How many mod characters I can install without crashing?

[Maris]

Is there any limit for characters? They usually have much of art.

[orian34]

Is there any limit for characters? They usually have much of art.

i guess it's all about your computer's performances.

[Kzisor]

@orian34, actually it's not about the computers performance. There is a direct limitation on the amount of mods which you can actually run on any and all computers and it has nothing to do with the CPU; it has to do with the maximum amount of memory which a 32-bit application will run on.

 

@Maris, to answer your question, yes there is a limit to the amount of characters. The amount of mods before you run into an issue is roughly 35, I will post the entire modoverrides.lua file that I was using at the time of testing.

 

return {		--	Ace	--["388109833"] = { enabled = true },	--	Additional equipslots	--["375919633"] = { enabled = true },	--	Additional Set Pieces	["394470072"] = 	{ 		enabled = true,				configuration_options =		{			world_generation =			{				random_set_pieces =				{					amount = 10,				},				set_pieces =				{					seasonal = true,				},			},			set_piece =			{				beefalo_farm =				{					chance = 20,					count = 1,				},				koalefant_farm =				{					chance = 25,					count = 1,				},				calamity_camp =				{					chance = 33,					count = 1,				},				colourful_mushroom_farm =				{					chance = 15,					count = 1,				},				conquering_pigs =				{					chance = 25,					count = 1,				},				healthy_resources = 				{					chance = 35,					count = 1,				},				mimic =				{					chance = 43,					count = 1,				},				seasonal_retaliation = 				{					chance = 50,					count = 3,				},				example = 				{					chance = 33,					count = 1,				},				winter_revival =				{					chance = 100,					count = 2,				},				wealthy_graves =				{					chance = 100,					count = 1,				},				mushroom_ring_small = 				{					chance = 50,					count = 1,				},				mushroom_ring_medium =				{					chance = 50,					count = 1,				},				mushroom_ring_large =				{					chance = 50,					count = 1,				},				fairy_rings =				{					enabled = true,				},				stone_henge =				{					enabled = true,				},				maxwell_merm_shrine =				{					chance = 1,					count = 1,				},				maxwell_pig_shrine =				{					chance = 1,					count = 1,				},				mactusk_city =				{					chance = 8,					count = 1,				},				mactusk_town =				{					chance = 18,					count = 1,				},				insane_flint =				{					chance = 38,					count = 1,				},				simple_base =				{					chance = 50,					count = 3,				},				ruined_base =				{					chance = 50,					count = 3,				},				pig_town =				{					chance = 8,					count = 1,				},				hound_rocks =				{					chance = 15,					count = 1,				},				village_square =				{					chance = 18,					count = 1,				},			},		},	},	--	Auto Retrap	["394612159"] = { enabled = true },	--	BeeNice	["361994110"] = { enabled = true },	--	Betty	--["390547635"] = { enabled = true },	--	Birdcage Mod	["375618000"] = { enabled = true },	--	Bobo the Detective Chimp	--["368882952"] = { enabled = true },	--	Breakable Ice	["385979230"] = { enabled = true },	--	Buried Treasure	["384337948"] = { enabled = true },	--	Charlie	["395420686"] = { enabled = true },	--	Clementine	--["363427869"] = { enabled = true },	--	Crash	["382501575"] = { enabled = true },	--	Dante	--["393845636"] = { enabled = true },	--	Devon	--["366048578"] = { enabled = true },	--	Dib	--["375631520"] = { enabled = true },	--	Diggable Reeds	["367304592"] = { enabled = true },	--	Dipper Pines	--["372911249"] = { enabled = true },	--	Effie The Bunny Hunter	--["394172257"] = { enabled = true },	--	Eira	--["391470860"] = { enabled = true },	--	Endia	--["363966651"] = { enabled = true },	-- Esko	--["356880841"] = { enabled = true },	--	Extended Map Generation	-- ["364821573"] = { enabled = true },	--	Faroz	--["364491382"] = { enabled = true },	--	Gaz	-- ["389070265"] = { enabled = true },	--	Gem Tools	["382122120"] = { enabled = true },	--	Genesis	-- ["368230903"] = { enabled = true },	-- Gentleman's Mod	["358015908"] = { enabled = true },	-- Geometric Placement	["351325790"] = { enabled = true },	--	Gir	-- ["363819976"] = { enabled = true },	-- Global Position Icons	["378160973"] = { enabled = true },	--	Growlie	--["400461720"] = { enabled = true },	--	Haruz	--["359821133"] = { enabled = true },	--	Heather	--["391086703"] = { enabled = true },	--	Heavy	--["402531514"] = { enabled = true },	--	Hulot The Grumpy Owl	--["374787932"] = { enabled = true },	--	Ikarus, the AI	--["384817185"] = { enabled = true },	-- Invader Zim by Purswader	-- ["357209437"] = { enabled = true },	--	Jane Doe	--["359460158"] = { enabled = true },	--	Koalephant's Family	--["354533909"] = { enabled = true },	--	Koalefanta Proboscidea	["409858663"] = { enabled = true },	--	Kurumi	--["403023416"] = { enabled = true },	--	Kyle	--["406913232"] = { enabled = true },	--	Lola	--["362480044"] = { enabled = true },	--	Lucina	--["403017374"] = { enabled = true },	--	Luffy	-- ["380079744"] = { enabled = true },	--	Luka	--["396172673"] = { enabled = true },	--	Maci	-- ["380277294"] = { enabled = true },	--	Mala Mi	--["392470602"] = { enabled = true },	--	Meowka The Angler	--["377308875"] = { enabled = true },	-- Michael The Fox	--["357013795"] = { enabled = true },	--	Miku Hatsune	--["368321978"] = { enabled = true },	--	Mineable Gems	["380423963"] = { enabled = true },	--	Mitsuru	--["364189966"] = { enabled = true },	--	More DST Characters	["343762271"] = { enabled = true },	--	More DST Characters - ROG	-- ["356833566"] = { enabled = true },	--	More Realistic Honey	-- ["396253452"] = { enabled = true },	--	Mr. Mundy	--["358671528"] = { enabled = true },	--	Naoto Shirogane	--["389838546"] = { enabled = true },	--	Nightly	--["361182341"] = { enabled = true },	--	Noctacrozz	--["357844130"] = { enabled = true },	--	Nyogtha	--["375220966"] = { enabled = true },	--	Peacock	--["358774171"] = { enabled = true },	--	Pickel It!	["404983266"] = { enabled = true },	--	Random Season Length	["405506326"] = { 		enabled = false,				configuration_options =		{			summer = 			{				length = 				{					min = 10,					max = 20,				},			},			winter =			{				length =				{					min = 10,					max = 20,				},			},			spring =			{				length = 				{					min = 15,					max = 25,				},			},			autumn = 			{				length = 				{					min = 15,					max = 25,				},				},		},	},	--	Reaper	-- ["380122571"] = { enabled = true },	--	Reflet	-- ["404499284"] = { enabled = true },	--	Ryougi Shiki	--["381295942"] = { enabled = true },	--	Saber	--["376244443"] = { enabled = true },	--	Sakura Matou	--["384048428"] = { enabled = true },	--	Shovel Knight	-- ["369544255"] = { enabled = true },	--	Signed-Chests	-- ["371091845"] = { enabled = true },	--	Slavya	--["390198022"] = { enabled = true },	--	Sollyz	--["359479220"] = { enabled = true },	--	Sophie	--["369644825"] = { enabled = true }, 		--	Soulmate	["350811795"] = { enabled = true },	--	Tamamo	--["399799824"] = { enabled = true },	--	The Order	-- ["365749321"] = { enabled = true },	--	Tiny Tina	--["370830662"] = { enabled = true },	--	Tohsaka Rin	--["399803164"] = { enabled = true },	--	Useless Junk	["382363357"] = { enabled = true },	--	Vladimir the Crimson Reaper	--["376844503"] = { enabled = true },	--	Wade	--["392465463"] = { enabled = true },	--	Wakkari	-- ["389385830"] = { enabled = true },	--	Wark the Chocobo	-- ["369518979"] = { enabled = true },	--	Watson Bunny	--["375382414"] = { enabled = true },	--	Wisp, Wynter & Wei	-- ["387593739"] = { enabled = true },	--	Wengin	--["384647192"] = { enabled = true },	--	Whandler	-- ["392369197"] = { enabled = true },	--	White	--["388899745"] = { enabled = true },	--	Wilburn	-- ["402955538"] = { enabled = true },	--	Willrick, the Plague Doctor	-- ["394605741"] = { enabled = true },	--	Winthrop	--["380250042"] = { enabled = true },	--	Winona the Invalid	--["393199348"] = { enabled = true },	-- Wisteria	--["357270978"] = { enabled = true },	-- Witney the Student	--["357258653"] = { enabled = true },	--	Wixel	--["378233215"] = { enabled = true },	--	Wray	--["380278703"] = { enabled = true },	--	Woodie	--["384633033"] = { enabled = true },	--	Wolf	--["369435452"] = { enabled = true },	--	Wormhole Marks	["362175979"] = { enabled = true },	--	Wulfe	--["367162186"] = { enabled = true },	--	Wyrra	-- ["396059545"] = { enabled = true },	-- Zinnia the Dismantler	-- ["352894457"] = { enabled = true },} 

