Mod Downloads forum

[Epistolary Richard]

The Forge has always been intended for mods in development, limiting each mod to one thread a piece. However, the mixture of mods in development, mods completed and mods with releases but still in development can make it difficult for mod-users looking for something to play to find out what's available for download and what isn't.

As a result, we're currently working on a Mod Downloads forum which will complement the current Forge (for mods in development) and Mod Discussion (for mod announcements and many other things). Each new version of a mod will have its own thread and no threads without a link to a relevant download will be allowed.

This forum will be integrated with a Mod Downloads area of the Link Database - so links to new downloads will be entered there by the modder who will be able to associate it to various sub-categories to allow for easy browsing. When a staff member reviews that entry a new thread will be opened in the Mod Downloads area and the content copied in.

To allow mod-users fair notice about the mod they're downloading certain information will be required in each thread - namely the title, brief description, version compatibility, credits and conditions of use. New entries that don't include at least this information will not be approved for the Links Datbase nor transferred to the Mod Downloads forum and the modder will be contacted.

Replies will be allowed to threads - however they should be in regards to issues with downloading and compatibility issues. Modders are encouraged to post news announcements with extra content on the Mod Discussion forum and also to keep thei Forge thread updated with the latest links.

Please feel free to ask questions or make comments here - also we're open to suggestions for the sub-categories that mod-users would like to browse downloads by.

[Seasoned Alcoholic]

...

This forum will be integrated with a Mod Downloads area of the Link Database - so links to new downloads will be entered there by the modder who will be able to associate it to various sub-categories to allow for easy browsing. When a staff member reviews that entry a new thread will be opened in the Mod Downloads area and the content copied in.

...

Please feel free to ask questions or make comments here - also we're open to suggestions for the sub-categories that mod-users would like to browse downloads by.

Do you think the inclusion of an optional feedback topic (directly related to the download) should be included in this Mod Downloads area? A mod feedback topic that is created in the Mod Discussion forum may easily become misplaced due to the volume of activity. If a feedback topic is located with (or as close as possible) to the actual download, it may make life easier for both the mod developer / team and the mod downloaders. What do you think?

As for sub-categories, you may wish to go for a differentiated approach with individual sub-categories dependent upon the type of mod in question. For example:


Total Conversion Projects
Major Projects
Light / Niche Projects


These areas could then be broken down further, dependent upon the type of mods available.

Or you could go for a broader approach, namely the classification of mods for RTW and BI.

[player1]

If you ask me, download thread should always include announcements by author.

So if player subscribes to the thread, he'll always be notified when new version is released, by author posting a change list or notification in download thread.


P.S.
That's what I do with bug-fixer in general forum.
As well as most moders with just single thread that houses their mods.

[Epistolary Richard]

Interesting. From my experience some modders with single mods do keep a single thread and update it - others like to post a new thread for the next increment of their mod.

I can see it argued either way - in truth I can see that it would be better for browsing mod-users to only have the latest supported version available. Essentially there are three policy options:

1) Allow modders to post a new entry for each new version as they see fit.

2) Encourage modders to keep a single entry with the latest version supported (or the last version supported for one version of RTW), but do not prevent them if they choose to add a new entry for a new version.

3) Require modders to keep a single entry for each mod and delete entries which are new versions (if they are for the same version of RTW).

What do people think?


In terms of different categories, what do people think of:
(remember mods can be placed in more than one category)

- Large mods (above a certain size)
- Small mods (below a certain size)
- Historical mods
- Gameplay mods
- Fantasy mods
- Total Conversions
- Mini/Concept mods
- Different RTW/BI version categories

[player1]

I think major releases should have seperate threads.
Like swtich from RTW6.3 to RTW7.0
Or Bug-fixer 2.x to Bugfixer 3.0 ~D

But as long as they are incremental builds, they should all be in single thread.
Not sure should that be forced or not. But should definetly be encouraged.

[Ramon Gonzales y Garcia]

...In terms of different categories, what do people think of:
(remember mods can be placed in more than one category)

- Large mods (above a certain size)
- Small mods (below a certain size)
- Historical mods
- Gameplay mods
- Fantasy mods
- Total Conversions
- Mini/Concept mods
- Different RTW/BI version categories
I think there are too many categories there. maybe just
- for RTW
- for BI

the mods themselves will describe what they did anyway. too amny categories will just add to the confusion

[Duke Malcolm]

Will you need a new Asst. Mod. Mod for this new forum?

Also, perhaps as sush:
-Full mods
-Mini mods
-Gameplay mods

along with different RTW/BI categories for each

[Dol Guldur]

Platform: RTW or BI
Period: Roman Era, Historical, Non-historical
Type: Full, Mini, Enhancement/Gameplay


I feel it woukd be important to have the Roman Era period classification otherwise the other "historical" mods will get lost in all the Roman Era mods (of which there are many!)

[Epistolary Richard]

That's a good point.

The Mod Download database and forum is finished enough for people to start looking around and adding stuff. It should become visible at some point in the near future. I've added a few of my own mods as examples - others are welcome to do the same. Questions and feedback should be posted in this thread.


Will you need a new Asst. Mod. Mod for this new forum?
It's early days for many of these new features and there's more on the way. You don't have to be an AMM to help out in improving the forums though - there's lots of ways to help out depending on your interests.

[Lusted]

So how does this new section work? How do we submit our mods to the new section?

[Epistolary Richard]

Good question - in a similar way to TWC the Mod Downloads forum (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=144) is just a mirror of the new entries that are made to the Mod Downloads database (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/local_links.php?catid=94). A new entry in the database will - once reviewed by staff - create a new thread in the Mod Downloads forum.

Adding an entry to the database is just like adding a link to a tutorial in the Tutorials section. Navigate to the All Mods (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/local_links.php?catid=95) subcategory and hit 'add link' (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/local_links.php?action=addlink&catid=95). There are instructions as to the information you should include there.

You get best viewing of the database - BTW - if you collapse the entries so you only see their names and not all their full descriptions; you can do this by hitting the double triangle on the right hand side of where it says Entries within a subcategory.

Here's a more expanded description from the Why can't I create a new thread in this forum (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=64743) thread.

This is where we're starting from, but in these early stages we'll be looking to address any bugs or issues with this process and try and find the approach which hits the best balance of accessibility for mod-users, convenience for modders and sustainability for staff.

For example, we've been discussing whether direct links to downloads should be included in entries themselves - for if you download from within the entry it won't register as a 'hit'.

Equally, should the main link go straight to the download rather than a page with a download on it - it would be a better way of determining actual downloads - but it may also be considered as hotlinking if the mod is hosted on another TW site.

[Epistolary Richard]

Another question is whether a mod should maintain only a single entry or one for every single patch or somewhere in between.

This is what I'd propose to start off with:

A new thread for each download?

We would recommend that modders start a new thread for each major release, but for patches to edit their original entry (so for example, a mod at v1 should have a new thread for a v2 release, but a v1.1 patch should be included in the v1 entry). Please be aware that you will have to edit the thread and the database entry separately.

Also, if any versions of a mod are no longer available for download then please inform the staff who can close the relevant thread and remove the entry.