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How to Preserve Mods' Configurations in a Local Mod

By TeslaRage

This guide describes step-by-step on how to create a local mod for XCOM 2: War of the Chosen to preserve workshop mods' configuration changes so that you don't lose them when mods are automatically updated by Steam.

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Created by

TeslaRage
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Category: Workshop

Languages: English

Posted

Updated

13 Jun, 2022 @ 8:22pm

18 Jul, 2022 @ 7:01am

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Guide Index

Overview

Tools and Assumptions

Setting up Alternative Mod Launcher (AML) to Read Local Mods

Creating a Local Mod

Creating Configuration Files

Final Steps

Final Notes

Comments

Tools and Assumptions

All you need to make this happen is a text editor. The simplest one is Notepad but I highly recommend using Notepad++. All the files mentioned in this guide can be edited with any text editor.

This guide also assumes that you are already using the community's favorite Alternative Mod Launcher for XCOM 2. If you are not familiar with it then I highly suggest to start using it for the best XCOM 2 modding experience.

Setting up Alternative Mod Launcher (AML) to Read Local Mods

Create "mods" folder in the following directory
..\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\XCom2-WarOfTheChosen\XComGame
Add above path to AML > Settings > Mod Directories. Make sure it is below the workshop directory.
Done. Now AML is ready to read local mods.

Creating a Local Mod

In the "Mods" folder that was created in previous section, create a new folder called "ZZZLocalTweaks". So you will end up with this directory.
..\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\XCom2-WarOfTheChosen\XComGame\Mods\ZZZLocalTweaks
The name of the folder starts with "ZZZ" ensuring that this folder is the last one to be read if you have more than 1 local mods.
In the new "ZZZLocalTweaks", we will now make the game recognize this folder as a mod. Create a new file called "ZZZLocalTweaks.XComMod". Yes, the name of the file must match the folder name.
Copy paste the following content into the XComMod file.
[mod] publishedFileId=0 Title=MyTweaks Description=Description of My XCOM 2 Mod. RequiresXPACK=true
At this point, you should be able to see this local mod in AML though it does nothing. The next section describes how to create configuration files.

Creating Configuration Files

Before you start creating your configuration files, it is important to understand how to "operate" or "handle" configuration entries. The best resource for that is this article[robojumper.github.io] written by robojumper. I suggest you read everything and pay special attention to "Config files". Done? Okay you can now move on to the next step.
In the local mod folder, you will create another folder named "Config". Yes, it must be "Config". You will now end up in this directory.
..\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\XCom2-WarOfTheChosen\XComGame\Mods\ZZZLocalTweaks\Config
In the "Config" folder is where you can start creating your configuration files. Configuration files are of file type "ini" and the name of the files is dependent on the mod configs' that you are trying to preserve.
You could start creating your files here but to keep things organised; considering that many of us run hundreds of mods; you can and should organise your files into folders. Suggested naming convention for the sub folder is <STEAMID>_<MODNAME>. We do not have to be super strict about this. The idea is to keep things organised.
As an example, we will use TeslaRage's Loot Mod (TLM) as it contains a lot of configuration entries that would be perfect to preserve. Now create a new folder called "2814111896_TeslaRage Loot Mod". At this point, your directory should look something like this.
..\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\XCom2-WarOfTheChosen\XComGame\Mods\ZZZLocalTweaks\Config\2814111896_TeslaRage Loot Mod
Let's say you always play with Iridar's Five Tier Weapon Overhaul, and you want to save yourself the hassle of having to reconfigure TLM whenever the mod is updated. You can preserve the setup by creating "XComTLM.ini" file in the folder created in the previous step.
In that file, you can start to create configuration entries that will override the mod's original configurations. This guide assumes that you already know what needs to be configured. Please ask the mod's authors if you are not sure.
Continuing on with the configuration entries, here is what is needed in your XComTLM.ini file to preserve your setup for Iridar's 5TWO.
[TeslaLootMod.X2BaseWeaponDeckSet] ; Uncomment if 5TWO or LWotC is used +BaseWeaponDecks = "TLM_CG_BaseWeapons" +BaseWeaponDecks = "TLM_LS_BaseWeapons" [TLM_MG_BaseWeapons X2BaseWeaponDeckTemplate] ; Uncomment if 5TWO is used Requirements = (RequiredTechs = ("CoilGunTech_LW")) [TLM_CG_BaseWeapons X2BaseWeaponDeckTemplate] ; Uncomment if 5TWO is used Tier = 2 Requirements = (RequiredTechs = ("MagnetizedWeapons")) [TLM_LS_BaseWeapons X2BaseWeaponDeckTemplate] ; Uncomment if 5TWO is used Tier = 3 Requirements = (RequiredTechs = ("LaserWeaponsTech_LW")) [TLM_BM_BaseWeapons X2BaseWeaponDeckTemplate] ; Uncomment if 5TWO or LWotC is used Tier = 4
Save the file and that's it! Your setup is now safe from mod updates.
You can do this with any mod, though there are some knowledge of configuration entries needed.

