How to Correctly Install Your Mods

[uboats]

Since recent update, here come several IC issues caused by mods.

In this post, I will share what I know about mods installation

 

 

Usually, players installed their mods directly into DCS installation folder, which is not a proper way, since this could break object world ID, especially for those of 3rd parties.

 

The DCS loads and registers declarations based on read sequence, if the wsType/Type is defined by PLACEHOLDER.

Therefore, if under "DCS/CoreMods/aircraft/", you added a mod with name "MiG-20", then it will be read before MiG-21 and MiG-21's payload world ID will be completely different.

In MP, this will let you see completely different payload model, etc

 

1. DCS mirror under "Saved Game/DCS.xx/"

• This is a mirror of DCS installation and follow the same folder structure of your DCS installation folder.
  
• You can move all your mods which you put them under "DCS/CoreMods/" or "DCS/Mods/" to here with same structure.
  
  "Saved Game/DCS.xx/CoreMods/aircraft/Ship_AI"
  
  
  "Saved Game/DCS.xx/Mods/aircraft/F-104_Flyable_Mod"

  
  

• This will let all the world ID declared in mods not break those for authorized modules.
  

  

  
  

 

2. Liveries [recommended in Saved Game]

• It's better to put the liveries under "Saved Game", since it's much easier to manage
  
• For those who have multiple DCS installs, you can use folder link to keep only one copy of liveries
  
  a. enter saved game/dcs.xx/

  
  

  b. open cmd and navigate to above path

  
  

  c.

  mklink

  /d

  Liveries E:\iDCS\Liveries_Pack

  
  

  *. same to Kneeboard

  
  

  

  
  

• This not only works for skins, but also customized cockpit liveries (For cockpit, the folder name should be exactly same to the cockpit edm file name)
  

  

  
  

 

Just tried, and found that IC may change its logic

so below ways cannot be used in MP :(

Tried several methods, unfortunately none works now :(

3. Texture Mods

• Texture files now are protected by IC
  
• But we're still able to install texture mods without breaking IC: [with below two conditions satisfied]
  
  a. developer must NOT add texture file extension name in their lua file

  
  

  i.e mount_vfs_texture_path (current_mod_path.."/Cockpit/Textures/F-86F-35-CPT-TEXTURES")

  
  

  b. developer must use zip file to store their original textures

  
  

  

  
  

• Then we can create a folder with the same name of the texture zip file, and put all of modified textures files into it
  
  DCS will first load textures from zip, and then if find folder with same name,
  
  
  it will load from folder later and files from folder will override those from zip,
  
  
  then you don't need to worry about breaking IC

  
  

 

 

4. Terrain Mods [has to be in DCS install]

• As stated above, the textures mods for CaucasusBase terrain follow the same rule fortunately
  

  i.e table.insert(vfstextures, dir.."vfstextures/LandTexturesWinter");

  
  

• So it just costs more of your disk space instead of replacing the originals
  

  

  
  

• Regarding the lua/cfg files used for Terrain Mods, it seems that they are not monitored by IC right now.
  

 

So above is ALL what I know about the DCS structure and tricks.

Although 3 and 4 do NOT work for latest IC, 1 and 2 are still recommended

 

Best regards,

uboats

Edited February 27, 2018 by uboats

[Esac_mirmidon]

One of the most valuable posts EVER for us, DCS user.

 

I can´t rep you enough.

 

THANKS ¡¡¡

[M0ltar]

Awesome work! Im a bit confused though by your process for texture mods. Im not following the procedure needed in order to get them to work. It seems, in your description, that I am supposed to have the same thing in the folder and zip and that does not make sense to me.

 

Care to enlighten?

[Rudel_chw]

Thanks a lot for the detailed info ... I will study how to use it for the mods and liveries that I use :)

[uboats]

Awesome work! Im a bit confused though by your process for texture mods. Im not following the procedure needed in order to get them to work. It seems, in your description, that I am supposed to have the same thing in the folder and zip and that does not make sense to me.

 

Care to enlighten?

 

no, zip contains original texture files. you should put the mod texture files into folder (just modified ones)

[M0ltar]

So what about the lua? Can the user modify the devs work and remove that stuff? Why was it there in the first place?

[uboats]

So what about the lua? Can the user modify the devs work and remove that stuff? Why was it there in the first place?

 

you can only hope the dev wrote the lua in that way and pack the original texture files in that way, or texture mod has to break the IC.

if:

mount_vfs_texture_path (current_mod_path.."/Cockpit/Textures/F-86F-35-CPT-TEXTURES.zip")

then it will only check the zip file and totally ignore the folder, if not given the extension name, it will recognize both zip and folder (must be same name)

Edited July 17, 2017 by uboats

[BaD CrC]

Not sure I understand everything. This is becoming a lot more complex than before. But this might explain my issues for opening some missions.

[VZ_342]

So, if I understand...

 

Any mods that we had put into the main DCS directory (c:\program files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS\mods , for example) we should remove and put them in an identical folder tree within the c:\users\saved games\DCS\ directory?

 

This should be used for all mods, including liveries, terrain, and texture mods?

Edited July 17, 2017 by VZ_342

[uboats]

So, if I understand...

