Naming Mods Vs File Name.

[Deleted49413338User]

One thing I find very annoying is when people name a mod one thing, but the file name is completely different.

 

I use Mod Organizer and when you have a huge load order in the hundreds and many are not enabled, it takes a long time searching through to find the mod you just installed if the name is completely different.

 

IDK why people do this? but.. its a first world problem, haha.

Edited August 16, 2018 by Guest

[BlahBlahDEEBlahBlah]

I do it that way because I have an enternal developement structure and an external, customer facing structure (it sounds fancier than it is, but it helps me keep track of whatâs what while allowing for the fancy names on the site). *shrug*

 

I donât use Mod Organizer though, I use NMM...which handily lists them by their Nexus names which is very handy (though the mod order area still shows the filename only). Obviously that doesnât help you, just interesting to me, the differences.

[SKKmods]

The mod file name is not easy to change for complex scripted mods, or if the mod is being detected or used by other mods or if the mod is already published.

 

Due to restricted mod search function which is principally driven by the mod title name rather than the description, authors often have to change published mod names so people can actually find the mod to use, or as the functionality evolves.

 

I recently had to change a published complex scripted mod name due to a glitch in the bethesda.net mod manager. 3 days of work to update its scripts plus 3 other mods that referenced it (getformfromfile) and quality testing and explain to existing users to uninstall and reinstall.

 

So, that's why. It appears simple, but it ain't easy.

[Deleted49413338User]

oh, I never thought it would be this sort of complex issue behind the reasons. thanks for the insight.

[MissingMeshTV]

I use MO2 as well and don't really see it as an issue because:

 

1. The left pane showing the mod folders can be sorted by installation order (or so I recall...on my phone right now). More recent installs can be shown in ascending or descending order and are easily found.

 

2. You can rename the mod folder in that left pane to match the .esp filename if that's easier for you to keep track of things.

 

I'd recommend adding the version number of the mod so you can keep updates to your mods organized.

[Thuggysmurf]

MO2 makes it even easier than that. If you hover over the name of the .esp in the right pane, it tells you the "Origin" folder of the mod that contains the .esp, and the "origin" folder will be whatever you named it when you installed the mod.

 

Re: "why do mod authors do that?", guilty here. And the reason, at least for me, is that sometimes we don't know what the name of the mod is going to be until shortly before release, and worry about breaking stuff like scripts.

 

The part I don't get is with the Nexus Forum Threads for a mod. If you set up a mod page with a "working" title, and then later change the title, before publishing the mod, it keeps the original working title. For example, clicking on the green Forum Thread button for the mod "Fusion City Rising" leads to a forum titled "Fusion City Adventures or Whatever". Why Nexus, why?

[HadToRegister]

I think what the OP is getting at is downloading a mod *.zip file called "Wasteland Lunchbox Dog Food Overhaul v1.1.zip", installing the mod, then trying to find the esp in the load order, expecting to find an esp named something like "WLDFO.esp", or "WastlandeLunchbox.esp", only to find out the actual esp is named "Turducken Borat.esp"

[StarMystyk]

It's annoying for me as well, especially in Skyrim. But, I can't really complain too much because I did it myself for a Fallout 3 mod. I'd planned way more for the mod than I actually did. By the time I'd finished the mod I had moved onto another game (Skyrim) and it was far too late to change the esp name as it had all sorts of files that referenced the esp name (eg. scripts, sound and voice files). :( Edited August 18, 2018 by star-mystyk

[payl0ad]

Re: "why do mod authors do that?", guilty here. And the reason, at least for me, is that sometimes we don't know what the name of the mod is going to be until shortly before release, and worry about breaking stuff like scripts.

 

You can put the esp file name you're looking for into a String Property and change it in xEdit later without having to recompile. Just saying. Because what you're saying kinda hits home. :)

Edited August 18, 2018 by payl0ad