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Mods Placeholder (for installing mods after world creation)

See YouTube Instructions

This mod is a placeholder that can be used to add mods into existing worlds.

In SOME cases, it is possible to install mods into a dwarf fortress world AFTER world creation — using the mod update menu that appears when the game detects a higher version of an installed mod as you load a world.

I believe this works for:
- graphical and cosmetic changes
- reactions which exist in your world, but not in your civ
- modifying existing reactions, "so long as you don't alter the reaction identifier"[dwarffortresswiki.org]

I've been able to add graphical mods and reactions to a civ this way. Some mods may totally break your world though, so MAKE A BACKUP and try at your own risk.

The technique involves MANUALLY "updating" a mod which is ALREADY INSTALLED into a world — you create a copy of an existing mod folder, update the version numbers, and add in the new content to this "updated" copy. This can be done with any installed mod. This mod exists as an option to keep all your manual and janky edits isolated to a dedicated workshop mod — in case you wish to keep your actual mod folders jank-free.

Simply install this mod to each new world at the bottom of the load order (or higher if you have reason to). I use DFHack's "Mod Manager" to make this easier for me.

When you realize during your playthrough that you forgot to add a mod — or you see a new mod you want to try — save, exit, and MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR REGION. I make a zip, but you can simply copy the folder somewhere safe.

Find this mod's folder in this game's "Dwarf Fortress/mods/" folder. The number for this mod should match the number for this workshop URL, followed by the version number — currently "3155983736 (1)".

Make a copy of this mod's folder, changing the version number in the folder name and in the info.txt at "[NUMERIC_VERSION:0]" and "[DISPLAYED_VERSION:1.00]" to something higher. For example:
folder -> "3155983736 (2)"
info.txt -> "[NUMERIC_VERSION:2]" and "[DISPLAYED_VERSION:1.02]"

If it's helpful, change the DESCRIPTION as well.

Find the folder of the mod you wish to add (should also be the number in that mod's workshop URL), and copy the folders of that mod into your newly created placeholder mod — only the folders and their contents. DO NOT overwrite the info.txt you edited.

Launch the game and load your world. You should see the menu to update mods, saying:
"Newer compatible version of mod detected:
Mods Placeholder (version)"
Make sure it is updating to the version you created, and click "Update".

Now either the save has been destroyed :), or the new mod has been successfully installed.

niemst — mod idea, setting up the workshop files
PhoenixSundae — discovery of installation method, description/tutorial