Multiple Rome installation Tutorial?

[Ciaran]

I am wondering, with so many great mods in the making, if it weren´t possible to post an idiot-proof tutorial how to install Rome several times. I am probably not the only one who
a) wants to play quite a collection of those new mods
b) wants to keep them all playable
c) doesn´t know how to make multiple installations.

[Epistolary Richard]

Why would you want to have multiple installations of RTW? If you want to switch easily between mods, then use the Mod Switcher (see my signature for link).
.

[Bwian]

If you must have multiple installs, i's really VERY easy....

I actually run 2 installs... 1 is a stock 1.2 install, and the other is my 'development' version where I play around with the mods I am building. This way I can mess around with everything and not have to worry too much...I ALWAYS have a full set of unaltered ackup files this way.

If I was short on disc space, it would be a different story...but sincve HD space is so cheap these days, I have space to spare! As a 'Last Resort' I also have an image burned to DVD of the patched install.....I have had to mess around uninstalling/reinstalling/ cleaning the registry/trying again in the past, and won't EVER do that again.

[Ciaran]

If you must have multiple installs, i's really VERY easy....

That´s nice to hear ~:)
But I still don´t know how to do it.

@Richard:
Some Mods might not be compatible with the Mod switcher, and I don´t think I can play several different mods at a time (today plain Rome, tomorrow Chivraly, then METW...) without having to start all over after switching mods, or can I?
And then, like Bwian pointed out, I might want to have an extra installation to fool around with.

[khelvan]

Easy. Make a copy of your entire /data/ directory and subdirectories. Call it "backup." Install whatever mod you wish. Now, to play vanilla, you name the current /data/ directory /modx (or whatever)/, and rename /backup/ to /data/. Voila. No muss, no fuss.

Repeat for each new mod.

[Epistolary Richard]

I haven't come across any mod that isn't compatible with the Mod Switcher. I've personally used Chivalry, DarthMod, SPQR any my own with no trouble. If you're concerned then point me in the direction of the mod you're interested in and I'll have a look at it.

Once you've made the RMOD, it takes less than a minute to swap from one mod to another.

You can combine mods when you make an RMOD (for example you can add the SkyMod to SPQR).

For an extra installation, I'd just copy the data folder and rename it data2 or vanilla or something else.

[Ciaran]

Copying is nice and easy, all right. But I still have to replace the Data folder every time I want to play another mod, if I read it correctly. Is there any way to get a second (third, fourth...) installation I can start with a simple desktop icon double-click like the first installation? In DOS times that was easy ~:rolleyes:
Copying the whole RTW folder with all sub-folders and files won´t do the trick, would it?

[barocca]

yep
that does the trick

i have 3 copies
one is unmodded (my "vanilla" copy)
one is modded
one is work in progresss/testing

B.

[Ciaran]

Nice to know, I didn´t imagine things to be so easy with Windows, what with registries and stuff I don´t - and don´t want to - know about.

[barocca]

just copy the entire folder,
open the folder,
"drag" the executable (rome.exe) onto the desktop and a shortcut is automatically created,
then put that icon/shortcut where ever you want,
i have mine in the taskbar next to start

right click taskbar
untick "lock the taskbar"
drag the icon onto the taskbar,
grab the little dotted bit and drag it around until you are happy,
right click taskbar and tick "lock the taskbar"
B.

[Lord Dazed & Confused]

Yeah it works, just copy the entire RTW folder into another folder. I've got 4 on my hard drive at the mo and they all work fine.