Combining Mods and Add-ons

[Stiglove 4]

Greetings All, hope this is in the right spot for this, but if not I'll take a free move :). Trying to use the NiArms collection, however, it's like 10ish separate @mod folders, not including other things we are running. So I think it is cause the "unable to verify etc etc" that you get on the Arma Launcher. Some googling provided alot of threads about combining mods into a "communitymod" essentially so that you only have to start a handful -mod wise, but clients connections are prompted for you field of addons.

If I get the gist of it, would look something like;

@MyCommunity----->"addons"----->all the .pbos, and besign files

                            ----->"keys"------->all the keys for those mods

                          ------>"userconfigs"------->if any exist juts glump them here

 

But what I dont understand is what you do with all the Meta and modd  files. If I recall those are what the browser reads to prompt the client to download. Because even if I have @MyCommunity folder, I have no clue how to prompt any connections to have what is currently running. Any help or direction to the correct literature to browse would be appreciated. Find tons of stuff of google, but a ton of it suffers no answers, vague leading information that is promising but I can't seem to quite find the follow through I need to get it to work.

 

- Thanks

 

[kuplion 1785]

Just use the All in One pack: https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/filedetails/?id=1208517358

[Z80CPU 527]

Hello @Stiglove,

What @kuplion stated would be the best for you in this case.  What you're seeking is what I have asked myself as well.  And you CAN merge 'many mods into one mod'.

There are some 'issues' in this, but ALL can be overcome.

 

Basic Steps 'How To':

#1 - Some mod authors prohibit such, so you are on your own with that.

#2 - You will have to inspect/modify ALL 'text' files as you WILL have to change the paths in those 'text' files as well as merging them.

#3 - You will have to 'sign' this mod to you.  OPTIONAL:  You could 're-sign' all of the 'extra mods' to you as well, so that ALL files are signed by you.  This would mean one key and not having/requiring 5 different keys for all 5 of those combined mods.

#4 - You will then have to upload it to Steam as a mod author.

 

THEN when someone tries to join without YOUR 'multiple mods' mod, it will prompt them to download it from Steam as it will be there AND signed.

 

The BIGGEST issue in having 'multiple mods rolled into one mod' is when one of those 'inner mods' get updated.  THEN WHAT???  You would have TWO OPTIONS ONLY:

#1 - Everybody downloads the new mod but runs your mod (so they will have 2 version of some mod on their HDD's twice; old version and new version).

#2 - You update your mod to include the 'inner mod' that got updated and then the players download it.

 

You will have to choose which path you wish to go down.  In my case, the 'other mods' have not changed in YEARS.  And by knowing this, I have kept the 'extra mods' limited to a VERY small and STABLE list.  Such as a 'full screen' night-vision mod, which has not changed in 4+ years.

 

It is not 'hard' to do, rather quite easy.  I have a mod which contains 4 other mods within it.  ALL the mods work and I followed the above steps.  The hardest part is having an 'average' knowledge of scripting as you will have to modify scripts and merge files together into a single file.

 

Bottom line:  It can be done quite easily!

 

Edited February 5 by Z80CPU

[Stiglove 4]

@kuplionThanks for the link, I didn't even think to look for an All in One  You are my hero. Being digging through alot of the stuff you've posted, since after our wonderful experience on your Tanoa server gave me an understanding of how properly coded and cleaned up scripts can make a server feel vs just a straight up copy and paste with zero digging through for conflicts. 

@Z80CPU Thank you as well for that information, definitely filled in the gaps I was missing. Both of you are right though that the all-in-one will make it easier. Decently comfortable reading and troubleshooting scripts if I ever have to go down the merge path though. So screenshot of info FTW! 

Trying to keep as close to the "less is more" for -mods. Always do that happy jig when I find some random post on "well it can be put server side if you do this." Currently using CUP, but wanted to try a few things before I settle on my decision.

[Z80CPU 527]

You're welcome and good luck with it!

 

[kuplion 1785]

10 hours ago, Stiglove said:

@kuplionThanks for the link, I didn't even think to look for an All in One  You are my hero. Being digging through alot of the stuff you've posted, since after our wonderful experience on your Tanoa server gave me an understanding of how properly coded and cleaned up scripts can make a server feel vs just a straight up copy and paste with zero digging through for conflicts. 

Happy to help, and thank you for the kind words. I'm a strong believer in taking care of the little things and before you know it, it's a big picture thing instead.