Guide

dewsha.re (also referred to as ZGAF) is the largest repository of variants and mod packages and a great place to share your own creations.

Map and game variants

A map variant (Forge map) is an arrangement of objects on a base map, including scenery, weapons, spawns and objectives. Variants made using a base map or Forge objects provided by a mod will need that mod to be played.

A game variant (gametype), stores the rules for a match: the game mode, scoring, player traits and other settings. Map and game variants are often shared as a pair when the layout and rules were designed to work together.

Install a map or game variant

If you download a map or game variant from dewsha.re, you will just receive a sandbox.map or variant.* file on its own. To use this in the game, you need to make a subfolder in data\map_variants or data\game_variants to put it in, ideally named the same thing as the map or gametype (the in-game name is actually determined by metadata in the file).

This means the end path would be something like: data\map_variants\Cul de Sac\sandbox.map or data\game_variants\Ice Cream Man\variant.zombiez

Convert older 0.6 variants

0.6 map and game variants cannot be used with 0.7 without first converting them. MtnDewIt's fork of Epsilon includes a converter that you can use.

1. Close the game and back up your original 0.6 map and mode files.
2. Open Epsilon, choose File > Open and select maps\tags.dat in the target ElDewrito installation.
3. Choose Tools > Convert 0.6 Variants.
4. Use Set Output Path to choose a new empty staging folder, not your live data folder. Existing conversion output with the same name can be overwritten. Drag the copied 0.6 variant files or their folders into the list.
5. Click Convert 0.6 Variants. Read the success count and output pane; a partial success message means some files did not convert.
6. Inspect the staging folder. The converter creates map_variants\Name\sandbox.map and game_variants\Name\variant.[mode extension]. Back up any naming collisions, then install the converted folders using the manual variant procedure above.
7. Load the converted map and matching mode privately. Check object placement, spawns, objectives, and mod dependencies before sharing the result as compatible with 0.7.

0.7 lobby mods

Lobby mods use the mod-loading system introduced in ElDewrito 0.7. They are distributed as .pak packages and can contain maps, weapons, vehicles, characters, gameplay changes or a custom main menu. A single mod package can be active at a time, though some servers get around this by combining multiple mods into a single package, like Customization++_ED++ (a combination of Customization++ and ED++), or alternating which mod is active based on the active gametype. The host selects the gameplay mod for the lobby, and joining players use that mod for the session.

Join a server with mods

Joining a server automatically downloads the mods required to play on it. If a download or map load fails, note the server, package name and error, then use Troubleshooting.

Install a mod package manually

Place the .pak file in your ED installation's mods folder. Restart the game or use the Server.RefreshMods in the console to rescan the mods folder. The mod should become visible in Customization > Mod Browser.

Campaign and Firefight

ElDewrito 0.7 supports Campaign and Firefight through mod packages. To play campaign missions, install a package such as Halo 3: Campaign or Firefight Core, then select it from the appropriate lobby.

FMM cosmetic mods

Foundation Mod Manager (FMM) installs cosmetic changes to your local game, such as weapon models, textures, HUDs, sounds and animations. These change what you see or hear; they are not a lobby-wide mod choice and are not sent to other players when you host or join a server.

Current FMM mods use the same 0.7-style .pak packages as lobby mods (although FMM still uses its legacy batch-script installation system to apply the packages). The difference between a 0.7 lobby mod and an FMM mod is how they are applied: lobby mods are loaded for a session and can be hot-swapped, while FMM actually edits your local game files.

Install and use FMM

1. Close ElDewrito and download FMM 2.03 from dirkkane/FMM, the current version for ElDewrito 0.7.1.
2. Extract FMM-2.03.7z into your game folder, beside eldorado.exe, and run FMM.exe normally.
3. Open Downloadable Mods, check the mods you want, and select Download Checked Mods. Read their descriptions and compatibility notes before combining them.
4. Open My Mods, check the mods you want to use, then select Apply Checked Mods. Let the installation finish before starting the game.

FMM applies changes to local game files rather than switching packages when you enter a lobby. Two cosmetic mods can change the same asset and the last one installed would 'win' and take effect. But then a lobby mod may supply its own replacement for an asset and then that would win when active. Some combinations can be incompatible. If you're experiencing issues with the game or with a lobby mod package, please make sure to uninstall any cosmetic mods to be safe.

Change or remove cosmetic mods

To change your installed cosmetic mods, close the game, open FMM, change the selection in My Mods, and use Apply Checked Mods again. FMM restores its backed-up files before applying the selected set. To restore the clean files without applying any mods, uncheck all mods and apply the empty selection.

Creating content

Forging

Use Forge mode in-game to build map variants. You should decide which gametype(s) you're targeting with your map, and test spawns, objectives and scoring with other players. Consider distributing a game variant with your map, if appropriate.

Mod creation

Creating a mod package requires TagTool or Epsilon. An introductory tutorial will be added here in future.