Hey all, this is not really a mod at all, but I thought of it, and figured, "Hey, why not?"

This is a simple template for anyone to use whenever they make a readme file for their mods. It has stuff typed out and ready for additions, depending on the mod.

The reason I did this is just to remove a minor nuisance by reducing the typing you need to make a nice readme file for your mods.

Here it is:

==============================================
MOD NAME--->
VERSION---->
CREATED BY->
==============================================

INDEX:

-> Requirements
-> About this mod
-> Installation
-> Files and their Proper Directories
-> Playing this plugin
-> Known Bugs & Issues
-> Version History
-> Incompatibilities & Save game warnings
-> Credits & Usage


==============================================
REQUIREMENTS:
==============================================
REQUIRES Bloodmoon? ->
REQUIRES Tribunal? ->
Mods Needed to run this plugin? ->


==============================================
ABOUT THIS MOD:
===============================================


===============================================
INSTALLATION:
===============================================
Extract all .esp and .esm files to the Data Files directory.
Extract all .nif Files to the Data Files\Meshes directory.




===============================================
FILES USED AND THEIR PROPER DIRECTORIES:
===============================================

~~~~~~~~~~~README FILE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



~~~~~~~~~ESP & ESM FILES~~~~~~~~~~~~
\Data Files\
\Data Files\

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~MESHES~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\Data Files\Meshes\
\Data Files\Meshes\
\Data Files\Meshes\

~~~~~~~~~~~~~TEXTURES~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\Data Files\Textures\
\Data Files\Textures\
\Data Files\Textures\

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ICONS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\Data Files\Icons\
\Data Files\Icons\
\Data Files\Icons\

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~MUSIC~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\Data Files\Music\
\Data Files\Music\

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SOUND~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\Data Files\Sound\
\Data Files\Sound\


===============================================
PLAYING THIS PLUGIN:
===============================================


===============================================
KNOWN ISSUES OR BUGS:
===============================================


===============================================
VERSION HISTORY
===============================================


===============================================
INCOMPATIBILITIES & SAVED GAME WARNINGS:
===============================================
Always make sure that you backup your existing savegame before use.


===============================================
CREDITS & USAGE:
===============================================

( Template user: Pick one and delete the rest)

--> Feel Free to use any of the resources I provided in this plugin, but give credit to me where it is due.

--> You may use any of the resources I provided in this mod, but please contact me first by email for permission.

--> Please don't use any of the resources in this plugin.


EMAIL:






And that's the end of the readme template, hope it's handy to you guys and gals.

There is loooot of people who should have read this one.

Sad but true.

Deserves a sticky.

Wow that is a really good idea!

I would like to add just one suggestion to this, Name the file something other than ReadMe.txt....ReadMe-MYMODNAME.txt would be fine or MYMODNAME-ReadME.txt. We try to make sure our mods don't walk all over other people's work, probably a good idea for our ReadMe file was as well behaved.

Nice idea for those people out there who are relatively new to modding, and who don't know how to write up a proper readme. I myself have a basic template stored on another of my computers that I use, which includes most of your template does, except for the list of files (I make the assumption that anyone who is going to use the mod has enough working brain cells to understand how to extract the mod directly into the Data Files folder ).

This post has been edited by baratheon79: Sep 7 2004, 07:24 AM

I have to agree with my fellow modders, this is one nifty thing you came up with. mad props!!

Thanks, Glassboy. This is most welcome and hopefully will be used by those who could most benefit from it. And I find the list of files very useful sometimes: would suggest to leave it in - 'best practice' etc.

Thanks. The reason for the list of files used is so that a person can easily uninstall or remove a mod that (s)he's tired of. Or remove components of a mod for alternate updated components. Or use your more preferred plugin over another. Because some people just put all the meshes under A, M, or C etc. instead of their own folder under those files with the name of the mod.

Nice. I've got my own template (similar to that) that I use for my readme files (I've started making them as HTML docs instead, so I can put links and stuff in them), but this is definitely a time-saving resource.

Really good thinking.
Though if you're going for 'best practice' with including all files used in the readme, maybe also a list of all cells altered, to give people an idea of what it's going to be incompatible with.
But yeah, excellent idea and one that's very needed (have you seen how many mods at the Summit don't even include a readme at all?). Kudos!

Thanks guys, i kind of wish there was a way to keep this readily readable. I guess it could use a sticky?

I will pick it up on a list and then put it into the currently empty Tool Box at Mythic Mods website when we start to fill it up, how's that?
Sticky is a good idea too . . .

Cool, that's a start. thanks

hey great idea! i'm bookmarking this

A bump for new readers.

Back to the top and out of oblivion. A good template.

Good idea Glassboy!

OK - it is up: http://www.mwmythicmods.com/readme_gboy.html

ToolBox isn't, so I will link it up in the Lists and Links on next revise.

Brilliant idea! And Iudas' idea is also great. I can't tell you how annoying it can be to sift through readmes only to find that the one you're looking for was overwritten...

General thanks! Great idea, must-read for all would-be modders.

Thanks GlassBoy, speaking as a would be modder, this will come in very useful.
Pen

Glassboy - I suggest the Credits & Usage Section could usefully be changed a little to include (changes highlighted):

Agreeed.

Will do.

I agree with the sticky idea, and the ReadMe_ModName, etc.
I hate read me files called just that- "Readme.txt"

great resource.