 

The reason for this is how mods are loaded and unloaded in Don't Starve in general. They are originally loaded at start up to check for version differences which then they are unloaded, but not all data is erased from memory. They are loaded again after they've been downloaded and unloaded before world generation. After world generation they are loaded for the final time which makes it a total of 3 times being loaded, but only two loads will be displayed in the actual log.txt file.

[Maris]

Yes, I noticed that I have to reboot the server 2 times if there are any updates of the mods.

 

Is there any way to make the game better? Or to make the mods better? May be it is possible to do something like that: "if game_fully_loaded then....".

 

Also it is interesting what exactly affects memory. Scripts (lua files)? Variables in scripts? Art (tex files)? Because characters, for example, contains 90% of art and 10% of code. Which type of mods are most greedy? Which are best optimization methods?

[Kzisor]

@Maris, mods which contain art or animations definitely cause the most trouble unless you run into a poorly scripted mod which does everything in the global setting. Also the higher the resolution the artwork in the .tex files the more memory it consumes so it's always smart to use as high resolution as possible to get the effect you desire, but also the lowest size possible to keep memory usage to a minimum. 

[Maris]

mods which contain art or animations definitely cause the most trouble

Very interesting. So "poor" mods make sense. For example, I found that ghost_character_build.zip filesize is usually ~800KB (sometimes more). But my server works always on wilderness mode. And I need not those files. 

[Maris]

Does even modicon.tex affects the memory? Should I reduce the size of all icons in my mods?

[Kzisor]

@Maris, all files loaded into memory affect memory size. So to answer your question, yes. 

[PeterA]

I noticed that I have to reboot the server 2 times if there are any updates of the mods.

 

I noticed that as well and it should be fixed in the next patch!