Converting Native-users to Floris Mod Pack

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I CONSTANTLY talk about the Floris Expanded Mod Pack in the SP forum with intent to convert people to it's glorious usage and have been struggling with an succinct way to describe it. So far I say something along the lines of "Native is just Native but FEMP is Super Deluxe Supreme Native Platinum Pro."

I'm just not sure how descriptive that is. Do any of you have suggestions? Do you try to convert people and if so, how do you do it?
 
Many players automatically equal mods = trainers = cheats.
The native game is seen as "the game, the way the devs meant it to be played".
Anything else is some hack-job, carelessly hammered together by someone who must be less skilled and motivated as the "developers".

Arguments like man-hours and economic feasibility of features are way too complicated and will simply bounce.

And no, you don't need to tell me how much BS that is.

As long as mods in general are not "officially" endorsed / recommended in a very obvious way by the mighty developers, "normal" players will not see the light.
That the forum sections peacefully sit side-by-side doesn't mean anything.
Native players don't want to get tainted by the evil cheats that live on the dark side of the forum.


There is already a "featured mod" displayed in the upper right corner of the forum layout but until you get developers to put a sticky in the "native" forums with something very blunt like "Mods good, hmmkay", you will be preaching to the wind.
It's not what you say. It's who you are.
 
*sniffle, sniffle*  :cry:  I USED TO BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE!! *sob*

But seriously, I hear ya and agree that that is the way of things. I got interested in this because I saw things in the game I didn't like then heard that there were mods that added harmless stuff like more weapons and armor. I started researching it and ran across Monnikje's AAR Me, Floris and saw the huge list of mods he was using which of course led me here when my head was swimming with mods and conflicting compatibilities. The simple and beautiful answer to improving Native without wrecking it or any drastic changes was the Floris packs. Now I'm head cheerleader, I'm pretty sure. 9 out of 10 of my posts in the SP thread include a link to this place and the wonders it holds.

I agree that most players won't try mods but as we all know, if they are only going to try one mod, this is the one it should be. i was just curious if anyone else worked actively at trying to get people to try Floris.
 
dont sweat it.

drop your line, and leave the plebs to their suffering.

they do it to themselves so theres no need to even feel the pity for em, tbh.

you can lead a horse to water, but you cant make it drink.
 
Ogrecorps said:
*sniffle, sniffle*  :cry:  I USED TO BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE!! *sob*

But seriously, I hear ya and agree that that is the way of things. I got interested in this because I saw things in the game I didn't like then heard that there were mods that added harmless stuff like more weapons and armor. I started researching it and ran across Monnikje's AAR Me, Floris and saw the huge list of mods he was using which of course led me here when my head was swimming with mods and conflicting compatibilities. The simple and beautiful answer to improving Native without wrecking it or any drastic changes was the Floris packs. Now I'm head cheerleader, I'm pretty sure. 9 out of 10 of my posts in the SP thread include a link to this place and the wonders it holds.

I agree that most players won't try mods but as we all know, if they are only going to try one mod, this is the one it should be. i was just curious if anyone else worked actively at trying to get people to try Floris.

People eventually go to mods naturally. The problem, if you call it that, is the size and scope of the mod. A lot of people prefer to pick and choose different small mods.
 
Caba`drin said:
St. Ogrecorps the Proselytizer. :wink:
Sig'd

Edit: *le sigh* After a good... 15 minutes of trying I finally had to kill off all the links to my personal works to include the quote AND awesome FEMP banner in my sig... I figure if the forum were a battle ground, Floris Mod Pack would be my faction and Caba'drin my liege-lord so better to fly the flag and display the honors awarded me than my own feeble efforts.
 
Hehe. I believe there is a way to get it next to our banner by using forum code. Its explained in some topic... but where  :???:
 
effemb said:
drop your line, and leave the plebs to their suffering.

they do it to themselves so theres no need to even feel the pity for em, tbh.
It's not that simple.
Leet gamer kids nowadays play shooters and stuff like Deathmatch Sims, Starcraft, and all such competitive online stuff.

