Remade mod manager guide #1078
Remade mod manager guide #1078
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…de into something to help mod authors. Includes an easy-to-follow numbered guide for curious mod authors who feel overwhelmed but want to try dipping their toes into KH modding.
For frequently encountered issues/sitautions when using the mod manager
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This is ready to be merged |
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| ### Q: Lua mods aren't working! | ||
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| > **A:** Did you download and place either `Lua Backend` or `Lua Frontend` where your games are installed? If not, OpenKH can do this for you through the mod manager initialization wizard. If you need to configure `Lua Backend`, go to `Settings > Run wizard` until you reach the point where you can install `Lua Backend`. Select your games and click the button to configure it. |
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I'm not sure if it needs to be changed but Mod Manager specifically downloads Lua Backend for use with panacea. If the user does not install panacea Lua Backend will not load. IF the user manually installs Lua Backend without renaming it aka leaving it as DBGHELP.dll instead of renaming it to LuaBackend.dll mod manager will see it as not installed.
Basically as the main intention of mod manager is a mod loader using panacea the install + configuration of Lua Backend is specifically desgined for use with panacea. This can be changed if desired (it would require me to use some kind of hash to make sure its not another dll named DBGHELP.dll)so honestly probably not worth it
docs/tool/GUI.ModsManager/FAQ.md
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| > **A:** For the best user experience, yes. We understand it takes up a lot of storage, but it allows you to retain your unmodified game files through a dynamic file replacement system instead of relying on a slow and tedious patching method. Some tips to reduce the storage used by game extraction are: | ||
| > * Only extract the game(s) you are actively playing/modding. | ||
| > * Enable `Dev View` by going to `Info > Dev View` inside the mod manager. This will allow you to patch your game(s) instead. |
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If a user wishes to use mod manager for patching and not for panacea/mod loader they can just not install panacea and the patching menu will be shown not the mod loader menu. this as mentioned in my prevous comment means they need to do any Lua Backend install and configuration manually. the intention of dev view is really for someone who made a mod and gets reports that its not working on patching to be able to test without uninstalling panacea (if they wish to troubleshoot the issue.) This is why i kinda hid it so idealy basic users wont see/try enabling it as patching then using panacea seems to cause many issues and anytime the kh2 rando community sees it said person is told to verify their game install remove the backup folder resetup mod manager etc. just too many variables to bother truely troubleshooting and just saying start nearly fresh. (only thing you dont need to do is uninstall and reinstall the game at least thats what i recall kh2 rando help doing)
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| > **A:** Delete the `mods-manager.yml` config file and re-run the install wizard for the mod manager. If you have your game data extracted already, you can safely either skip that part, or if you do not, the manager will detect whichever files are present and skip them as needed, filling in the blanks. | ||
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| ### Q: I can't open the mod manager on my removeable storage device! |
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This doesnt prevent it from opening it prevents mod manager from installing mods from github. Everything else works as expected
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| ### Q: Is extracting my games mandatory for the mod manager to work? | ||
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| > **A:** For the best user experience, yes. We understand it takes up a lot of storage, but it allows you to retain your unmodified game files through a dynamic file replacement system instead of relying on a slow and tedious patching method. Some tips to reduce the storage used by game extraction are: |
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As I leave another i shouldve started a review but too late. to be completely truthful which im also not on the game extraction page. Any Lua only mod will work fine and any PCPatch will work fine. Basically any mod that just replaces an entire file outright will work for both panacea and patching. what doesnt work is mod manager functions beyond a simple copy. All binarcs, spawnpoint, listpatch, etc. Idk if you want to include any of this but the extract game data page for PC at least says Lua Scripts will work fine.
| > * Only extract the game(s) you are actively playing/modding. | ||
| > * Enable `Dev View` by going to `Info > Dev View` inside the mod manager. This will allow you to patch your game(s) instead. | ||
| > * **WARNING:** This **<ins>will</ins>** make helping debug problems with your game more difficult, and mod making far more arduous. | ||
| > * To revert your game to a completely vanilla slate, you may attempt to use the `Full Restore` options under `Patching > Full Restore`, but we cannot guarantee it will work if you have not properly kept a backup of your `.pkg` and `.hed` files. If this is the case, you may need to delete the respective game's `.pkg` and `.hed` files and verify the integrity of your game through Steam or EGS. |
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Mod Manager does make a backup of any pkg before patching but ofc if those arent vanilla for some reason then the backup will be of the pathced pkgs. Also if a user goes into their game install folder after and messes with the backups mod manager wont know.
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Now that im done not leaving all my comments as one review cause im dumb. most of that was more of an FYI overall i dont believe anything needs to be changed but will leave that up to you. Either merge it or if you wish make changes and merge. (if you do make changes ill be happy to take another look before the merge if wanted)
Addressed several points to add some extra clarity where necessary, as pointed out by @shananas
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I did indeed add some clarity to some of the points you mentioned. There were one or two that I thought were largely inconsequential or otherwise I covered any bases the majority of people would ask about. Since you went ahead and approved the PR earlier, with these changes, I'll go ahead and merge and we can make it official 👍 |
It's now for the average user and changed the old guide into something to help mod authors. Includes an easy-to-follow numbered guide for curious mod authors who feel overwhelmed but want to try dipping their toes into KH modding.
Will go live on the site soon after merge. Found at /tool/GUI.ModsManager/, which is currently hidden (but viewable with the URL) until I redo the entire organization of the site to be far, far more coherent and easy to follow than it currently is.