Mod folder
A "mod folder" is the term used to describe placing all the revised files for a mod into a separate folder so that they do not overwrite any of the existing game files. If a mod is fully "mod foldered" then it and the original game can be played on the same game installation just by using a different short-cut to each. Other similar "mod folder" mods can also use the same installation saving the player a lot of hard-disc space and reducing the need to uninstall and reinstall the game.
For the games built on the Warscape engine (Empire: Total War onwards), then it is much less likely that any vanilla files are overwritten, so one could say that many of the mods are mod foldered. However, due to the way the engine works these mod files will be in the main game directory, and as such it may not be possible to play vanilla whilst they are installed, requiring the use of a Mod Manager or manual moving of patch-type mod files. For the sake of simplicity, mods listed in the Released Mods tables which are designed for these later games have been marked as mod foldered when they do not overwrite any vanilla files, though vanilla may not be playable when the files are installed. Some larger mods also store their files outside the main folders for the Warscape games, only moving them into place when they are to be used. These mods are fully mod foldered.
Mod foldered mods are possible for:
- Rome: Total War
- Barbarian Invasion
- Alexander
- Medieval II: Total War (from patch 1.2 onwards).
- Empire: Total War
- Napoleon: Total War
- Total War: Shogun 2
See Also
- Released mods quick finder table - lists some mods that are available in mod foldered version. (List is not currently complete)
- -mod:my mod - Article about modding using the mod folder system.
