Why I use mod format instead of just making placeable/vehicle/map embedded scripts

Hello everyone! 👋 I decided to make this post mainly because there seems to be a lot of confusion as to why a lot of this stuff requires so much configuration and sometimes has a steep learning curve.

First, things that are designed for use with placeables, vehicles, and/or maps start out as feature requests by vehicle, placeable, and map makers. In order to have these features, they have to be designed and written into the game. They also require configuration just like any vanilla feature does.

So why release them as mods instead of just embedded scripts that can be included with the things that use them?

Two reasons. The first is console. Scripts, as most of you know, are not allowed on console. So, embedding a script in a placeable, vehicle, or map excludes that placeable, map, etc. from being available to console players. Writing an external script mod lets the placeable, map, etc. use the new features on PC, while at the same time allowing a more vanilla version to be available on console.

The other reason is overwriting global variables. In many cases, features require changing things in the global game tables. If more than one placeable or vehicle mod uses the same embedded script, that's the equivalent of loading the same script mod X amount of times. Like having 10 Courseplays running at the same time. In other words, every one of those embedded scripts would conflict with each other because they are all doing the same things in the same places at the same time.

Anyway, that's why. Without the scripts, those features just wouldn't work/exist. They have to be added to the game somewhere so mod creators can configure their creations to use them and end users can then enjoy those creations.

Hope that clears things up a bit. Later!