20.4 new mod folder location

[Shredder Gaming]

Usually I'm silent on forums or don't even sign up to comment, as I'm playing the game daily and use this forum only to gather information.

I'm experienced in manual installations and modding as I modded Rimworld a while ago.
But that change made me come out of my lil' hideout to comment here,
as I'm pretty sure that most players will not be able to workaround the problem with having multiple versions to play different mods.
The offered solutions to fix this involve a lot work.
I think this change should be considered to be reverted, %APPDATA% is not a folder you want mods to be saved in.
Local storage of mods within the game directory is superb - easy access to as many copies as you like.
The documents folder as a mod storage is a close 2nd, but still doesn't help with having multiple game copies to run different Alphas of Vanilla.
At least it's not hidden and doesn't need to be on your system directory.
(My old PC had a C:/ drive of literally just 60GB - Hence why I know of that struggle)

In short:

Current system:

- Easy access
- Fast vanilla version switching
- Fast mod switching

New system:

- Hidden folder within folders within folders nobody ever bothers to take a look. Talking about casual players here.
- No mod switching without having to pin down every single file within both game and mod directories (See Undead legacy to understand)
- Base game version switching needs a reinstall/updating via steam, as you cannot use your separate version-specific mod directory but have to use the global %APPDATA%

Just my opinion based on what i read on the Discord channels on a daily basis - lots of people struggle with basic IT knowledge
and don't want to bother with pure & raw Tedium™

Edited May 2, 2022 by Shredder Gaming
formatting (see edit history)

[Roland]

1 hour ago, Shredder Gaming said:

Usually I'm silent on forums or don't even sign up to comment, as I'm playing the game daily and use this forum only to gather information.

I'm experienced in manual installations and modding as I modded Rimworld a while ago.
But that change made me come out of my lil' hideout to comment here,
as I'm pretty sure that most players will not be able to workaround the problem with having multiple versions to play different mods.
The offered solutions to fix this involve a lot work.
I think this change should be considered to be reverted, %APPDATA% is not a folder you want mods to be saved in.
Local storage of mods within the game directory is superb - easy access to as many copies as you like.
The documents folder as a mod storage is a close 2nd, but still doesn't help with having multiple game copies to run different Alphas of Vanilla.
At least it's not hidden and doesn't need to be on your system directory.
(My old PC had a C:/ drive of literally just 60GB - Hence why I know of that struggle)

In short:

Current system:

- Easy access
- Fast vanilla version switching
- Fast mod switching

New system:

- Hidden folder within folders within folders nobody ever bothers to take a look. Talking about casual players here.
- No mod switching without having to pin down every single file within both game and mod directories (See Undead legacy to understand)
- Base game version switching needs a reinstall/updating via steam, as you cannot use your separate version-specific mod directory but have to use the global %APPDATA%

Just my opinion based on what i read on the Discord channels on a daily basis - lots of people struggle with basic IT knowledge
and don't want to bother with pure & raw Tedium™

 

Not to worry. Unlike those Discord channels, our community got to work right away talking to one of the developers and realizing that there is a pretty easy fix for those who are concerned about this. Most mod authors will likely include the instructions of what to do along with their mod. Pretty soon every casual player will be able to have a desktop shortcut icon they can click to be able to select the modded version they want to play all without needing to have multiple copies of the game itself loaded onto their computers and the mod folders with their various configuration can be reassigned to a different directory. Pretty much anyone who is tech savvy enough to download and set up a mod in the current system will be able to follow directions on how to do the workaround and for the rest Sphereii's mod launcher will continue to work.

 

The whole scandal is basically over and discord simply hasn't caught up yet.

[Norutoromu]

Can anyone help me understand how is this new method supposed to work on Linux dedicated servers ?

Example:

 

I tried adding the Survivors HUD A20 mod on my server and normaly with this you overwrite the configs in the data folder (if i understand the mod correctly) but now when i do that my client doesn't finish loading onto the server.
Can someone please help me understand.

