Mod management

[bossmanslim]

Is there something that makes it easier to manage mods rather than scrolling through a huge list? With the new GEOs out that will conflict, I'd like a better way than the base game method.

[alpha117]

I use 'MOD folder Manager', which I also used in FS17,so much easier to only load the MODs that you want in a map

..and it's free!



This is how I use it, works for me1

1. Create a folder (FS19 Maps)
2. Each Map will have its own folder within the FS19 Maps folder
3. Create a folder called 'Base MODs'; these are MODs that you want to have in every map

Example
Oakfield has just come out; so I created a 'Oak Field' sub folder under FS19 Maps. I then copied the MODs from 'Base MODs' into Oak Field folder, that's it job done. Set it up in mod folder manager.

Only disadvantage is disk space, as you will be duplicating MODs. I have it on a 4TB drive so no issues to be honest

[1992Tadej1992]

Maybe you should clean the mess that you dont need and install what you actually need.

[alpha117]

It's all about ONLY load the MODs that are required for each map and not loading ALL of them when they are not needed.
Why would you load FORESTRY MOD when they are not needed?

Even if a MOD is not selected it is still loaded by the game engine.
This way it keeps loading time to the minimum, reduces the potential issues of MOD conflicts and log errors

Anyway, works just great here.

[cwattyeso]

Yeah I have to give a +1 Vote for Mod Folder Manager, used that for a couple of months now. Every save game/map has it's own folder now on my PC with only the mods needed for that particular save or map. Multiplayer Servers with their own mods all have their own folders as well, so I don't run in to issues playing on different servers if they use different versions of mods. It also means all my mods, all 102GB of them are not sat in the 'My Documents' folder on my PC and cluttering my main windows drive, but are stored on their own separate hard drive. So the game actually performs better now for me to when loading a vast number of mods.

[1992Tadej1992]

It doesnt affect the gameplay. I dont have installed that much tho...just 1 map and around 40 other mods, mostly with gameplay changes. So small files.

[Exfarmer89]

I used Mod Folder Manager in 17 and now in 19. It works very well for me. No issues at all and I can select only the mods that I want to use for each individual map.

[alpha117]

I used Mod Folder Manager in 17 and now in 19. It works very well for me. No issues at all and I can select only the mods that I want to use for each individual map.

Exactly, that's what makes it worth it plus if you have a lot of MODs then you reduce which one are used. My main 'Maps' folder is 66GB and has 3513 files ....is anyone's bigger

[1992Tadej1992]

Wow, how? I have just 1.5 giga on ssd disk.

[alpha117]

I have 98% of the MODs from here plus MODs from other 'good' MOD sites. Now here's the downside of using the Mod folder manager. I have 20 separate sub folder each having MODs for that map. This leads to duplication, but it worth it. Works out approx 175 MODs per map, some have more some have less. I have one map that only has John Deere equipment, with a few others thrown in.

Also it is very easy to test MOD/Map conflicts, which is another bonus

[cwattyeso]

I used Mod Folder Manager in 17 and now in 19. It works very well for me. No issues at all and I can select only the mods that I want to use for each individual map.

Exactly, that's what makes it worth it plus if you have a lot of MODs then you reduce which one are used. My main 'Maps' folder is 66GB and has 3513 files ....is anyone's bigger

Maps, no, I haven't downloaded that many, because frankly not all maps are worth the time or the bandwidth downloading, plus I'm not going to ever be able to play all of them. I've also reached the point after 1309 hours in the game that I'm not playing single player careers anymore. I'm just doing 4x maps on my own multiplayer dedicated server and then I am quite picky about what maps I run on the server. So my Maps Folder is only has 81 maps in it and is only 29GB.

Now my mod folder for all original mod downloads, that I have used to download and store every single mod I've ever downloaded since the game came out, that I then use to copy and paste the mods from to my individual mod/map folders in Mod Folder Manager, before I then do an personal edits or tweaks to the mods comes in at a pretty impressive 1675 Mods totally 35.1GB so far.

My Mod Folder Manager main folder has 3824 files, across 28 Folders and comes in at a pretty big 183GB in size.

[Doc3d]

You guys know about symbolic links, right? That way you can have all your mods in one place and create links for all your modfolders. The links just point to the zip so they use no space. I currently don’t use a manager, I have all on separate hdd and have symbolic links in modfolder to the ones I want active. Works a charm. Only problem is when I change mods around, I have to update the links. I’m considering using the mod manager and just have links in the different map folders, it should work and save a lot of space.

[mikejl46]

No don't know about symbolic links, Where do you find more info on it, how do you make it work?

You guys know about symbolic links, right? That way you can have all your mods in one place and create links for all your modfolders. The links just point to the zip so they use no space. I currently don’t use a manager, I have all on separate hdd and have symbolic links in modfolder to the ones I want active. Works a charm. Only problem is when I change mods around, I have to update the links. I’m considering using the mod manager and just have links in the different map folders, it should work and save a lot of space.

[Doc3d]

Google symbolic links and there are guides, both video on YouTube and written. I installed a program(I’m on my iPad without access to my computer ATM so can’t remember the name) that lets you create the links directly from your right-click menu (if on windows), just like copy paste. Very handy.

[mikejl46]

I mostly do Logging in FS19, and I have like 2 logging crews, an old time logging crew with old logging equipment mods and what ever maps I'm using, and a modern logging crew with more modern logging equipment mods.

So I have a folder for each, one called A, and one called B, Old crew in the A, Modern crew in the B.

When I want to use the old crew, I just rename the A folder to mods. If I want to use the modern crew, I rename the mods folder back to A, then rename the B folder to mods.

It would be interesting to try other methods though.