Predesigned Vehicle-focused mod difficulties

[yoshiyoshigraf]

G'Day Ladies, Gentlemen and Themtlemen [I really, REALLY hope that's not somehow a slur.........]

If you are reading this... Thank you for your patience, and good on ya for being explorative with the GearCity Modding scene..!

[Basic Issue Description]
I've tried to upload and share a basic PredesignedVehicle mod, but cannot get it to work. I'm now admitting I'm doing something wrong and need help.
[/Basic Issue Description]

[Data Provided]
- The Mod Data itself in the attached "ASMAVD_ModData.zip" file, excluding...
-- The "Manifest" for the Steam Workshop object (can be provided via PM/DM if desired)
-- The Images/Photos for the Steam Workshop object (they obviously work perfectly and would take up space that doesn't need to be wasted)
-- Specific folder locations used (I have replaced partial file paths with "/<Placeholder>/<Mounted>/<Folder>/," I'm sure anyone working with these attached files will be able to adjust the .xml files to suit and work around that obfuscation)

- Three screenshots to show symptoms
[/Data Provided/Attached]

[Potential Mitigating Factors]
- I don't currently have Windows OS running on any device, but can set it up if necessary.
- Apparently one should be able to 'Read the log file' to see why the game is failing to start, but the wiki article, https://wiki.gearcity.info/doku.php?id=m...g_log_file, seems to be blank... I can provide log files if I'm reminded where to source them from and/or what to look for (I work in IT Support so I have at least a little capacity to read through log files, even if limited)
- According to the ModTools wiki page https://wiki.gearcity.info/doku.php?id=modtools:editors, the "Predesigned Vehicle" is 'Currently not implemented,' although as that page is dated as being last updated in 2022 and the Mod Tool seems to mostly work, I have ploughed ahead assuming this was just out-of-date...
- I literally just remembered (many hours later) that the DMCA Safe Harbour requirements mean that Eric cannot look at the mod files itself; good thing I separated the screenshots from the Mod data itself..! I'll leave the mod data here for anyone else interested to review...
[/Potential Mitigating Factors]

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[Symptom Set #1, active at the time of writing, 10th of January, 2026]

- When opening the "Video Setting Editor" program
-- The "Item Installation Complete" prompt will always appear (see attached image "GC_ASMAVD-Mod_SymptomSet1_Image1.png)
-- The mod will be visible in the "Video Setting Editor" program (see attached image "GC_ASMAVD-Mod_SymptomSet1_Image2.png)
- When attempting to launch GearCity (whether launched directly OR via Steam) the application will show a black screen of the 'correct' window size for 1/2 a second, then disappear. Steam will, within 2-3 seconds, assume that the game has closed.
[/Symptom Set #1]

[Symptom Set #2, not active at the time of writing]
What's the difference? I left the 'Supported Maps' area 'blank' in the main Mod.xml file

- When opening the "Video Setting Editor" program
-- The mod will NOT be visible in the "Video Setting Editor" program (image not attached)
- GearCity will launch, but there is no sign of the mod, nor the Predesigned Vehicles, even when creating a new Campaign specifically in the timeframe of the Predesigned Vehicles.
[/Symptom Set #2]

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{Basic System Information Notes="More details can be provided if desired"}
Devices tested:
CPU: Both AMD Ryzen 5000-based CPUs (one laptop, one desktop)
GPU: Both AMD-powered (Radeon RX6900 XT in Desktop, Integrated "Radeon Graphics" GPU in laptop)
OS: OpenSUSE Leap 15.6 64-bit Linux OS, kernel 6.4.0-150600.23.81-default
Desktop environment: XFCE (i.e. X11 Windowing system)
{/Basic System Information}

{GearCity Settings}
Rendering Engine: OpenGL
ColourDepth: 32-bit
Dynamic Reports Size: Off/Disabled
Units: Metric (mostly)
Shaders: Generally set to 'Enabled'
Shadows: Generally set to 'High'
{/GearCity Settings}

=========

[Background Notes="Fluff for any time-travellers wondering what the heck I'm doing"]
I've been 'causing trouble' in the Discord for quite some time now, and according to Steam, have sunk more than 2,500 hours into the 'Vanilla' version of GearCity, mainly via a single, normal-difficulty, Autism/ADHD-induced-level of micromanagement - never, EVER let me be a real-world organisation's manager in ANY capacity 0_o

As I've chugged along through the game, I've slowly gotten better at handling the vehicle designer (see 'AuDHD level of micromanagement,' each design took about 45-75 minutes to settle on), and thought it would be nice to share them with the GC community for general usage.
So, I created "my first Steam Workshop" mod, which I've named "ASM's Additional Vehicle Designs," and started with a set of vehicle designs focused on the 1950s-1970s. URL is https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/f...3579502142

I've chipped away at getting the mod to work, but I now believe that I have to be doing something wrong, or causing some kind of error, that is preventing it from working. I have two sets of symptoms that I currently can regenerate...

Assuming I can get this mod to work, I will add to it over time, and eventually make a Customised Map in future as well (long into the future)
[/Background Notes]

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