I'd like to turn my SweetFX preset into a mod. In order to to that, I should be able to

- add new files and folders (instead of replacing existing ones)

- add the files and folders in the main folder, where game.exe is located.

is that possible?

thanks

I think the StreamingAssets is the root of the modding folder, but not 100% sure. 

Multiple questions, multiple answers :-)

Unity can only read files dynamically from StreamingAssets folder (easy). So thats the root for mods.

And mods can only replace/modify existing files inside the Original game. This is because the code used for loading any of the original files has a "if a file exists in a higher priority folder, then load file from there instead" method.

A few places it uses "load all files in this folder" instead, and where new files can be added. Quests, dialogs, localization files come to mind. These folders run a "load all" mechanism into memory.

Unity is a bitch modding, so this is as far as we could push it without coding our own C++ loaders for e.g. FBX converters and such.

I tried making my own ShangaAssets.json file, saw it loaded in output.log.txt, but I still don't have a clue how to use it for manual IDs. 

For example:

["Weapons/Guns/Blyskawica"],

This is a refference to a gun model inside the assets pack or an ID listing or both? If I want to make a new gun without replacing an existing one, I need to define its own ID. How do I go about doing that? Let's asssume for a second I just want to re-use an existing weapon model. Do I need to extract that, make it into a new asset pack and refference it in my JSON? Or I can simply re-use the models and baptise it with a new ID?

http://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/managingassetdependencies.html

The English in that document made sense to me, until they got to the part about building asset bundles. 

The actual question -  is this possible without making a new asset bundle with UnityPro?

I´ve got another modding question:

What is moddable at all? It seems almost everything is hardcoded and so not moddable. I´m kind of dissapointed by that, because FC said the game would be "moddable friendly" when it´s released.

NOT in (from what i know):

The UI, 3d assets and 3d animations, textures, lightning, game code, new usable items, no way to implement new mechanics to the game.

correct me if i´m wrong....

What IS moddable:

Modding existing descriptions of weapons, the perspective of view, the amount of damage or effect of it (an existing weapon has)....

...eehmm, have to think now....help me out please...^^

It's not like that. You can add a new ammo type, for example, because it has no 3d model. I think you can add a new attachment just as easy too. But when it comes to items with 3d models, the things get more complicated, that's why I asked for assistance from a coder.

The 3d assets and 3d models ARE moddable, IF you own a paid UnityPro license. Lighting is moddable inside JSONs for each map, I think. Game code... well, you won't expect JAF to come with Unity3D code open, would you? 

There's a shit tonne of stuff externalized, but we need to wait in que for the programmers to be done with patches and fixes, then we'll get a bit of more focus on modding. You can mod hundreds of small aspects of the game, if you have the patience. Loot tables, drops, merc and AI stats, spawn points, game sectors (when they update JAFEditor), the strategic map, weapon & ammo & attachments & misc. item properties and effects, various bonuses and penalties, character progression (regarding AP and Health), etc, etc. 

It's just that some stuff is harder and requires a bit more know-how to mod.The mods I've published so far rank 1 on a 10 scale of things you could mod in JAF. They're really just minor mods I've come up with in a day or two. Serious mods take weeks or months.

You can add a new ammo type, for example, because it has no 3d model

- can you also tell the npc´s to drop this "new ammo type"? (in addition to the other types... or do you have to replace existing ones to do so)?

The 3d assets and 3d models ARE moddable, IF you own a paid UnityPro license

- Who does own a UnityPro account and wants to spend his time on such a thing? This also means, without a UnityPro account you cannot create those things... and it´s truely expensive to have one.^^

well, you won't expect JAF to come with Unity3D code open, would you? 

- No, that´s why i was dissapointed in the moddability of the game.

There's a shit tonne of stuff externalized, but we need to wait in que for the programmers to be done with patches and fixes

Ok, that´s true. I´m still curious though what will await us, or how much more money FC can spend on future patches and expansions. We´re left in the dark, although the question has been raised several times on the forums.

You can mod hundreds of small aspects of the game, if you have the patience. Loot tables, drops, merc and AI stats, spawn points, game sectors (when they update JAFEditor) the strategic map, weapon & ammo & attachments & misc. item properties and effects, various bonuses and penalties, character progression (regarding AP and Health), etc, etc. 

that´s what i wanted to know :)

Thanks for your reply Shanga, it was helpful....i´m always floating between hope and dissapointment with this game. Sometimes i´m eager to clarify things.

Also it´s not for me alone. Other people will read this, too, and maybe they will have the same questions and want answers.

you can edit loot tables, so yes, the new ammo type drops too. 

a UnityPro license is a full (not free) Unity3d that allows you to manipulate and create new asset bundles (the way Unity packs 3d assets). You don't buy that from FC, you buy it from Unity developers and it's about 1500 euro / year.