After the 2013 Steam 1.3 SteamPipe update, there was a folder structure change to all Half-Life 1 mods.

After that change, you can add a special folder to the "YOUR DRIVE:\YOUR FOLDER\steamapps\common\Half-Life" folder.

 

That special folder is called "dod_addon".

If you make a new folder called "dod_addon" in "YOUR DRIVE:\YOUR FOLDER\steamapps\common\Half-Life" the files you place in there will be used instead of the official files in "dod".

This is great for custom files if you have to validate the official files or an update occurs.

 

The custom files in the "dod_addon" folder don't get touched.

That's very handy!!!!

 

With the Half-Life 1 25th Anniversary updates in late 2023 rolling out (also some for dod) it is now important to revisit this. 

 

For example, let's say you downloaded a set of custom crosshairs.

In the download there is a "userconfig.cfg" that goes in the "dod" folder and a file called "customxhair.spr" that goes in "dod\sprites" folder.

The instructions tell you to place the files in the "dod" folder. 

 

Instead of doing that, you make a new folder in the "Half-Life" folder called "dod_addon" and treat that as the "dod" folder.

 

Here is my Half-Life folder in my drive D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Half-Life ...

 

half life folder
D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Half-Life

 

As you can see under "Half-Life" there are mod folders for other HL1 games, look at the three "dod" folders.

 

"dod" - that's where steam installed Half-Life 1 mod "day of defeat".

"dod_addon" - I made that folder so I can store custom files and not have them wiped out in an update of the dod folder.

"dod_downloads" - I visited a server and it downloaded some custom files for a server mod like the medic mod that has a custom sound.

 

So what's in my dod_addon folder?

I have custom hud files, and custom crosshairs with a custom user.cfg file, and a custom command menu.

All of those are in the correct folders as if they were in the "dod" folder.....

 

 dod addon folder
 D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Half-Life\dod_addon

 

So that's the point here.

 

  • This new folder acts like the dod folder, the engine will use your custom file instead of the default files in "dod".

 

  • If a download instructs you to place the files in "dod\sprites" place that in the new "dod_addon" folder the same way, e.g.: "dod_addon\sprites".

 

  • Back up Note: You should in any case back up the "dod_addon" folder so you have all your favorite files as a matter of good practice, but when validating or an update rolls in your file in "dod_addon" folder will remain. 

 

Important Note: There are some custom files you shouldn't place in the "dod_addon" folder.

The custom files that will not work are ones like the SturmBot or ShrikeBot addons.

That set of files must be in "dod"

The bot files only work if you alter the "liblist.gam" file in the "dod" folder, the .dll files that alter the dod .dll files will not be found.

The same could occur if you installed server admin mods on a listen server like AMX Mod X. Sure you can make it work but it is better away from the "dod_addon" folder.

The bot and mod systems will work but it will not find files like the waypoints folder.

 

In saying that, just about any other custom files will work through the "dod_addon" folder.

 

The benefits are obvious, let's say you downloaded a custom file and it changed the files in "dod".

You didn't like the change.

 

You can't remember what files were changed... what do you do now?

Validate your entire dod files to get back the standard files?

But... you have other custom files too, now they too will be wiped out.

If you had them in "Half-Life\dod_addon" it would be less of a problem, you can at least save your "dod_addon" folder and remove files one by one if you have to.

 

Hope that helps.

This also works for other HL1 mods like Counter-Strike 1.6 just make a folder called "cstrike_addon".

For HL1 it's "valve_addon" as that is the main file folder ("valve") for Half-Life files.

 

You get the format, whatever the mod it is "modname\addon" you make that new folder and that is placed in the "Half-Life" folder.