Idea for future features: Ability to view requirements within vortex

[phellen]

I don't know if this would be possible, but since the Nexus does allow for mod authors to list all of a mods "requirements" and/or "mods requiring this file" on their mod pages, I think a feature that would be great for streamlining the process of modding a game within Vortex, would be integrating that information directly into the Vortex interface. Giving users the ability to view, and even interact with a mods "mod requirements" or "mods requiring this file" right from within Vortex would be especially useful for users who are new to modding scene or even experienced modders who have heavily modded load orders. For example when user selects a mod they've already downloaded, and left clicks on it to see the drop down menu, what if there was an option to view a list of that mods requirements. Then that user could interact with that list right from within Vortex. This could lead to a whole host of streamlining features such as the ability to quickly install or uninstall, or update all selected requirements, or even the ability activate or deactivate said mod and all it's requirements. With how complex and intertwined mods have become with patches and multiple dependencies, I think a feature like this would help to simplify the modding process. Users would be able to more quickly mod their games or trouble shoot them when an issue arises, taking some of the complexity out of the process and ultimately leading to more playing time and getting to enjoy the mods within the game(s), which is the goal.

[Zanderat]

+1. This is a great idea.

[Pickysaurus]

Technically, this is already possible. You can ship your requirements set up in your own build via Collections. You just can't configure this metadata through the site right now.

 

The "Mod Requirements" shown on the pages simply aren't reliable enough to use at the moment. I'd like to introduce per-file dependencies at some point, but I couldn't say if/when that would happen.

[Tannin42]

The requirements information on the page is unfortunately

a) not detailed enough to actually be useful in Vortex

b) not available through the api

 

What I mean by a) is: Assume you have a skyrim armor mod with 3 main files, one for vanilla bodys, one for cbbe, one for UNP.

The requirements can't say which of the three files is required and if there is an update of the mod we wouldn't be able to tell which of the three is the current version of the file you were supposed to get/you already have.

To a human that information may be obvious from context but not to software.

 

Vortex has always supported mod dependencies, it's just that we have no information online that could feed that system except through the metaserver protocol (Settings->Downloads) which, afaik, is currently only used by the Beat Saber extension.

Collections also use this system: as far as Vortex is concerned a collection is just a mod with a lot of dependencies and little to no content of its own.

[phellen]

Thank you guys for responding to the suggestion.

 

I see, so basically because mods are constantly being updated, even with the ability to provide detailed enough information about requirements at the time of upload, there would still be the issue of how does the software determine whether or not mods have maintained compatibility.