Anyone mentioning mods in reference to such a game (which is all the kinds of games they know) must be talking about an aimbot, teleport hack, or whatthehellever.
Any  modification  that is not expressly sanctioned by  the developers  is a cheat and that is all thou need knowest.


So if you want to advertise the FMP / FEMP, you need a simple message that is not centered on the fact that it is a mod.
The term "mod" should be downplayed or omitted entirely.
Like... The Floris Compilation or Addon.  Sounds a lot more harmless already.

You must advertise something that players want and can relate to.
New graphics, animations, and sounds, new items, new horses, new troop orders and improved troop AI!

If your target audience are bigot native players then you have to speak their language. As with every foreign language, seemingly innocent words can have a negative undertone. Gay means happy or bright... or does it? =P



Unfortunately, the default installation instructions for "Basic" tell the player to overwrite the native module. (or rather he will find out afterwards)
That's a very bad start as far as customer trust is concerned.
Even when told to, some players just won't do backups because they know they won't screw up the process. Who would expect a mod to trash ones ability to play Native?
The installation procedure could be... improved.  Made a lot easier (fewer steps) and less geeky.  =P




you can lead a horse to water, but you cant make it drink.
Sure can, if you mod it's food and add a lot of salt.
 
Gazz said:
Unfortunately, the default installation instructions for "Basic" tell the player to overwrite the native module. (or rather he will find out afterwards)
That's a very bad start as far as customer trust is concerned.
Even when told to, some players just won't do backups because they know they won't screw up the process. Who would expect a mod to trash ones ability to play Native?
The installation procedure could be... improved.  Made a lot easier (fewer steps) and less geeky.  =P
Excellent points here. Next version to be .exe installed for ease of use.
If I (or another of us) can learn .NSIS, possibly even a modular installer for choosing among basic, expanded, and our new 'game play features only' deployment.
 
Caba`drin said:
Excellent points here. Next version to be .exe installed for ease of use.
If I (or another of us) can learn .NSIS, possibly even a modular installer for choosing among basic, expanded, and our new 'game play features only' deployment.
I was thinking of something easier to create.

The current situation is that  Floris_Expanded_Mod_Pack_2.4.7z  contains a Native folder.


I suggest putting it in a folder structure like  Modules / Floris Basic 2.4.

That way the installation instructions are reduced to:

- Extract archive into your Mount_and_Blade_2_Warband  MAIN  folder.  (the one with mb_warband.exe)

- When starting the game, select "Floris Basic 2.4" from the menu that normally shows "Native".



Short and to the point. No talking about backups, correct subfolders, or any of that geek stuff that - alas - only confuses your average computer illiterate gamer. =P

If you use something like a ZIP self extractor EXE, you don't even need to get people to install whatever unpack software is required.
(drop into Mount_and_Blade_2_Warband  MAIN  folder and execute...)

That gets you most of the convenience features of a true installer... with a lot less effort.




Floris_Expanded_Mod_Pack_2.4.7z  should also be a complete standalone file and not require that "Basic" can be referenced as a fake Native.

All the files of "Basic" would be included in it's  "Floris Expanded 2.4"  Folder.

No dependencies, no sequence in which you have to install certain mods.
You install one mod, you use one mod.
You have the option to go back to Native (hah!) at any time.

Later versions of the mod would simply use different folder names so they do not automatically overwrite.
If the new version doesn't work for player X - no harm done!  He can continue to play the older version which was completely untouched by the installation of the new one.




None of this is a great invention or requires any new coding.
It's just a more clear and transparent organisation which is easier to grasp for non-geeks. =P
 
Gazz said:
So if you want to advertise the FMP / FEMP, you need a simple message that is not centered on the fact that it is a mod.
The term "mod" should be downplayed or omitted entirely.
Like... The Floris Compilation or Addon.  Sounds a lot more harmless already.

You must advertise something that players want and can relate to.
New graphics, animations, and sounds, new items, new horses, new troop orders and improved troop AI!
Excellent points, I'ma start using them.
 
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