Indeed, copying over the entire vanilla was not in my head simply because I thought the purpose of -mod was to avoid the need to take up unnecessary hard-disk space. ;)
But will vanilla remain untouched even if this is done?
The vanilla BI draws off the main rtw data for certain elements and it would seem some of these will not work from inside BI.
My rome data folder element of my mod folder structure, for example, includes:
Music packs (cannot get these to work outside of the rome data folder)
Entire UI elements for the creation of an additional new culture
pack files
vegetation files (and db)
terrain files
modded resources & wonders
loading screens & loading bars etc
I have not thoroughly looked into their importing into BI but some I know will not import, and these will affect vanilla.
The vegetation issues, for example, will cause crashes if not placed in BI (and my tests show it does not port). Music will not port, though I have heard some say it does (I have set up every path imaginable!); loading bars will not work in BI; terrain files will not work I am told but I have read about a possible workaround for that one; I am not sure if my mod_0.pak file will work outside of the rome data pack folder (and if it does not it may override other pack folders and cause problems in vanilla)...I have not packed the unit voices yet...there will I fear be a horrific amount of repathing on all these packs and files.
It seems, as things stand, that the -mod feature for BI is not making the installation of the mod any easier for the player.
EDIT: OK, basic mod working as far as loading, graphics and menus are concerned. Rome data folder elements currently merged into Rome data. Over next couple of days will look at repathing issues in order to get CBs, campaigns etc. working .
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