Merge Plans - Advice and eventually Permission

• Merge Plans - Advice and eventually Permission
  Posted by Madlampy on 15 Jun, 2017 05:17
• Right... so out of the pages and pages of mods on steam workshop I've grabbed stuff that appeals to me and hopefully to others.
  
  I've already managed to tweak a merge pack that is so far playing well with a lot of stuff ( currently with my own choices and also no issues with LOA 100 and Viz's Variant pack ) so I've got the method right for merging and as Phanjam and a few others helped clear up I now know that RAW conflicts can be disregarded and hand editing will only take place when we hit the DAT or LAYOUT conflicts so they can be merged.
  
  Where I could do with some feedback is at the moment making sure I'm applying tiering correctly for the merged packs and also for their place in the launch list and then also any known issues with other commonly used mods or with binding ( I'd prefer to have everything non-binding so folk can uninstall without losing characters to respec or mod bugs ).
  
  Obviously if the merge packs hit a final form that is going on the workshop and moddrop as "TorchMod approved community MP bundles" or whatever we call them any help with sourcing authors permissions would be good too, and like most folk if need be it'll be a tweak if we can't get permission for a specific thing and end up swapping in a similar mod from someone who is happy with it.
  
  Final part will obviously be a set of documentation showing suitable launch orders and also conflicts/issues/mods not needed due to already being in the packs or having a similar, and often better or more stable, variant in it.
  
  Planned Core Bundles are the following
  
  

  • Core Engine Overhaul : Things like chest fixes etc and I'd like to see the Dex = ranged damage boost incorporated if it can be fixed to affect everything but cannons and wands so that you no longer get the stupidity of shootlanders for example dumping into str. Also stuff like Use LMB as it fixes a massive QoL issue in the base game.
  • Class Overhaul : Various small QoL fixes here rather than major shifts, that is for personal choice with mods, like Haettes' engineer fixes etc and also maybe an adapted version of the Improved Summons  ( both mage and engineer ) with tweaked damage/durability to offset the now permanent durations. Possibly also Wand Homing projectiles?
  • UI/Stash Overhaul : let's face it... no one that can follow simple modding instructions is playing with standard stash these days. I propose that 1600 shared & ESO is the basis for stash/equipment and then for UI I'd like to fold in the various indicator mods. Not sure if I would have fishing and health as defaults as a lot of folk like lurkers. After that possibly stuff like FatStacks if it doesn't conflict.
    Please note that UI skins will be personal choice, this is not intended as a way to force everyone to play a D3 skin for example
  • Art overhaul : Blanks/Chunky, whatever the preferred Retex is, Aesthetics Pack and personally I'd like to see Ubuntu Font as a default. My biggest niggle with vanilla TL2 is that font is hard to read and combat is just ugly. Open to suggestions to anything else to go here
  • QoL bundle : Petnag, 6 enchanters in 1st Town, Lorms Fishmonger, whatever the preferred Respec mod is, possibly zoomy, unique beams etc etc as examples.
  • Class Bundle : Not needed it seems as we have Viz's Variant pack which does everything I'd planned anyway.
  • Pet Bundle : Not sure if it would be doable. Basically a roundup of all the various pets like Gao's and Vex etc that allows proper selection at creation without the issue of it stealing slots from vanilla pets or having wonky mesh/frame calls.

  
  Now to my brain the load order would be like this as an example
  
  any UI skin
  any class mods over bundle changes
  Pet Bundle
  Variant
  Art Bundle
  UI Bundle
  QoL Bundle
  Class Overhaul Bundle
  Core Bundle
  Synergies
  
  If I've got that tiering wrong please tell me and also preferably a quick explanation why if possible, I've already found out by trial and error that for some things my ordering logic is flawed.
  
  If that lot seems right and also seems like something that folk would be willing to help with questions on as a possible TorchMod Approved MP release ( and ofc folk can use it single player ) then I'll start fleshing out the bundle contents and options before testing.
  
  Also later on any tips on how to stop synergies/TLE conflicts will be greatly appreciated as will any advice on stopping things binding to saves.
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• #1 Reply
  Posted by Madlampy on 15 Jun, 2017 05:23
• Also if you read this Doudley...
  
  I'd like to use a fair few of your mods as they seem clean and non conflicting and most importantly stable both with vanilla and other TC mods.
  
  If you have any that you don't want used just let me know and I'll look for a variant or replacement and also let me know what credit format you prefer if they are allowed.
  
  Plan is to use Full Credit including name and Hyperlink to original wherever possible.
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• #2 Reply
  Posted by doudley on 15 Jun, 2017 07:24
• My Brother-in-Arms mods are the only ones that I suggest to not be packed without my supervision but any of my mods, feel free to use them as you please, I can even give you the unpacked files for them if asked.
  
  I'm not actually a finishing touch kind of guy, I'm more conceptualizations and fixes. These stuff motivates me and challenges me to delve deeper into modding/hacking stuffs.
  
  So, if you can honor us with a quality finished multiplayer friendly mod packs, please do. I'll be in awe for sure.
  
  EDIT:
  
  May I suggest, this type of load order instead:
  
  any UI skin
  Art Bundle
  UI Bundle
  QoL Bundle
  any class mods over bundle changes
  Core Bundle
  Class Overhaul Bundle
  Variant
  Pet Bundle
  Synergies
  
  Philosophy on this: Imagine reading an article but the details on it is missing or replaced, the next time you viewed it. Same goes with the game, the details must be laid out first before it read the whole article so it will not get confused. (I hope that makes sense )
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• #3 Reply
  Posted by Phanjam on 19 Jun, 2017 18:39
• Eyy guys just wanna say im reading this but need to organize my thoughts before i can be of any help
  
  aslo wanna say i love the idea of a "community endorsed combo-mod" and i think lerning from building this merge of yours @Madlampy will be so valuable for that.
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