Using -mod:my_mod

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How to use the -mod:my_mod command line switch

Here is a quote (I believe from CA although I cannot find the source anymore) that explains a bit more about this switch:

The command line option for modding is there in previous builds as well, but is not fully implemented. In the patch build, most significant files go through a directory switching mechanism (though not quite all, unforunately). It is controlled via the -mod command... For example, -mod:my_mod will cause the game to look for the descr_ files in the my_mod directory rather than in the data directory.

The difference between the 1.2 exe's use of the shortcut and that in earlier builds is that in 1.2 it will actually look for a requested file under data if it cannot find it under my_mod. This allows you to do partial mods, changing only one or two files. The earlier build insists that you duplicate all of the descr_ files plus the contents of the world directory. The 1.2 build also applies the directory switching to a larger variety of files.

Since this system refers to the descr_ files first and foremost it allows you to mix and match your own content with that from vanilla RTW quite easily, since most of the files the engine loads up are specified in the descr files. For example, if you don't like the Germanic double-handed axeman's model, you can just duplicate descr_model_battle.txt in your mod directory, supply a new cas model there as well and redirect the model type entry in descr_model_battle to the new file.

Now onto the guide:
Firstly, you must have RTW v1.2 for this to work.

1. In the root directory of Rome - Total War (i.e. the one that has the .exe in it), create a folder for your mod - in this example we will call it "my_mod"

2. Place any modified descr_ and export_descr txt files (that would normally go in the Data folder) that your mod uses in this my_mod folder.

3. Run the game with the command line switch "-mod:my_mod", where "my_mod" is the name of the folder created in Step 1. An example of how your run command might look is:
run "C:\Program Files\Rome - Total War\RomeTW.exe" -mod:my_mod
Note that the switch should be outside the quotation marks that surround the path of the exe file. Also, the '-' in front of the switch is not necessary (you can just use "mod:my_mod" if you wish).

Additional: how to use provincial campaigns with the -mod:my_mod switch

i) Place all world files in the Data\world\maps\campaign\my_campaign\ folder as per usual.

ii) Create the folder my_mod\world\maps\campaign\my_campaign and copy the following files into it from the Data\world\maps\campaign\my_campaign\ folder:
descr_strat.txt
leader_pic_{faction}.tga
map_{faction}.tga
(So in actual fact these files don't need to be in the data\etc folder, but can just be in the my_mod\etc folder)

iii) As per Step 3 above.


Note: When running RTW with the -my:my_mod switch, custom battles do not seem to work (at least, I have been unable to get them to). Battles in campaigns do though.