Warcraft 3 Custom Mods Folder Issue: Custom Map Loading Problems

When attempting to play Warcraft III with custom maps, users often encounter a bug that prevents the game from starting or loading correctly. This issue affects players who have downloaded and installed custom map packs from public mods, particularly those using local or subscribed mods folders.

What was SUPPOSED to happen if the bug were not present?

If this bug did not exist, here is what would occur:

* The game would start without issues, allowing all players to join and ready up in the lobby.

* Players could select a custom map of their choice, which they had previously downloaded, from the 'custom maps' option under the map types.

* When hosting a game with a custom map, other players who have also downloaded the required files would be prompted to load the map.

Steps to reproduce the issue:

To replicate this problem, follow these steps:

1. Ensure that you have Warcraft III installed and updated to the latest version.

2. Download a custom map pack from public mods and extract its contents to either your local 'Warcraft III\Mods' folder or subscribed mods folder (e.g., 'My Documents\My Games\Warcraft III\Mods').

3. Launch Warcraft III and create a new game, selecting 'Custom Maps' as the map type.

4. Choose the custom map you downloaded and click 'Start Game'.

5. Wait for the game to load and attempt to join the lobby.

Issue frequency:

This issue occurs 100% of the time in every match I play (always).

Important notes:

* The problem only affects custom maps, not scenarios.

* Only players who have downloaded the same custom map pack from public mods will be able to join the game without issues. Others will either receive a 'file transfer failed' error or experience difficulties loading the map.

The described issue is critical, and omitting these details may prevent your problem from being reviewed. To resolve this issue, it's essential to understand that custom maps are not loaded correctly due to a bug in Warcraft III's handling of local or subscribed mods folders. By following the provided steps and providing detailed information about the problem, users can help identify and potentially fix this issue.

Warcraft 3 custom mods folder