This article outlines the general process for merging two or more mods together.
Background
For logistical reasons, users may run a maximum of 10 mods at any given time in Torchlight II. However, it is possible to merge mods together in order to create mod packs, to effectively run an unlimited number of mods.
Merging Mods
Before you get started, however, make sure that you have launched GUTS at least once (see Getting Started for installation instructions) and create a project for your new mod. If this is the first time you've launched GUTS, you'll need to wait for it to un-archive your PAK file.
- First, you will want to unpack your source mods. From GUTS, open the Utilities menu and choose Pak/Mod Unpacker. You will need to specify the location of the PAK or MOD file you wish to unpack. Then choose Unpack. Repeat for each mod.
- Once you've unpacked each of the mods you wish to merge together, close out of GUTS and navigate to the location of the unpacked files.
- Create a new MEDIA folder (for example, on your Desktop) and drag the contents of the MEDIA folders from each constituent mod you wish to merge into the new folder. Please note that mod merging order is significant, so make sure that your most important mods are merged in last. This is analogous to loading order in the mod launcher (wherein the top-most mod takes precedence). In cases of conflict when merging mods, the files merged in last will take precedence.
- At this point, you will want to take the merged MEDIA folder and use it to replace the MEDIA folder residing in your mod project, which should be located in Path-To-Torchlight-2-Installation-Dir\mods\Project-Name\.
- Next, fire up GUTS and load your project. Open up the Mods panel (you may need to choose View -> Mods) and switch to the Files tab. Click the Refresh button and it should pick up the changes to your project's file structure.
- All that is left now is to package and ship your mod. In the Mods panel, from the Mod menu, choose Package and Publish (opens a new form).
- From the Mod Package and Publish dialog, a number of options are available, including the ability to publish directly to the Steam Workshop, or to a third party tool such as HotSpot.
Caveats
When creating a mod, it is assigned a unique identifier. This means that a mod, merged from the content of other mods, is not equivalent to those individual mods for purposes of identification. As a consequence, Person 1, who creates Mod C by merging Mod A and Mod B, will not be able to play with:
- Person 2, who independently creates Mod D by merging Mod A and Mod B (see below image) or
- Person 3, who has simply installed Mod A and Mod B
For Further Modding Support
Visit our official modding forums and check out our documentation wiki.