 

[SylenThunder]

12 hours ago, Norutoromu said:

Can anyone help me understand how is this new method supposed to work on Linux dedicated servers ?

Example:

 

I tried adding the Survivors HUD A20 mod on my server and normaly with this you overwrite the configs in the data folder (if i understand the mod correctly) but now when i do that my client doesn't finish loading onto the server.
Can someone please help me understand.

 

It's literally the same as everything else. 

 

If you define your UserDataFolder in your server config file, that is where the Mod folder will be. (Honestly if you aren't defining this for a dedi, you're doing it wrong.)

If you don't define your UserDataFolder in your server config file, then it will be in the default location. <User>/.local/share/7DaysToDie

[furion nightstalker]

can't get mods to work at all only the old way works so when the new way starts guess it back to vanill

a 

Edited May 22, 2022 by furion nightstalker (see edit history)

[sphereii]

I'm not sure if its appropriate to post this here. If not, feel free to remove the post.

 

I have Mod Launcher V4 available for testing that leverages the Mods folder change. It's using a different way of downloading files (zip instead of git), and uses the -UserDataFolder

 

A few notes: 

• It's still in development. I've been testing under GamePass and Steam versions.
• If testing is successful, this would replace all previous ModLauncher's from me, although the older ones will continue to work.
• There's a few youtube videos I made (linked in the other post). Better quality ones will come I hope.
• It does not make a full copy of the game to install the mod (although it can, just not with the GamePass edition)
• Not all Overhauls will work. 

The last point should be emphasized. Some mods use BepInEx, which will not work for the GamePass edition. Other overhauls are not all self contained in the Mods folder, and won't work quite right. I've been filtering them as I find them. It may take awhile for some of the mod authors to pivot their mods to be fully GamePass supported. 

 

For those who had trouble getting mods to work manually may have been trying to run a mod that's just not ready yet for GamePass.

 

A overhaul can only run from the UserDataFolder / GamePass edition if it's all self contained in its "Mods" folder. 

 

Mods like Undead Legacy and Ravenhearst will only work under Steam, while Darkness Falls, Sorcery, and others will work with both.  

 

 

 

 

[Rotor]

Ya sure, but can it make coffee? 

 

<---general smartassed commenter 

[lee_terry_jr]

I had mixed feelings with this chage at 1st but was appeased when I learned that you could change the folder location. However, after the update hit I opened the game launcher and attempted to change the location using the details left in the patch notes. So, after that came out I opened the launcher and added

-UserDataFolder=F:\f backup\cliff backup\games\7 days to die\modding

in the additional parameters section. I moved the mods folder into that location clicked Run and save as default button afterwards which should have changed the folder location to load the mods from F:\f backup\cliff backup\games\7 days to die\modding\mods. After booting up a test game (I do test runs after I update or add new mods) I noticed rather fast the mods were not working/loaded. I even tried editing the additional parameters again after that to change that so it says

-UserDataFolder=F:\f backup\cliff backup\games\7 days to die\modding\Mods

just in case that was the issue but that did not work either. So, I tried removing all that putting the mods folder back into the install folder just in case I was misreading/understanding the patch notes and you were warning us that it would happen in the future but it was not done yet. That still did not work and I was forced to put the mods folder into the appdata folder with the games saves in order to make it work despite being told that I could change this in the patch notes. After all of this I went from mixed feelings about this change to pure hatred...

[q123]

19 minutes ago, lee_terry_jr said:

-UserDataFolder=F:\f backup\cliff backup\games\7 days to die\modding

I guess, it's the spaces in your path.

Try it with quotation marks (") around

[sphereii]

3 hours ago, Rotor said:

Ya sure, but can it make coffee? 

 

<---general smartassed commenter 

maybe V5?

