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llamamod/docs/manual/02-installing.md

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Installing LlamaMod and the first start

LlamaMod runs on Windows and Linux. It needs your own copy of the game – the CD or an ISO image of it, German or English version. The game itself does not have to be installed: LlamaMod copies what it needs into its own data folder and never changes the original.

Download and start

System Package Start
Windows LlamaMod-<version>-full-windows-x64.zip Unzip anywhere and start LlamaMod.exe. Keep LlamaMod.exe and the runtime folder together. No installation and no administrator rights are needed.
Linux LlamaMod-<version>-full-linux-x64.tar.gz Unpack and start ./LlamaMod. ./install-desktop-entry.sh adds a menu entry. Install Wine to run the game.

Both packages bring their own Java runtime. The editor's 3D view needs a graphics driver with OpenGL 3.3 (any graphics card from the last ten years).

First start: setting up the game

On the first start a wizard asks where your game is:

The setup wizard

  1. Choose ISO file… for a CD image, or Folder / CD… for the inserted CD or a copied folder. LlamaMod shows how many files it found and how much disk space it needs – or, in red, what is wrong: the file is not a CD image, the folder does not contain the game, the ISO file is incomplete (an interrupted download), or the disk is too full.
  2. Check the Data folder. Game copy, mods, save games and settings are stored there. The default is %LOCALAPPDATA%\LlamaMod on Windows and ~/.local/share/LlamaMod on Linux; Change… picks another place.
  3. Click Set up. LlamaMod copies the game data, checks it for damaged files and reports All set! Cancel stops the copy; clicking Set up again continues where it stopped.

You can repeat this later with Settings → Set up again….

The LlamaMod window

LlamaMod's mod list

  • ▶ Play (top right) starts the game with the selected mods. While the game runs, the button reads ■ Quit game – handy when the game hangs or its window is hidden. If the game crashes, LlamaMod says so and offers to open the log files.
  • Level Editor (next to Play) opens the level editor in its own window.
  • The Mods tab lists all mods by category (Levels, Gameplay, Visual, Cheats & debug). Tick the ones you want, set their options (each one is explained next to it) and click Apply. Restore original switches all mods off. Mods marked modifies groove.exe change the game program in LlamaMod's private copy (see antivirus warnings). All mods and their options are listed in LlamaMod mods.
  • The Save games tab edits the three save slots: unlocked worlds and chapters, coins, gold coins and collectibles per level, lives, where the world map Opens at, Unlock all worlds and Unlock TestLevel (world 9). Undo changes throws away unsaved edits. A backup is made before every change (Backups opens the folder); Import… reads a .ksv file and starts in the backups folder, so restoring a backup is two clicks.
  • The Settings tab sets the game resolution (Automatic shows the size it will use), Run in a window (Linux: Wine virtual desktop, recommended), the light or dark Appearance, the Wine command, the data folder (Open folder, Logs), Set up again… (copies the game once more; mods, settings and save games are kept) and Clear cache for the mod cache.

The save game editor (dark theme)

Tip: Every level project in the data folder's levels folder appears as a mod in the Levels category. That is how you install levels from other people – see Sharing levels.

Starting the editor

  • Click Level Editor in LlamaMod's header, or
  • start LlamaMod with --editor, optionally followed by a project file or the name of an original level, for example LlamaMod --editor t1l1m001 (Village chapter 1).

The editor opens with a start page: New level, Open original level, Open project and your recent projects. Help → Getting started (Shift+F1) shows a five-step tour, and this manual is always one F1 away.

The editor's start page

The data folder

Folder Content
levels/ your level projects (.llamalevel) – each one is a mod
editor/ editor settings, autosaves, prefabs
library/ geometry saved to the editor's library (.llamamesh)
original/ the untouched copy of the game from your CD
game/, cd-active/ the copy the game runs from, with the active mods applied
cache/ built mod files (cleared with Settings → Clear cache)
backups/saves/ save game backups
logs/ log files (game, mod apply) for troubleshooting