Final Steps

Now that you have the local mod created, you need to make sure that it does indeed work as expected.

If you have been creating the local mod while AML is running in the background, you need to force AML to search for new mods. To do this, go to File > Search for new mods.
If AML is not running, launch AML and your new local mod should appear as a new mod.

In AML, ensure that the mod is selected and go to "Config" tab. Click on "Select INI to edit". Your local configuration file should appear and if not, you need to re-read the previous steps and ensure that everything has been correctly set up.

Before launching the game, ensure that the local mod is enabled and validate that the local config is working as expected.

Final Notes

Now that you have a local mod to store other mods' (or even base game's) configurations, you need to be aware of a few things.

Whenever a mod is updated, your configurations are safe BUT you still need to make sure that the mod is still using the same configuration variables. If not, your "saved" configurations will not take effect because the mod no longer recognises the configuration variables.
Whenever you are setting up your modlist for a new campaign, it is good to review your local configurations to ensure that either they are still what you want them to be, or whether they need to be removed entirely because you will not be running the mod. There is no harm to leave them there, but if you don't housekeep, you will end up with a very messy local configurations mod.

I hope this has been helpful. Thank you for reading!

8 Comments

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tiktaalik 13 May @ 12:23pm

Thank you, Your Evilness! :)

EvilBob22 11 May @ 1:32pm

You do need the header line above that stuff, but otherwise you should be good to go!

The header is a line surrounded by square brackets ( "[" and "]" ) and will be in the format "[something.something]" or "[something something]". You can have more than one header in a config file; as long as you copy the header line exactly and have the entries under the right headers, it'll work.

Specifically for XComWOTCLootIndicator_Extended.ini, there is only one header, line 9:
[WOTCLootIndicator_Extended.WOTCLootIndicator_Extended]

Make sure that is above the lines you listed, and that's all you need. (You technically don't need the comments (anything starting with ";" and going to the end of the line), but they will help you remember what they are for.)

tiktaalik 11 May @ 11:03am

Another noob question. The example would be toggling the loot indicator off in Rusty's Unit Flag Extended. In the XComWOTCLootIndicator_Extended.ini in my local folder, do I have to only put this section:

SHOW_LOOT = true ; Show the loot icon on enemies that have loot
REQUIRE_SCANNING = true ; Show the loot icon on enemies ONLY if they are under any of the effects listed, requires [SHOW_LOOT] set to true also
PERSISTANT_SCANS = true ; If [REQUIRE_SCANNING] is set to true, should the Loot Indicator persist if it has been shown/scanned once

Or do I have to leave the entire contents of the ini file?
In other words, in the local mod, do I just put the parts that I want to override, or keep the entire contents?

Thank you!

RustyDios 4 Jul, 2024 @ 2:18am

Exactly the same format, into the correctly named file ( XComContent.ini ) under the correct header ( [XComGame.X2BodyPartTemplateManager] )

You do NOT need a separate folder for each mod and you can place all your cosmetic unlocks/removals/adjustments in the same config file. (Splitting things into folders is just for organisational help)

Egir 3 Jul, 2024 @ 12:36pm

A moderately noob question or two, but I suspect you are able to give me a fairly quick answer.

Does this work with edits for doubling or removing assets?

See, all my edits relate to cosmetic mods, where I either remove entries, or copy them to appear in another list in the game, i.e., copy the existing line, and amend the location and Template Name.

So, e.g., in the '[WOTC] Riddick Squadmate' mod, I want the goggles to also appear in Lower Face Props. I copy the relevant entry, and edit as follows:

+BodyPartTemplateConfig=(PartType="FacePropsLower", DLCName="RiddickWOTC", TemplateName="SM_WOTC_2013RiddickGogglesDown_T1_Conventional_M_EGIR_FPL1", ArchetypeName="wotc_audioghoulsm_riddick.ARC_WOTC_2013Goggles_M", Gender=eGender_Male, bCanUseOnCivilian=false, bVeteran=false)

So, what would be the code in a Local Mod format? Also, would I need separate folders in the Local Mod Folder for each of the mods?

RustyDios 23 Sep, 2023 @ 10:17am

It needs to match filenames :)

Montressor 23 Sep, 2023 @ 6:35am

Does it always have to be XComTLM.ini ? or do i need to match the file name with the name of the file where the value i want to change is located?

ExitSign 26 Jul, 2023 @ 4:26am

Just what I needed, thank you!

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