Experiences using Ziggy's mod

[B33 ENN]

Been away from the games since the New Year, too much w@&k, not enough R&R time, unfortunately.  :(

As a result, my FC3 playthrough (first run) is still unfinished somewhere near the beginning, a few missions in!  :o My time is still limited for gaming, which means I have to make the most of what I do have, and I have to admit the game wasn't really holding me the way FC2 did. Everytime I started to get drawn in, it would do something to break my immersion or irritate me. :D

Then I came across this mod called "Ziggys Mod", and it has got me excited to get back into the game, even if it means starting from a new game from the beginning: PC Gamer - Mod of the Week: Far Cry 3: Ziggys Mod

Far Cry 3 MOD IT! 2 : Ziggys Mod

There's a full list of compiled mods/changes here: NexusMods - Ziggys Mod download

Have any of you seen, or tried this out yet?

[Art Blade]

yes and yes. Careful, it is using a DLL-hack along with a patch mod. The dll-hack means your savegame cannot be reversed to vanilla as the game will crash if you try your modded savegame with an unmodded game. As long as you keep that in mind and intend to stick to this mod as long as your playthrough lasts, it's OK. I prefer the Swartzmod though.

[B33 ENN]

Thanks for the quick feedback, Art, and the advice on the compatibility of save games. I'll have a closer look at the differences between this and the Swartzmod before choosing a path.

I presume the mods are compatible with doing the story missions? Or would you say it is better to complete a vanilla playthrough before then using the mods to start a new free-roam play?

[PZ]

Reads like an excellent mod, and one that would make the experience closer to what we had in FC2.

I did not know that there was a .dll change in this mod - thanks for the warning  :-X

[Art Blade]

Welcome :)


B33 ENN,

Thing is, if you start a game with a mod you'll never know whether or not it actually improves what you perceive of the game. Let's say, the original game has aspects you would have liked had you known about them but the mod creator doesn't like them so he changes them.. therefore I recommend going through the same hell as we all did, unmodded  >:D And then you try out mods. The Swartzmod is a patch mod which means if you don't like it you can just replace the modded patch files with the vanilla (ubi patch) files and the savegame will reset its modded content to vanilla. Worst thing that can happen in that case is that you had a modded weapon in your hand and it's just gone after reverting to vanilla again -- in that case, just pick up a new vanilla weapon and you're back in again :)

[B33 ENN]

...if you start a game with a mod you'll never know whether or not it actually improves what you perceive of the game. Let's say, the original game has aspects you would have liked had you known about them but the mod creator doesn't like them so he changes them.. therefore I recommend going through the same hell as we all did, unmodded  >:D ...

That sounds like my gut instinct too, I think I was looking for a confirmation from more experienced players!  :-X

What I'll do is focus on the story missions rather than get distracted as I always do spending "months" roaming the wilds  ;) Once I finish the playthrough, I'll experiment with the modding. 

[Art Blade]

you'll probably find the story not totally and utterly enthralling so taking a break from it doing what you like best, free roaming, and then going back in order to finish a few more main missions might do the trick. :) Plus you need to do some stuff aside from the story mission like hunting animals to craft better gear and so forth. Most of all, have fun  :)

[PZ]

I was intrigues enough with the list of improvements in Ziggy's mod to give it a go.  I will say that the game is now much more fun for me because it accomplishes a few things that I really appreciate.  First, there is no requirement to go to the towers to activate the map; the entire world is visible from the start.  Second, there is no more icons above the heads of the foes (or animals) so it feels much more realistic.  Combine that with improved weapons and removal of the mini map and I have a brand new game. I am not sure if this is a difference from the vanilla game, but the 1911 you use in one of the tutorial missions actually kills the hogs in 2 shots.  I was pleasantly surprised that the AK-47 that I looted off a dead pirate was upgrade-able - it can support 3 attachments, one of them a suppressor.  >:D

Another feature I like is purely cosmetic - the red shirts are now wearing camo

Typically I like playing games as easy as possible but in the case of FC3, the developers have gone a bit too far to make it more appealing to the younger console gamer - lots of icons, map indicators, etc.

