever overwrite the files in the original Assets folder."
Well spoken, but I can imagine the disaster of a newb messing with Assets folders (muttering "What the heck IS an asset and why does a mod go into an Asset folder?" as he trips happily through the program folders with the sense of safety another newb might have altering the Registry...."and Disaster followed after."
This is not meant to be critical of the help offered here. I merely want to point out how confusing terminology can be. Combined with poor install instructions, the average user on the street is lost. My particular horror show has been trying to figure out how to install Inquisitions into CIV 4 BTS for the RevolutiionsDCM mod. (clearly Charlemagne Mod has them but they are not available on the RevolutionsDCM checklist when doing a Custom Scenario after the Mod is loaded. After futile efforts to find information on that topic, I started googling today for information on installing mods in general. I'm hoping that I may stumble on a Tutorial for making mods that will explain why things go where. This is a lot to ask the average person to do to use the average mod. My roommate would kick in the monitor before he would figure out how to install a mod. Help needs to be aimed at these users on such a basic level.
So guys, if you are going to help, as I know you want to, don't forget to explain what a Private and Public map are, what an Asset Folder is and how the game finds the right one after you make a new one when you " ...place an entire mod with it's own Assets folder in your Mods folder." A basic introduction should explain how to find the game files in C: by listing the entire path. Some users will never have gone in there past the dire warning not to look at hidden files. It may be obvious to you what goes in the BTS folder and what goes in the basic CIV 4 folder but it isn't to most of us...and to some it's just magic. Please take pity on the uninformed and less brilliant users and somebody do what Chayton suggested. MODS FOR DUMMIES. Thanks.
