new commandline in BI

[KSEG]

I read a while ago in the CA FAQ that in BI there will be a new commanline for the shortcut enabling to play several mods at same time without having to overwrite the original file.
http://p223.ezboard.com/fshoguntotalwarfrm7.showMessage?topicID=19529.topic
"There will be a command line -mod function that allows you to redirect the game to use a different set of data without having to replace the original files and - with multiple shortcuts on your desktop all using different -mod redirects - have more than one mod on your PC at once *without* having multiple installations of the game. This will be fully explained in the readme documentation that will ship with the expansion pack. Overall, you'll find that modding support has been substantially improved, especially in the way that factions can be modded."

Is this true?
If so, how do I do it?

[alpaca]

You create a new folder in your Rome: Total War directory and add
"-mod:folder_name" to the end of the shortcut.

[KSEG]

You create a new folder in your Rome: Total War directory and add
"-mod:folder_name" to the end of the shortcut.

I managed to launch the game with the mod, but when I tryed a custom battle it automatically reverts back to main menu.

[KSEG]

This thing isn't working.
I tried 2 mods and I can't do custom battle or campaign in both of them.
I even tried copying the entire original data folder and then putting the mod in.
Am I doing something wrong here?
What I did is,
1.make a new folder in the Rome:Total War folder
2.copy the data folder of the mod into the new folder.
3.add -mod:foldername line in the shortcut.
Is this the right way?

[Dol Guldur]

I keep on hearing people say that the mod switcher has limitations - implicity at least - and thus my avoidance of the thing.

Can anyone confirm that they have got a full-conversion mod working using the mod switcher? New animations, new map, new sounds, new music, new historicals & custom battles, new culture, new everything!?

[Monkwarrior]

After seeing the problems with that command line, I'm working with JoneSoft Generic Mod Enabler (JSGME).
http://members.iinet.net.au/~jscones/software/products.html

I haven't still modded BI, but I can say that it works perfectly with RTW 1.2 with animations, patch.pak, map (provincial campaign), custom and historical battles. In fact I want to release my mod with this system, that allows to keep a clean installation of RTW.

Another advantage is that you can split the mod in several sub-mods. For example, I have one full mod without texts, and two text folders with the Spanish and English text versions. Each player can enable the version he/she wants.

I've tested in RTW 1.3 and (until now) it works with patch.pak, custom and historical battles. Provincial campaign loads but it CTD after first turn, although I think this is not a problem of the JSGME.

In BI I've tested only this kind of installation with the all-factions mod + rebel commander by ER, and it works perfectly.

Moreover, in the conversion to RTW 1.3 (and now to 1.5) I have several parts of the mod, battles and campaign. In this way I can disable only the part I want to modify (campaign) and the functional part (battles) remains installed, just to speed up the enabling-disabling process.

If there are people interested in this system, I could write a short guide/tutorial.:san_wink:

[militiaman]

Can anyone confirm that they have got a full-conversion mod working using the mod switcher? New animations, new map, new sounds, new music, new historicals & custom battles, new culture, new everything!?

Yep, the latest private beta of chivalry uses it, and it works perfectly with changes made to everything you listed.

[Dol Guldur]

Militia - thanks. Time to look into it then I guess!

Monk, Yes - please do write a tutorial on this; but first a summary of how it actually works would be nice. I look forward to it :)

[Monkwarrior]

Monk, Yes - please do write a tutorial on this; but first a summary of how it actually works would be nice. I look forward to it :)
Done.:san_grin:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?p=1009484#post1009484

[DimeBagHo]

This thing isn't working.
I tried 2 mods and I can't do custom battle or campaign in both of them.
I even tried copying the entire original data folder and then putting the mod in.
Am I doing something wrong here?
What I did is,
1.make a new folder in the Rome:Total War folder
2.copy the data folder of the mod into the new folder.
3.add -mod:foldername line in the shortcut.
Is this the right way?
I use the commandline switch for XGM and it works fine. In some ways it works better than over-writing files in the main data folder (the game exe will look for unit cards in the mod folder before the packs, for example). But there are a few quirks that you need to take into account. First you need to include a copy of pretty much everything in data\world in the mod folder. Second, and this is the bit that can be a pain, the game exe won't automatically look in the mod folder for .CAS files. That means you have to go through the text files and specify the location of every new or modified .CAS file. *edit* Same goes for sprite files IIRC.

[KSEG]

Done.:san_grin:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?p=1009484#post1009484

Thanks!
This tool is great, now finally I don't have to copy the entire data folder for backup.

[Epistolary Richard]

Thank you kindly, Monkwarrior. A worthy successor in my heart (and my sig) to the Mod Switcher. :san_grin: