"Show File Tree" feature for mod pages

[Alan47]

Hello everyone,

 

as someone who frequently experiments with mods, it would be nice to have a directory tree / file tree view of the files offered for downloading in nexus mods.

 

Example 1: Skin mods

When downloading a skin mod for skyrim, the authors rarely state in their descriptions which files are actually contained (e.g. diffuse, normal map, scatter map, etc.). A file tree would allow me to directly look at the directories and file names before downloading the mod in order to judge whether it's the right mod for me or not.

 

Example 2: Female followers

In search for a female follower in Skyrim, it is crucial that the follower uses the correct "skeleton_female.nif", otherwise game stability and performance is at risk, because skeleton mismatches can cause CTDs. Some followers (or any mod that adds in NPCs for that matter) contain their own "skeleton_female.nif" file, others don't. So for those that bring their own, I need to create a patch with the correct override. It would be nice to know that before downloading a mod.

 

Example 3: Files you don't want to be touched

Especially when it comes to larger mods (> 200MB), there's always the question which files the mod actually touches. And maybe you realize after the download that it modifies a file and conflicts with another mod you have installed. Depending on the setup at hand, there may be certain key files that you really don't want to be touched by any mod. A file tree would allow to check that - before downloading hundreds of megabytes.

 

 

For an example of what I mean, have a look at Unity's Asset Store. It's like a paid resource page for game creation that offers packages.

https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/14047

 

Look at the "Package Contents" area. That's exactly what I'm talking about. The preview window is nice, but not even strictly necessary in the context of Skyrim.

[SineWaveDrox]

In the files tab on the mod's page, click the magnifying glass icon next to the name of the download, that will show what is contained in the download.

[Alan47]

That's EXACTLY what I was looking for, THANKS! How can that be, I've been using the nexus happily for YEARS now and I never had any idea that this feature existed...! That magnifying glass is extremely easy to overlook ^^'

[SineWaveDrox]

I'm not sure how long it's been there, but I just noticed it maybe a month or two ago.