I've even taken to walking and driving more because the screen is so clean, and everything seems so much more balanced which makes me want to explore more.

All in all, the game now makes me feel more like FC2.

[Art Blade]

as long as you dedicate only one of your three careers (save game slots) to that particular mod, you'll be fine. Keep the others free of that mod; i.e. play through with Ziggy's mod with one career only and restore the original dll + patch.fat/.dat before using the other two career slots.  :)

A good thing to do: use the autosave function with a modded version but keep the manual save for a vanilla (pre-modded) point of that particular career. I'll better rephrase that: First make a manual save of your career, then exit, install the mod, restart the game and DON'T use the manual save. Like that, the game will save the modded version (particularly of interest when using a mod that includes a custom DLL) only when auto-saving. I was able to redeem my vanilla career after uninstalling Ziggy's mod by loading the manual vanilla save and continue auto-saving from there.

A word of advice: The UBI patch 1.05 new function to restore all outposts to hostile WILL cause both an autosave AND a manual save at the same time so careful when doing that while using a DLL mod such as Ziggy's.

[PZ]

Good advice.  In fact I would like to add that if I had not already exhausted my interest in FC3 vanilla, I would be disappointed in the mod.  I would not recommend it for those that have not played through at least once because most of the on-screen prompts are gone to the point where you might not know what you need to do to progress.

However, because I've played through a couple of times, and have done much exploring, Ziggy'z offers a refreshing experience.  :-X

[B33 ENN]

...First, there is no requirement to go to the towers to activate the map; the entire world is visible from the start.  Second, there is no more icons above the heads of the foes (or animals) so it feels much more realistic.  ...Another feature I like is purely cosmetic - the red shirts are now wearing camo...

Interesting thoughts, PZ. I liked the sound of those things myself, which is why I was so tempted to not even bother finishing the vanilla game! As for the red-shirts, I cannot believe how they thought that was sensible in the first place. When combined with the blue outfits of the Rakyat, I almost thought I was in "Team Fortress 2: Rook Islands Map"! 

Now if only someone finds a way to mod FC2's NPC conversations and replace the pirate banter!  >:D

...Typically I like playing games as easy as possible but in the case of FC3, the developers have gone a bit too far to make it more appealing to the younger console gamer - lots of icons, map indicators, etc.

Indeed, they originally had a great idea to make the player's avatar more connected by integrating features into the gameworld that are normally accessed by breaking out, such as the GPS and mini-map. In FC3 they went backwards by removing those signature mechanics, but then that's what happens when developers have to answer to a bottom-line paymaster like Ubi. If a game like the Far Cry series was in the hands of a group like CD Projekt (makers of The Witcher series) who are both developers and self-publisher, things would have evolved more organically from FC2 to FC3.

...I've even taken to walking and driving more because the screen is so clean, and everything seems so much more balanced which makes me want to explore more.  All in all, the game now makes me feel more like FC2.

I also liked the fact that he removed the animal type indicator from the map, so it only shows there are animals there, not which kind. Added to the fact that you have to aquire far more items to craft, it really sounds more challenging... I'd be interested how you find that.

[PZ]

I also liked the fact that he removed the animal type indicator from the map, so it only shows there are animals there, not which kind. Added to the fact that you have to aquire far more items to craft, it really sounds more challenging... I'd be interested how you find that.

The very first tutorial mission took a while to figure out.  Because of the increased requirement for items to craft, that part was not smooth and I appeared to be locked in the crafting menu with no method of escape.  However, when I checked if others were having similar issue, the solution was to try to craft the other things you were to craft even though you do not have the necessary items.  Evidently Dennis is happy enough that you tried even though not successful. He doesn't appear to have high standards of performance.  :-()

I like the crafting part, but so far not more than vanilla - about the same to me.  However, I do notice that I have to be careful what I collect because of the higher item requirement.  For instance, if I have several things that I need to collect for, my loot rucksack will not be large enough to hold them all.

