Preaching to the Other Modders:

[David Brasher]

I have been downloading a whole bunch of modders resource mods lately for a project I am thinking about doing, but I have run into an annoying and completely preventable problem.

 

Many people don't know how to name their files and so they give them really bland and non-descriptive names so they get lost in the download list. I can imagine many gamers will download your well-done mods, lose them in their download lists, forget about them, and never install and play them. You go to all that work to make your mods, and then something like that keeps people from playing them and enjoying them. And they certainly aren't going to leave positive comments and endorse your file if it gets lost and they never even play it.

 

Here are some examples of what really bad file names look like:

 

The_File- 27509

My_Mod- 27946

Download-16680

Fixed_Version-17942

Final-25098

Version_3_Dot_1-43674

Non-COBL-25893

Main-26489

 

Look at that sorry bunch of file names!

Glance at this list and tell me which one is the sword mod. Which one focuses on female body models? Which one has the large dungeon?

 

Name your files like this:

 

Cavern_of_Despair_1_3-23758

Better_Bouncing_Breadloafs_1_3-23654

SwordsByDarkKnight01-23874

ScaryWeatherUpgrade_V2-23756

Leveled_List_Tweaks-25634

Female-Swimsuits-For-Combat-25678

Quest_for_the_Unholy_Grail_TextureFix-25387

SaladDressingBottles-Improved-13758

 

Would you not agree that this is easier to read and will make your mods easier to use? I think it will increase gamer satisfaction and increase the popularity of your mods.

[Deleted1848331User]

I've never seen a single mod with names similar to those.

[alonsomartinez]

I have been downloading a whole bunch of modders resource mods lately for a project I am thinking about doing, but I have run into an annoying and completely preventable problem.

 

Many people don't know how to name their files and so they give them really bland and non-descriptive names so they get lost in the download list. I can imagine many gamers will download your well-done mods, lose them in their download lists, forget about them, and never install and play them. You go to all that work to make your mods, and then something like that keeps people from playing them and enjoying them. And they certainly aren't going to leave positive comments and endorse your file if it gets lost and they never even play it.

 

Here are some examples of what really bad file names look like:

 

The_File- 27509

My_Mod- 27946

Download-16680

Fixed_Version-17942

Final-25098

Version_3_Dot_1-43674

Non-COBL-25893

Main-26489

 

Look at that sorry bunch of file names!

Glance at this list and tell me which one is the sword mod. Which one focuses on female body models? Which one has the large dungeon?

 

Name your files like this:

 

Cavern_of_Despair_1_3-23758

Better_Bouncing_Breadloafs_1_3-23654

SwordsByDarkKnight01-23874

ScaryWeatherUpgrade_V2-23756

Leveled_List_Tweaks-25634

Female-Swimsuits-For-Combat-25678

Quest_for_the_Unholy_Grail_TextureFix-25387

SaladDressingBottles-Improved-13758

 

Would you not agree that this is easier to read and will make your mods easier to use? I think it will increase gamer satisfaction and increase the popularity of your mods.

 

 

 

Yes , even though I got into a bad habit of doing that with some of my mods , people should give their files a better name.

 

And to expand further on this , their Readmes should also be unique. If they name their readme " readme " no one will know which is which will lead to bad installations and conflicts.

Edited February 6, 2011 by alonsomartinez

[chaospearl]

I've never seen a single mod with names similar to those.

 

I have, unfortunately. Not nearly as many, and usually even if I've been on a big download spree there'll only be one or two of those names in the bunch, but it's still aggravating. It seems to happen the most often with hotfixes and updates -- the main mod will be named intelligently, but then there are three optional files with names like "Cloak Hotfix" (when it's a pose mod) and "UPDATE 1.2 Elsweyr Compatible" (for a weapons mod) and similar.

 

Since we're here, let me also add that the same thing happens about three times as often with readme files. I cannot tell you how many text files I have in my Oblivion mod docs folder that are named Readme (1) through Readme (15) or readthis.txt or readmefirst... every so often I start going through the list, opening each one to see what it's the readme for and renaming the file, but I STILL have a whole pile of 'em despite having done that a couple of times now.

[ub3rman123]

I believe the error in this comes from how the Nexus downloader renames the downloaded file based on what the file is named in the file details, rather than what the name of the file you upload is called. A lot of people don't know that if you name your files and patches "Main_File" "Patch1" and "Patch2" they'll be downloaded as "Main_File-43422" "Patch1-34215" and "Patch2-24675" even if the names of the original uploaded files were "PrettierZombiesMainFile", "PZPatch1", and "PZPatch2".

[WastelandAssassin]

what you are saying is true

i have downloaded many mods, and some really had such names, which usually got me at a bit of a loss (luckily, you can always look through your download history, unless this was a long time ago)

 

however, i find that this type of naming isn't really the problem

if you look inside the file, you have the plugin, and that one is the one that should be named

if you can look inside the mod folder and identify the mod through the plugin, then no harm done

 

just some time ago, i decided to start a new game on Fallout 3, and have decided to also remove all the mods that i won't be using, just to have a short, easy to look at load order

this is when my problem started, as i had many plugins that i just had no idea what they were, as their name meant nothing, and they had no description or requirements or anything

 

so all in all, naming your mods properly is truly important, especially since not all of us can truly find what each mod is

[SavageArtistry]

When I get confused about a mod I've downloaded I just refer to the number tacked onto the end and it leads me back to the download page. Of course it probably helps that I keep all my downloaded files saved to folders telling me what they are (Weapons, Armors & Clothing, etc)

[Nadimos]

This thread needs to be pushed to the very top.

[Azrax]

I've just been on a downloading spree and had dozens of files named "main-28318231" and "patch-128312831". I get confused as to what I downloaded in the first place until I unzip it and check through the folder. So yes, it would be lovely if all modders took this advice, it would save a lot of trouble for crazy leechers like me :)

 

(I would totally download a mod called Better Bouncing Breadloafs...)

[AndrewClements]

Out of curiousity I glanced through my working folder for the mod we are working on.

I have...

niffix.nif

niffix2.nif

texture01.dds

texture9A.dds

blankLOD.nif

thisishopeless.nif. (a little frustration there..ha ha)

 

Naturally those won't be in whatever I would upload, but I found the humour since I read your post.

 

But to be serious, occasionally I have come across generically named files as u mention. Your comments and suggestions are good and I will definitely remember to do my labelling accordingly.