REQUEST - Provide specific modifications to game files

[JackWagon]

Hi Folks. While I don't create mods I am familiar with modifying the various .xml and .artdef files but it's hard to see what each mod adjusts in these files.

My request- instead of just providing the entire .xml or .artdef file with your changes included, please also include a separate file with only the specific changes/additions. This way, we can add those to the "live" file and use multiple mods instead of having to pick and choose depending on what's being modified. This will also allow other modders to more easily add those entries to their files to make them compatible.

IE: There's like 5 mods that modify the Units.artdef file and, I'm sure I could use them all at the same time but, since I don't know what was actually added in each mod, I have to pick one unless the authors specifically accounted for changes made by other mods.

OR, can someone tell me how to merge these files or find what changes were made so I can copy/paste myself? Because I don't see this being alleviated by the SDK.

Again, I'm not a modder so If I'm misunderstanding how this stuff works I do apologize.

 

[Gedemon]

Mods that change game's rules (like units values, diplomacy, ...) update a database and don't need to replace any of the game files and so should already be released with the specific changes additions (the database queries), and, in most cases, should be compatible with each others.

For the art-related files and icons (.artdef files are a new thing in civ6) without the SDK it's hard to tell if we'll be able to mod them without replacing them, but in civ5 it worked the same way as the files for the game's rules (ie updating a database, with the notable exception of visual effects and formations)

Then there are the User Interface files, again you don't have to replace any, but in civ5 (and currently in civ6) it was much easier to completely replace a file to change a simple UI element than manage that UI element from a new file. And again, without the SDK, there is no way to tell if it will be easier this time.

And finally there are some files that can't be modded without an override (every files related to map creation for example, you can replace utility functions in a new map script, but afaik you can't replace them for all map script without overriding one of the game's file), and some files than can't be modded without replacing them in the game's folder (the front end UI files for example), until we get our hands on a DLC to use as an example.

That said, what you need now is a 3-way merge tool, to compare the replaced file from both mods and the original at the same time, or a mod manager as discussed here: https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/mod-conflicts-mod-manager-proposal.606615/

tl&dr : once we have the SDK, this problem should not be as frequent as currently.

edit: but it's always a very good idea to comment the part of the code you've changed, using "<!-- comment -->" in XML files or "-- comment" / "--[[ multiple line comment ]]" in Lua

 

[Cosmic Fox]

It should be mentioned that some Mod designers can't possibly list all changes. Take The Balancer Mod for example, this Mod changes over 1000 values, this would take an obscene amount of time and can't be done unless someone does it by hand and that is not me.

Commenting ones work is or should be regular practice whether modding or coding. It helps you as the designer and others following in your footsteps.

Gedemon lets hope that the SDK comes soon and supplies what we need to do modding that we all dream of. The most moddable civ to date has yet to surface with civ 6.

 

[Elucidus]

I was gonna say, that some mods (modpacks typically) change core components of the game, this make the addition of other content mods (versus features, structural, or graphcis mods only) a very bad idea, as it will likely break the function of the mod. The Balancer is an example of this as well, in that it generates much higher rates fo resources (it also increases costs appropriately), but that means if you add another unit or building mod for example, the costs will be signifciantly lower than the ones included with the mod.

 

[raen]

Use my recent tool: Automatic Install Core files and Safeguarding them, to at least a have backup and installing them automatically.

You can have a grasp of modifications, comparing original files with new ones.