One other feature I love is how you only need to momentarily press the "E" button to interact with something.  Having to hold the button in the vanilla game was one of the most irritating parts of the game mechanics because you perform that operation so often.  Related to that is that the looting animation was modified so it is also quick, with the same momentary "E" press.

Might sound kind of crazy, but having something as simple as a momentary key press versus holding it (for no reason other than it takes time) makes the game quite a bit more enjoyable.

I did not realize how annoying the incessant mission prompts were, nor how intrusive the mini map until I played this version of the game.  The screen is absolutely clean with only a hint of a semi-transparent compass.  Now when I think back on it, in the vanilla game I focused on doing towers to open the map and to get weapons.  Now the map is already open, and I can collect, then modify weapons from fallen enemy.  Because of all of the above (and much more), the way I play the game is much different than before.

[PZ]

I'm still very early in the game (before the Medusa mission).  Because the southern map is available, I went south using a jet ski and liberated an outpost so I had a convenient fast travel station. While liberating the outpost, I managed to scavenge a Z93 from the sniper, and the preferred automatic weapon (I can't recall the model) from another guy.  Now I have two excellent weapons, which I modified to include suppressor and in the case of the Z93, a high powered scope.  The ability to steal a weapon from the enemy and then be able to modify it really makes the game fun.  I returned to the northern island and am now enjoying working the areas with my new found high performance weapons.  I really like Ziggy's mod.  :-X

[Art Blade]

nice :) Who knows, I might try it again, after all  :-D I am using the Swartzmod which I have liked since its release.

[Art Blade]

Alright chaps, I started my fourth career overriding my 2nd and am using Ziggy's mod (regular, not hard core). I just liberated Amanaki outpost and noticed that the mod skips the "tutorial" when you had to escape from Vaas's camp which is nice, starting in Amanaki village sure is a good idea. I couldn't help chuckling when I saw a 6P9 on the ground which one of the pirates had dropped (thinking about PZ who loves that pistol) and I picked it up. I also picked up an AK47 but dropped it in favour of that 6P9 again. When I was checking the merchandise at the arms dealer I noticed that I owned the AK47, 6P9 and 1911 which means any weapon you pick up registers as "owned" and that is nice, too.

It is indeed a completely different game like that and it does come in handy if you have played the vanilla game at least once so you know what to do even if you don't see the markers and other HUD elements that would help a newbie. I'm curious about crafting because the animal hunting grounds are only shown as paws and you need to find the right ones by chance or memory (from prior playthroughs) for animal skins needed in order to craft stuff. A bit of a challenge :) Nice. :-X

I'll have to replace the dll and patch files when I want to load my other careers. One is dedicated to the Swartzmod and my first career (the one with 100% completion) is reserved for vanilla gaming. :)

Oh, in case you want to play online (MP/co-op) you need to revert to the vanilla game replacing mod files or you won't be able to play.

[PZ]

Will be looking forward to your impressions of Ziggy's mod.  So far I'm liking it, and skipping the introductory tutorial parts is also welcome especially if you have already played through a couple of times.

[Art Blade]

I spent the best part of the day using that mod on a fresh playthrough. I did the mandatory first two missions (radio tower and crafting) and haven't done any main mission since. I kept spending most of the time finding ingredients for crafting my gear which was entertaining because I had to explore a lot. It included path of the hunter quests which required me to liberate a few outposts both in the North and the South. I've almost all upgrades now, just the last three or four items need their last upgrade. In the meantime I acquired the Blitzkrieg for $10,000+ which is a predator bow that converts arrows into explosive arrows -- no more crafting. All the other weapons I got were those I found. I am very fond of a D50 with muzzle break, marksman sight and extended magazine. It is like having an AMR handgun  :-D

Very enjoyable.  :-X

[PZ]

Excellent;  I like how once you touch a weapon you have it available in the shop.  :-X

[Art Blade]

what I don't like, I mean REALLY don't like, is that I can't use the wingsuit. It is supposed to be there from start but it never worked. Last night I had ONE time when it deployed but I have not been able to reproduce it. I use the SHIFT key for it which works nicely in the vanilla version and with the Swartzmod but here.. I tried tapping, holding, pressing, hammering, squeezing and swearing at the SHIFT key but to no avail

Any tips?