 

Any mods that we had put into the main DCS directory (c:\program files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS\mods , for example) we should remove and put them in an identical folder tree within the c:\users\saved games\DCS\ directory?

 

This should be used for all mods, including liveries, terrain, and texture mods?

 

for mods/liveries, yes (and highly recommended)

for terrain/texture, no, since you need to put the modified dds files in the folder beside the original zip file

[M0ltar]

for mods/liveries, yes (and highly recommended)

for terrain/texture, no, since you need to put the modified dds files in the folder beside the original zip file

 

Im still not following on the .lua file for terrain mods. I have no idea where that is, and for Mustangs mod, Ive searched the .lua and see nothing pertaining to mounting like you have above. Ive made sure that the mod is not zipped and that I am not replacing the files that were there originally, but it continues to fail IC.

[uboats]

Im still not following on the .lua file for terrain mods. I have no idea where that is, and for Mustangs mod, Ive searched the .lua and see nothing pertaining to mounting like you have above. Ive made sure that the mod is not zipped and that I am not replacing the files that were there originally, but it continues to fail IC.

 

that lua is just an quote, and you don't need to touch that. it's for terrain cfg

[uboats]

Im still not following on the .lua file for terrain mods. I have no idea where that is, and for Mustangs mod, Ive searched the .lua and see nothing pertaining to mounting like you have above. Ive made sure that the mod is not zipped and that I am not replacing the files that were there originally, but it continues to fail IC.

 

which file causes failure?

[M0ltar]

which file causes failure?

It's complaining about tons of textures mods. I've taken mustangs update from July 12th and just installed it as it's not zipped by default. Is there something I need to change or not copy over to get this to work?

 

Really really appriciate all the help!

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=133618

Edited July 17, 2017 by M0ltar

[uboats]

It's complaining about tons of textures mods. I've taken mustangs update from July 12th and just installed it as it's not zipped by default. Is there something I need to change or not copy over to get this to work?

 

Really really appriciate all the help!

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=133618

 

you go to MP, and take a screenshot of which file breaks IC

[M0ltar]

you go to MP, and take a screenshot of which file breaks IC

 

I know how to determine it. When IC breaks its complaining about texture files included in his mod. Its files like "textures/garage_a" which is in the "CaucasusBase\vfstextures" folder. There are probably 50-60 of these. Can you try and install it and see what your results are?

 

http://imgur.com/z9rnaJC

[M0ltar]

Ive done more testing with this and the texture packs. Ive actually removed everything in Mustang's texture pack except the .tga files. IC is still breaking. Each time it breaks it complains about another file. I fix it. Run the game again and it complains about something else. This time the list was monstrous and included the land texture .tga files. No idea where to go from here or how to get it to work.

 

http://imgur.com/DO7vO1Z

[uboats]

Ive done more testing with this and the texture packs. Ive actually removed everything in Mustang's texture pack except the .tga files. IC is still breaking. Each time it breaks it complains about another file. I fix it. Run the game again and it complains about something else. This time the list was monstrous and included the land texture .tga files. No idea where to go from here or how to get it to work.

 

http://imgur.com/DO7vO1Z

 

just downloaded the mods, and installed

and i can pass the IC without any issue

[uboats]

repair you game

[M0ltar]

just downloaded the mods, and installed

and i can pass the IC without any issue

 

How did you install them? Where did you install them? Me downloading them and installing Mustangs mod fails every time.

[M0ltar]

repair you game

 

Uboat, my game is fine. When I take those files out using JSGME my game passes IC and I can play any multiplayer server.

 

I need to know how you installed the mod and how you got it to work. Are you sure you are connecting to an IC server? Can you connect to 104th or Open Conflict?

[uboats]

How did you install them? Where did you install them? Me downloading them and installing Mustangs mod fails every time.

 

unzip and move bazar, mods, config folders into openbeta (replace existing files (most are luas)), that's it

[uboats]

Uboat, my game is fine. When I take those files out using JSGME my game passes IC and I can play any multiplayer server.

 

I need to know how you installed the mod and how you got it to work. Are you sure you are connecting to an IC server? Can you connect to 104th or Open Conflict?

 

ok, find the issue

Edited July 17, 2017 by uboats

[M0ltar]

IC is done locally, the shield is green

No.... Mine is green until I attempt to connect to a server. When I connect to a server it tries to connects and then stops, displaying a "tainted client" message and kicks me back to the multiplayer screen. When I get kicked back it is then red and if I click on the shield it displays the errored files.

 

You have to connect to a server for IC to run a second check it seems. Try connecting to an IC enabled server and let me know if it passes.

Edited July 17, 2017 by M0ltar

[M0ltar]

ok, find the issue

 

Just redownloaded Mustang's newest update that you said you got to work and it fails when trying to connect to an IC protected server like 104th or Open Conflict. Again, the shield is initially green. When I connect to the server it times out and then says "tainted client" followed by a list of files that failed. This list will change after you remove what is on it at the start. If I remove the first failed group it displays a new group, followed by another, and another, and another, until Ive deleted Mustangs mod entirely.

 

I by no means am saying you're wrong here. Im just trying to understand how you got yours to work. Again, I can get it to work fine before I connect to a server, green shield and all, but as soon as you connect to an IC server all hell breaks loose.