Packing Mods for upload

[AJStoner]

Hey all,

 

I've done some modding for others games in the past but have just decided to finally get into modding New Vegas. I've made my first simple mod (an esp file and a few textures) but have no idea how to pack it to be uploaded to Nexus. Oddly I have looked about and don't seem able to find any tutorials on how to do this. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[iXenite]

Basically construct a fake Data folder. Make a new folder for Data and then put your files in dummy versions of where they normally go when installed. When that is done you just put the Data folder you made into an Archive. You can use WinRAR for that. Hopefully that makes sense. If it doesn't then just look up a mod that does what yours does and open up its archive (which you'll be able to see by downloading the mod "manually") and then see what its file structure looks like. Good luck.

[AJStoner]

Ah, thank you. So I am just uploading the Data folder I made, not putting that in another folder with the mod's name--correct?

[iXenite]

That should work just fine. You could test it by packing your mod as you want - and then manually adding it to NMM. You would need to first remove the mod from your current setup. If NMM can handle the archive just fine - and your mod appears in the game correctly then it's fine to upload. I just double checked the mod I uploaded the Nexus for the Skyrim Special Edition and it doesn't even have the fake Data folder. Just a folder with the name of the mod and inside of it were two folders (meshes, textures) and a .esp file, so that works fine too.

[AJStoner]

Many thanks!

[iXenite]

No problem! Good luck with everything. :)

[dubiousintent]

Not so minor correction to packaging for the broadest audience. All 4 of the mod managers used for FNV will handle an archive without the "Data" folder just fine. They assume the contents go into that folder already, and it's presence can cause some of them problems. (This is part of why some have problems with some mods that need some components to go into the game root folder (i.e. NVSE plugins). They don't allow for anything above "Data".) The archive can start with just the folders the game expects to be there under "Data" (i.e. "meshes", "textures", "menus", "sounds", etc.) Anything else at the top level of the archive goes into the "Data" folder itself.

 

Any unrecognized folder names at the top level of the archive (such as a folder with the name of the mod) MAY or MAY NOT (usually NOT) get installed, depending upon the mod manager. The package name and documentation file is enough "identification"; you don't need a folder internally as well. Start your packaging below that work folder name. If you really want to keep your own mod files separate from the vanilla ones, then you can put your own "sub-folder" under the appropriate vanilla sub-folder (I.e. "meshes\<your_folder_name>").

 

Just that simple change should avoid questions about why your package doesn't work with "such-and-so" a mod manager.

 

-Dubious-

Edited February 27, 2017 by dubiousintent

[AJStoner]

Good to know, dubiousintent. Thank you.

[dubiousintent]

Meant to add that this is known as a "simple package structure".

 

A "complex package structure" has various subfolders for "optional" compatibility plugins, some of which may overwrite some of the main mod files. These are most common with "wizard" scripts to detect the presence of other installed plugins to then determine which "optional plugins" to install or present as options during the install, but they can be purely manual selections. Most commonly seen in FOMOD packages for FOMM and/or Wrye Flash. They are a whole 'nother topic, but know you know what to search on if needed.

 

-Dubious-

[iXenite]

Thanks for the correction dubiousintent, I appreciate it. I'll be sure to remember that going forward.