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The Mod System | |||
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The SWAT Mod System
SWAT3 uses a file searching and loading system on game start to provide dynamic content; many of the data files that drive the game possess the capability to be "additive", in that they add new entries to the already existing list of content in the game.
What Is A Mod?
To help explain how the SWAT Mod system works, it would be prudent to first explain what a mod is. A mod is any one file or a collection of files that replaces or adds to content in SWAT3 thus changing how the game looks, sounds, or plays. The file itself or groups of files can exist as a directory in the SWAT3\Mods folder, or can be a .zip file; SWAT3 can read them either way. It is useful to note that compatibility between a zipped and unzipped version of the same mod is not guaranteed. For distribution to others on the Internet, we recommend that you keep the mods zipped up and ask your mod users to leave them as .zip files on their computers.
ZIP WARNING |
Should a mission or mod contain any sound files in the SWAT3 .cmp compressed sound format, note that these files are pre-compressed! Further compression may corrupt these files. To safely include these files in your .zip, add them to your zip file with NO COMPRESSION selected. Refer to your zip program's documentation on information on selecting compression methods. |
The CRC System
SWAT3 checks each of the "vital" data files between machines using a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) prior to allowing a client to join a host's game in multiplayer, to insure that gameplay on one machine matches the gameplay on the other; neither side is allowed to have an unfair advantage. If a combination of mods will correctly synchronize the data files between machines, the appropriate mods will be applied by the client's machine to match it to the host machine before the client can join. This is where making sure that uniformity in zip/unzip methods of your mod exists; the CRC of a zipped mod may not match the CRC of an unzipped mod.
In addition to the necessity of CRC equality, .zipped files have the advantage of taking less time during a CRC check! If you use your mod as a folder instead of a .zip file, SWAT3 will be forced to CRC each individual file in that folder to determine the CRC result of your mod. And while the CRC algorithm is quick, the end result for a large mod may be quite a bit slower than just CRC'ing a .zip file! So while it's perfectly all right to have your mod as a folder when you're creating it and testing it out locally, get your mods .zip'd up when it comes time to distribute!
Where Do These Mods Take Effect?
In Single Player Mode or in Multi-Player Mode, these modifications, if active, will affect gameplay. However, certain modifications which require player menu selections (such as new weapons or camo types) will not be accessible through standard mission mode or standard career mode, as the weapons, player models, and camo types are locked to original SWAT3 specifications. As a rule of thumb, try your mods out in Custom mission mode for the full effect.
How "Mod" is Mod?
Theoretically, any file can be changed that exists in the .res archives. Practically, this means most of the files. If .con files (menu configurations) exist in the .res archives, changing them would only serve to eliminate functionality in the menus, and would not even be seen by clients in multiplayer. Functionality extends only as far as game data impacts the players, so some changes would not affect gameplay; others may not affect sound, all is decided based on how each of the files you are modifying interacts with the rest of the game.
Why Can't I Edit The .res Files?
The CRC system checks the files located in the .res archives. Should these be modified, no combination of mods is likely to remedy the situation; remember that mods can always be turned off, but a modification to the .res files is permanent, and is not likely to be mirrored by other players. Should this be the case, you will not be able to play SWAT3 online. Once again, it should never be necessary to modify the .res files directly.
So How Do I Make Changes?
There's an easy process that avoids having to edit the .res files. Thanks to the SWAT3 mod system, you can replace almost any file in the .res archive with your own version, simply by placing the file into a directory (or zip) that you have created in your SWAT3 folder and named. When you launch the SWAT3 Mod Selector, the name of your mod should appear. Turn on your mod using the checkbox to the left of the name and launch the game. The files in your mod .zip or directory will override the standard game files and your mod will be active!
What About Multiple Mods?
Mods are loaded in alphabetical order, but this does not mean that a mod by the name of "ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ's l33t mod" will necessarily have the rights to modify the MP5 if another mod changed it first. Once a particular item has been changed, for instance, "Gunshot_MP5.cmp", SWAT3 will not look for it in any subsequent mods. However, we do not encourage the use of punctuation marks or gratuitous A's in attempts to make your mod go first in the order; it's hard on the eyes and confusing to people trying to play SWAT for the first time. Please be courteous.
What About These Additive Mods?
It would be a rather lacking mod system that wouldn't allow you to add weapons and ammunition types, along with numerous other items to the game without having to rewrite the entire gun or ammo data table. With the additive system, weapon and ammo packs can be released, new camos and other game elements can be added without rewriting the entire data structure, and addition of game elements is generally more interchangeable. For instance, with additive mods, an adventurous SWAT3 gamer might activate a 4.7mm PDW w/ laser sight mod for his primary weapon, while at the same time activating a Glock 18 fully automatic pistol mod as his sidearm. Additive mods will allow this.
In general, additive mods are used when linking with data files is necessary. For instance, to allow new weapons, certain lines must be added to guns.dat, along with several other files. To let SWAT3 know that the data file that your mod is providing has an additive guns.dat, you simply create a data file with the necessary lines and section markers (explained more in detail in the Data File editing section) for JUST YOUR NEW GUNS and then rename your guns.dat to modguns.dat (that's right, just add "mod" at the front, no hyphens, spaces, underscores, or any other punctuation) and dump the modguns.dat file into your mod directory or .zip file, and SWAT3 will automatically add the new gun(s) while keeping the existing ones. See more about additive mods in the Content Creation - Data File section.
Do Directories Matter?
No. They exist in both the .res files, and in the mods you make, for the convenience of anyone who peruses them.
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