What is SAS Modact?It is a very simple way to enable your game to use mods. The download is relatively small (max 155mb for the latest version). These types of "Mod Activators" usually contain a built in soundmod (replacement of the game's terrible stock sounds), and some other small and "essential" mods, just so you can get a little "mod for your trouble". Examples of these are expanded lists of countries, new decal systems, new QMB systems, wide-screen support, ect. Some of these are built in to the ModAct, others are activated by user choice. Any further additional mods have to be added by the user, manually, requiring a little more technical knowledge of computers in general, and the game specifically. However, even just in it's base-form, a modact such as the SAS series 3.0x Modacts, will, on it's own, probably make a bigger impact in the way your game looks, sounds, and feels, than all 1946's official patches combined.
Who uses an SAS Modact?~These types of small "starter" modacts are usually used by people who want to just add one or two mods to their game, or who want to just "jack up" their stock install with the things that come with the modact, and perhaps a few further things they can manually install.
~This type of modact is also used by many modders for developing mods, since it is small and simple and fast, and has very little standing between the mod files and the stock files, making troubleshooting and bugfixing easier.
~Lastly, these modacts are used by some online squadrons who construct their own "minipack" with them for closed squadron servers. These modacts are also used by some individual online players, to play with on stock servers that allow some mods, and usually have no security checks. The reason given by such players is that they just want to "improve a few things to make the experience better, like add better cockpits or a few map textures". However, serious online players who prefer mods, almost exclusively use dedicated online ModPacks, with built in security and dedicated servers, set up to have all players using that pack be on the same level. So, you can see that, those using their own "custom collections" of mods on open servers...well, there is another word for folks like that, isn't there?
Who should NOT use an SAS Modact?~These Modacts are not suitable for guys who want to build large installations with many mods. In the past, when less technology was available, there was not a big difference between using a big ModPack, or building your own big installation on a small ModAct. But these days there is an enormous difference. Packs are made much better, much more customized, and mostly packed completely in the game's native SFS format, increasing performance.
~These are also not suitable for players who do not want to do a lot of reading and research, and learning to install mods manually, but would rather have everything in a big pack, easily installed.
~And following on the previous point, these modacts are not suitable for people who do not have at least a basic understanding of PC's, of their operating systems, and of managing their installations of software and self-troubleshooting.
~Not really suitable for serious online players.
~Not needed by players who only want to download and play a big Pack, like UP, HSFX, or UP/DBW. Those all have their own "built in" modactivators.
What are the Advantages of these Modacts?~Small and easy to download
~Highly customizable
~They are made at SAS for SAS, using many mods and techniques that are developed and sourced from right here, so they are not copies of someone else's modact or stuff. Therefore they are very stable, up to date, and very high quality, and the support for them is first-hand.
~Very flexible and good for experimentation and testing.
~Full and easy support for the installation of FBDSM (an ongoing series of SFS archives that are aimed at replacing and improving all the default skins in the game)
~Compatibility with almost all mods (for that specific version of IL2) out there.
~Quick and instant improvement of the stock game.
~Great "classroom" for learning about installation and management of mods.
~Rapid reaction to problems with the modact.
~3.0x series Modacts can be installed into an game installation that already has other packs or modacts installed, without being affected by them or interfering with them.
What are the Disadvantages of these Modacts?~They only provide a few basic but essential mods with the initial installation. Further mods must be added manually.
~Manual installation of mods require a higher level of commitment from the user in reading, self-education and self-troubleshooting.
~No significant support for online use.
~While there is great support for issues with the modact itself, support for user added mods have to be directed at individual authors. iow, once the modact is installed and working, you are proceeding at your own risk.
~Rapid development of modact technology, means the latest Modact is at some stages frequently updated and improved. This can be confusing.
~Large manual installations load significantly slower than large SFS based modpacks.
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Topic: Newbie Guide : What is SAS Modact? (Read 25767 times)
