Order of Mods in Z folder

[tiger123]

How does the game read the files (mods) in the Z folder?

In which order does it read them? IE If I want mod X to overwrite a similar mod do I put it at the top or bottom of the list?

Is the path data\Z correct? Does it matter if it`s upper or lower case?

Thanks

[Sequoia]

What I do is put a z folder inside the z folder and put the mod I want to override other mods in the second z folder. Seems to work.

[Mord]

Sequoia has it right...That should work fine. Or just keep a separate mod folder OUTSIDE of the data folder where you can store Mods you aren't using.

The data folder loads mods by using the number or letter furthest down the sequence....for instance two mods of the same type, one named "Chuck's Barbwire A" will always be overwritten by "Chuck's Barbwire H".

Mord.

[LongLeftFlank]

Wait Mord, what you just said could be misread. You mean the game will prefer the files that are sitting in the (sub)FOLDER with the highest letter.

If you change the names of the FILES (except in a few cases like building or face textures where you can add "1" "2" etc.), the game will simply ignore them entirely.

[Mord]

Yeah should've been more clear on that one...only folders that files are sitting in or BRZ files can be named whatever you wish. NEVER change the name of the actual BMP or Wav files themselves.

Mord.

[user38]

How does the game read the files (mods) in the Z folder?

In which order does it read them? IE If I want mod X to overwrite a similar mod do I put it at the top or bottom of the list?

Is the path data\Z correct? Does it matter if it`s upper or lower case?

Thanks

From page 151 of the manual

LOADING ORDER

When Combat Mission starts up, it loads all the .brz files it finds in the Data folder. However, it is possible that a given sound or graphic (say, "tank texture.bmp") might be contained in more than one .brz file, and the two files might be different despite having the same name.

Combat Mission has a method to ensure that the "latest" version of a sound or graphic is always the one used by the game: the .brz file name that is LATER in alphabetical order is given priority. For example, if "tank texture.jpg" is contained in both "A.brz" and "B.brz", the version contained in "B.brz" will be used, and the one inside "A.brz" will be ignored. Similarly, "Version 101.brz" takes priority over "Version 100.brz" because it comes later alphabetically.

As you explode the .brz files that come with the game, you'll notice some duplicates of various texture graphics and such. The reverse-alphabetical loading order allows later-version .brz files to take priority over the earlier ones.

This is important because you want to make sure that your mods get priority over the sounds and graphics that ship with the game. See below for further details.

and

MODS IN ACTION

Now that you have created your mods as .brz file(s), it is time to see them work inside Combat Mission. Here is the easiest way to be sure that your mod files get loading priority over the files that ship standard with Combat Mission.

First, note that any enclosing folder names are included with file names in the alphabetical priority comparison for loading. Now go inside the Data folder and create a new folder called "Z". Because "Z" comes after the names of the standard game files ("Version XXX") you are guaranteed that any mods you put into the "Z" folder will be loaded and used by Combat Mission.

Second, note that among the .brz mod files you create and put into this "Z"

folder, the alphabetical rule still applies within that folder. So if you have "MyMod1.brz" and "MyMod2.brz" files both inside the "Z" folder, data from "MyMod2.brz" will take priority over "MyMod1.brz" for any duplicate contents.

You may also place single *non-brz* files into the Data folder (such as individual WAV or BMP files). Combat Mission can recognize individual BMP or WAV files even when not packed into a BRZ file. This is not recommended when creating a "mod pack" for use by others because dozens or hundreds of individual files are difficult to manage, but it can be useful while you are creating your mod, and want to test out small edits. Individual files are given loading priority over ALL .brz files regardless of how they are named.

Given the above, would it not be more logical to create a "Z" folder and a "Z1" folder in the "Data" folder. The mods in the "Z1" folder would take priority over the "Z" folder mods which would take priority over the Normandy v100A.brz and Normandy v100B.brz files.

Or even more logical (given the brz files are in the "Data" folder itself), you could create folders inside the "data" folder called "Mod Files 1", "Mod Files 2" etc and place the priority files in the lower folder in the directory tree.

[Mord]

Sure...you can do it however you want...problem is every time we have this conversation it gets so convoluted I think it screws up the OP's head.

I just keep a holding folder outside the Data folder where I store stuff I am not using at the moment. But there's a ton of different ways you can do it.

Thanks for that manual quote BTW...they should sticky that whole section!

Mord.

[Erwin]

In cases where the modder (eg "Sam") has only provided .bmp files, is it good to put all of those bmp files into a folder called (say) "Sam Mods" to avoid a Z folder with tons of .bmp files for dozens of mods - that one can't recall what each are for??