Using -mod:my_mod

[Dol Guldur]

Fourth Age is a BI mod folder.

They are useful and not just for players. However, some elements will be overwritten in your vanilla if the mod is quite "deep" in what it has modded - but these are usually quite small and harmless changes.

[Epistolary Richard]

Napoleonic 2 for example uses a mod folder - but puts the new skies in the main data folder - presumably because they wouldn't appear otherwise.

[Makanyane]

Umm, bump...
As its been a while I was wondering did anyone work out how to get an intro video ('bi_Intro_640x480.wmv' equivalent) to play if placed in -mod folder.

Also any ideas on these bits I can't seem to shift out of RTW, let alone get into -mod;
RTW\data\UI\culture\cities\ .tga's
so far putting them even in BI has corrupted the whole UI with portraits appearing instead of the city logo's etc.

and RTW\Data\terrain\aerial_map\sea\ .tga's (ground types I can find paths for but not these)

Lastly did anyone find any difference between copying BI folder leaving it at the same level and renaming copy for -mod so you get -mod:my_mod or copying BI into itself and naming internal one so you get the -mod:bi/my_mod set up. So far I'm struggling to see difference (except to what you re-path textures etc to).

[Dol Guldur]

I believe RNJ has the structure like that and had some issues - can't remember. I'll ask next time I see kagemusha online.

I cannot get the music (in a packed state) or a game intro movie to work from within the modfolder - but we do not have an intro vid :(

I will get back to you about the other things.

[Dol Guldur]

Many things which mods leave to overwrite vanilla can actually be got into a modfolder, some by repathing. In the case of the CITIES you will need to pack them into mod_0.pak and place that file in your modfolders packs folder. This will probably work for your other folder too. It also works for loading bars btw.

The game will assume what is in the modfolder is the one to be used, taking priority over the vanilla counteprart. This is generally true of all files where filenames cannot be changes and repathing is not possible.

[Makanyane]

Cheers Dol Guldur, many, many thanks.... I wasn't thinking about packs so that one was never going to occur to me!
I just tried and it seems to work fine for both cities and the sea terrain files.

Now just need to find a home for a very nice intro video. Assuming all else fails (which seems likely) think I'll just give instructions for re-instating / switching to the old one as when you copy the BI folder the vanilla one must automatically end up in modfolder, hmm....