[RobbieW1337]

On 4/14/2022 at 3:02 PM, KhaineGB said:

The current method is WAY easier than AppData.

However, the documents folder would be easier than both. Also, you can access it on Windows, Linux and Mac OS in .NET (which all 3 platforms support).

System.Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.MyDocuments)

 

But then we'll fill up the C:// which is commonly an SSD and sometimes someone's only SSD, I still think giving the option like "Add Mods" -> "Select a Path" -> *user picks path no matter what OS, and the default of Documents is the first option*

[KhaineGB]

1 hour ago, RobbieW1337 said:

But then we'll fill up the C:// which is commonly an SSD and sometimes someone's only SSD, I still think giving the option like "Add Mods" -> "Select a Path" -> *user picks path no matter what OS, and the default of Documents is the first option*

Except if you right click your documents folder and select properties, you can move it to another drive.

Like I did. 😛

 

 

I assume Linux can do the same, but then a Linux user would likely symlink it (or equivalent) anyway. No idea about OS X.

Edited July 4, 2022 by KhaineGB (see edit history)

[Floofs]

I also feel this change is both unnecessary and detrimental, especially to casual users interested in modding, but in the spirit of fairness...

 

The %AppData% directory is also addressable in .NET Core on all platforms using:

System.Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ApplicationData)

 

Symlinks are available on Windows 10/11, so you  can physically store the "%appdata%\7DaysToDie\" directory anywhere you like, including on another drive.

 

But again I'd like to highlight just how *unnecessary* and obtrusive this change is, in my opinion. None of the above should be necessary.

 

Also, the concluding statement in this mod post is ridiculously dismissive.

 

On 5/2/2022 at 12:41 PM, Roland said:

 

Not to worry. Unlike those Discord channels, our community got to work right away talking to one of the developers and realizing that there is a pretty easy fix for those who are concerned about this. Most mod authors will likely include the instructions of what to do along with their mod. Pretty soon every casual player will be able to have a desktop shortcut icon they can click to be able to select the modded version they want to play all without needing to have multiple copies of the game itself loaded onto their computers and the mod folders with their various configuration can be reassigned to a different directory. Pretty much anyone who is tech savvy enough to download and set up a mod in the current system will be able to follow directions on how to do the workaround and for the rest Sphereii's mod launcher will continue to work.

 

The whole scandal is basically over and discord simply hasn't caught up yet.

 

Edited August 3, 2022 by Floofs (see edit history)

[Roland]

38 minutes ago, Floofs said:

Also, the concluding statement in this mod post is ridiculously dismissive.

my statement would have been dismissive if it had been the second statement of the thread but it was after a long conversation after which solutions were verified and the entire worry was shown by one of the developers to be unfounded. The problem was fully considered, discussed, and then resolved…and THEN I poked fun at the discord forum for being behind the times. 
 

How can that be labeled dismissive? We resolved the whole issue for goodness sake. Read the whole thread. 
 

Also, the change is necessary— for TFP so that they can have their game be on Game Pass. It may not be a technical necessity but it is an admissions necessity to join a marketplace that can only help the game grow. 

Edited August 3, 2022 by Roland (see edit history)

[Melange]

On 8/3/2022 at 9:40 AM, Roland said:

Read the whole thread

And I have finished doing just that. Took some doing though. There's been a 5 week lull in posts in this heated thread, so somewhere towards the end of discussion there's obviously an accepted solution to where and how we can continue to manage mods, and in a more efficient way than we did before if I read correctly.  (Server browser issue not included). Don't ask me right now what it is, because this time through I wasn't looking for detail. But, I now know where to look. What a ride. Big thanks to all who contributed to solving our issue.

 

Some folk make things happen. Some folk watch things happen. Other folk just wonder what happened.

 

For this one, I'm in the second group. Hat's off to those in the first group. As for the third group, well for starters we ate all of your popcorn.

Edited August 5, 2022 by Melange (see edit history)