Function Names in Mod Organizer

[Uhuru]

It is often overlooked just how vital the right name can be in giving good advice. The wrong name can equally obscure the best advice in confusion.

 

Some names used in Mod Organizer cause confusion even to experienced users, so new users are often misled as to the meaning of the advice given.

 

The most obvious problem is:

Traditional Name = Install Order

Mod Organizer Name = Priority

and

Traditional Name = Load Order

Mod Organizer Name = Priority

 

This is the one causing some confusion and to me the easiest fixed

 

Load Order is the same in all managers so this column should be called that or if a one word name just Order.

Install Order has changed totally in Mod Organizer so the name Priority is appropriate.

 

Conventional usage also matches this arrangement Even here Load Order is never called priority but for specific descriptions of it's location.

 

This next is more complicated and causes the most confusion of all.

 

Overwrite Folder

overwriting/overwritten files (conflicts between mod files)

 

This case is more about conventional usage than any specific reference within Mod Organizer itself.

This means the name of Overwrite Folder is the problem as that is the only solution that will work.

The convention will never change.

 

So now the question becomes what name shoud Overwrite Folder have.

No obvious candidate leaps out to me in this case.

Move folder

is the best choice I've found as it describes the purpose and reminds the user to move the files to another folder which shoud always be done.

 

So is anything better than Move ?

 

Also any other names you think should be changed, keeping in mind the only criteria is better understanding.

[z929669]

I agree to some extent, but what must be made perfectly clear to all users (experienced and inexperienced) is that MO uses a system that inherently merges install order and load order ... installation is just setup of the virtual directories that are references with regard to load order ... install order ~= load order.

 

Specifically, mods in MO do have a "priority order", and their plugins have a "load order". These are still decoupled. the difference with MO is that everything is an override and there are no overwrites.

 

The overwrite folder and its benefits/uses (and all of the above) will best serve experienced mod users more familiar with other mod managers. It is critical to address the benefits of the VD and the overwrite 'mod' thoroughly and mark that as "vital info" for experienced modders in order to promote use of MO by experienced modders.

 

One issue that very experienced modders have with MO is that it uses a unique paradigm that does not follow the traditional overwrite rules of manual installation and other mod managers.

[Uhuru]

You make some good general points but this is about specific naming of features making the basic understanding of what is being explained or discussed clearer to all.

The issues you raise I will address in my next new thread which will be about how it works.

The aim of this thread is to improve the names that are used to stop the confusion about the specific subject under discussion.

 

That will make explaining the basics easier

 

Calling Load Order by that name is I think universally accepted as the correct name for that column.

 

Overwrite Folder is complicated enough to understand without naming confusion.

Eliminating that will help but what to name it is less clear.

 

Having a discussion of the options will help Tannin to decide the best course to take.

 

Other names may be considered as better choices than my proposed choices.

Other features may be considered for a name change.

These are the ones I have found cause confusion, just because of the name.

[GSDFan]

Just my two cents on this.

IMPO = Installed Mod Priority Order. The mods in the left pane with assets, textures, scripts and so on.

PLO = Plugin Load Order. The load order of the ESMs and ESPs as determined by the user or an external program.

The overwrite folder is a challenge as its application and use is not well defined. According to the UI help it states “This pseudo mod contains files from the virtual data tree that gets modified (ie by the construction kit)â€.

 

My suggestion would be something along the lines of VDF, Variable data folder. With instructions as to make a mod from it.

[DoubleYou]

I actually like it the way it is, because I think the priority order of your plugins and mods is a concept more people should link together.

As to Overwrite, I simply call it Overwrite, or Overwrite Mod, or Overwrite directory. The section on the wiki that I added for Overwrite "What is Overwrite?" explains Overwrite sufficiently I think for people to identify what it is.