[Art Blade]

still no luck. Maybe when I get to the South "officially" it will w@&k.

A few more not so nice side effects:

I think a few of those weapon stats are not correct. For example, all sniper rifles show maximum damage, range and accuracy but it doesn't feel that way. The AMR doesn't use explosive rounds any more, I know I could blow up a Jeep with it with a single round but now even several rounds won't blow it up. If you mod a D50 with muzzle break, marksman sight and extended magazine, it will have the same effect (even without the muzzle break) as the new signature weapon "Devastator" which is a D50 with muzzle break, extended mag and optical scope. What good is it to buy those signature weapons if you can modify regular weapons to just the same specs? The Blitzkrieg bow is cool until you drop it and pick it up again -- it will lose its ability to convert arrows into explosive arrows until you get it again from the vending machine or arms dealer. If you have signature weapons and regular weapons of the same type, say "predator bow" or "D50" you cannot pick them up again if you dropped one of them. The game still sees one of that type in your wheel so it won't allow the same type again unless you get them again from the vending machine or arms dealer. However, hand grenades seem to have a much bigger impact, one is enough to blow up a car which doesn't w@&k in the vanilla game.

Playing missions such as the DLC ones can be quite hard as you don't see any mission markers. I had to go through a bunker and pick up 7 or 8 documents that were in loot chests.. or, use the elevator which you don't even know and if you try -- oh no, it doesn't w@&k, you need to activate a console first and go back again -- you just don't see the mission messages which tell you that.. had I not played that mission twice already on vanilla I would have been completely lost.

So, think twice what you do with that mod. I strongly recommend not to play missions with it if you don't know them well already. Apart from the wingsuit problem I encountered the mod is cool if you want to just do your own thing and ignore any missions. But that could be a problem because you cannot reset outposts unless you have finished all main story missions..

So I think it is basically better to play through on vanilla and then sacrifice the career by installing that mod. Then you can do what you want and reset all outposts  ;)

[PZ]

I did not know about the wing suit problem, but I agree completely about not using this mod until you know the missions well.  Because Ziggy has removed most of the HUD elements and map icons, it is difficult to know what to do if you have not already experienced it.

[PZ]

Because there are two major game-changing mods that a few of us are using, I thought I'd start a topic on the mod I'm currently using, highlighting the good, bad and the ugly.  I won't repeat what I posted in the FC3 mods topic, but continue with my experiences.

Overall I'm very happy with the mod which in my opinion changes the way one tends to play quite significantly.  In all my vanilla plays through I would activate towers to get weapons and to unlock parts of the map.  Because the mod has the entire map (south and north) unlocked from the start, there is no need for me to do the towers unless I want the experience points.

Instead, I've started wandering through the countryside exploring much like I did in FC2.  Because the HUD is so clean it is lots of fun to simply explore, never knowing exactly what you'll stumble upon.  Crafting is quite a bit different now, and I'm collecting hides and plants to craft my ammo pouches, wallets, and loot rucksacks.  All the while my money keeps growing as I sell hides, loot items, and steal money.  Soon I'll be able to purchase my favorite sniper, the AMR.

One of my first moves was to find a jet ski to take me to the southern island so I could get the 416 (I think it is called), and upgrade it to silencer and marksman sight.  Now I'm back north hunting tapir, deer, and others to craft larger pouches.

I have not tried the wing suit mostly because that is something that takes a bit of immersion out of the game for me.  About all I want as far as air transport is the hang glider.  However, I'm curious to test the problems that Art reported with the wing suit just for giggles and kicks.

In all, using the mod for me takes away all the "console clutter" that gums up the screen.  Now it is almost like being there because I am using my senses to stay alive.

[Art Blade]

why don' you split (and perhaps merge) those two topics? Most of what we discussed there lately was about Ziggy's mod anyway. :)

[PZ]

I thought about doing that, but only briefly because I wanted to get back into the game.  :-()

[Art Blade]

I was too tired (it was too late) but now: Done  :-D