Difference between revisions of "Modding:Player Guide/Getting Started"
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# Unzip it somewhere else (not in your <code>Mods</code> folder). | # Unzip it somewhere else (not in your <code>Mods</code> folder). | ||
# Open the mod's old and new folders, so the <code>manifest.json</code> is visible in both. | # Open the mod's old and new folders, so the <code>manifest.json</code> is visible in both. | ||
− | # Copy all the files/subfolders from the | + | # Copy all the files/subfolders from the new folder into the old folder. |
===Remove mods=== | ===Remove mods=== |
Revision as of 00:37, 23 November 2018
Do you want to play Stardew Valley with mods? This guide is for you!
Intro
A "mod" is just a package of files which changes Stardew Valley in some way. Mods can add features (like showing NPCs on the map), change game mechanics (like making fences decay more slowly), make cosmetic changes (like making your house look like a hobbit home), and more.
Using mods is easy! You just need to...
- Install SMAPI. That's the mod loader for Stardew Valley — it launches the game with mod support and lets mods interact directly with the game code. It's safely installed alongside your normal game, and you can uninstall it anytime.
- Unzip mods into your Mods folder.
See frequent questions below, or keep reading to get started!
Getting started
Install SMAPI
First you'll need to install the mod loader, SMAPI. Click the right link for more info:
Find mods
Next you can download the mods you want. Some suggestions:
- most popular mods on Nexus;
- recommendations for a first playthrough;
- search for mods here:
site description Nexus Mods Most mods are released here.
(Registering an account is free, just don't choose a package when you register.)Chucklefish mods Some mods are released here (most are also on Nexus). ModDrop Pretty new. Not many mods yet, but you can install those it has very quickly through their (Windows-only) client. Stardew Valley forums Some mods are posted directly in the forums. Some hidden gems are only here, but finding them can be a challenge.
Before you download a mod...
- Does it work with the latest version of the game? (SMAPI will automatically disable most incompatible SMAPI mods, but you're on your own with XNB mods. Try checking the mod description or comments.)
- Don't download from stardewvalleymods.net. (Mods here are usually outdated, since the site republishes mods without permission for ad revenue.)
Find your game folder
Next you'll need to open your game folder (the one containing Stardew Valley's .exe
file). Here's where to find it by default:
Platform | Path |
---|---|
Windows | GOG: C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG Galaxy\Games\Stardew Valley Steam: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Stardew Valley
|
Linux | GOG: ~/GOGGames/StardewValley/game Steam: ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/Stardew Valley
|
Mac | GOG: /Applications/Stardew Valley.app/Contents/MacOS Steam: ~/Library/Application Support/Steam/steamapps/common/Stardew Valley/Contents/MacOS On Mac, the Content folder is stored separately:GOG: /Applications/Stardew Valley.app/Resources/Content Steam: ~/Library/Application Support/Steam/steamapps/common/Stardew Valley/Contents/Resources/Content
|
Not there? Here are some other ways to find it:
more options |
---|
|
Install mods
To install a mod, just unzip it into the Mods
folder in your game folder. Make sure each mod has its own subfolder. For example, if you have a PineapplesEverywhere
mod, you should have a file structure like this:
Stardew Valley/ Mods/ PineapplesEverywhere/ PineapplesEverywhere.dll manifest.json
If you have a lot of mods, you can optionally organise them into subfolders. SMAPI will automatically search inside each folder until it finds one with files.
Stardew Valley/ Mods/ Fruit mods/ PineapplesEverywhere/ PineapplesEverywhere.dll manifest.json ApplesNowhere/ ApplesNowhere.dll manifest.json
If you want to disable a folder, just add a dot in front of the folder name (like .disabled mods
). Windows won't let you do that by default, but just put a dot at the end too and it'll let you (like .disabled mods.
).
Configure mods
Some mods have a config.json
file in their mod folder. It might be created the first time you launch the game with that mod. This file lets you customise the mod settings.
To edit the config.json
file, just open it in a text editor. Make sure the game isn't running when you edit it, or your changes might not take effect. See a basic guide to JSON; basically make sure your values are surrounded by quotes (like "value"
). You can use this JSON validator to make sure the format is correct.
Update mods
To update a mod, just replace its files with the new versions (making sure to keep generated files like config.json
).
More detailed steps:
- Download the new mod version.
- Unzip it somewhere else (not in your
Mods
folder). - Open the mod's old and new folders, so the
manifest.json
is visible in both. - Copy all the files/subfolders from the new folder into the old folder.
Remove mods
Delete a mod from the Mods
folder to uninstall it. Make sure to check the mod page in case it mentions any special uninstall instructions.
XNB mods
XNB mods replace files in your game's Content
folder with custom versions. If a mod has some .xnb
files and no manifest.json
, it's an XNB mod. This is an older type of mod that's no longer recommended, but see Modding:Using XNB mods if you're still interested.
Frequent questions
Can I use mods on Linux, Mac, Windows, or consoles?
Mod support for each platform:
Platform | Mod support |
---|---|
Linux | ✓ fully supported |
Mac | ✓ fully supported |
Windows | ✓ fully supported |
Nintendo Switch | ✖ no mod support |
PS4 | ✖ no mod support |
XBox One | ✖ no mod support |
Almost all mods will work on any supported platform, since SMAPI rewrites them for compatibility.
Can mods corrupt my save?
Yes, but it's extremely rare. Only a few mods affect your save file at all. If you avoid those, mods are very unlikely to corrupt your save file. In most cases, you can fix save corruption by undoing the last save.
If you're worried, just back up your save files occasionally. That's strongly recommended even if you don't use mods, since save corruption is almost always caused by the game itself. SMAPI also creates a daily backup of your saves automatically; you can retrieve those from the Mods/SaveBackup folder.
Can I stop using mods later?
Yep. With a few exceptions (see previous question), mods don't directly affect your save file so you can stop using them anytime.
Do mods disable Steam achievements?
Steam achievements work fine, as long as you launch SMAPI through Steam. Make sure you follow the install instructions to configure Steam on Windows (no Steam changes needed on Linux or Mac). If the Steam overlay works, the achievements should work too.
Do mods work in multiplayer?
Yep. Stardew Valley 1.3 is still new, so check the SMAPI compatibility list to see if the mod is compatible.
How they work depends on the mod. Usually each player can have their own mods, and you can mix modded and vanilla players. Some mods don't work (or work poorly) in multiplayer, or affect other players too. Try checking the mod description for details about multiplayer (often under a 'compatibility' header).
Here are some approximate rules for mods that don't specify:
type of mod | effects | summary |
---|---|---|
Content Patcher | depends | See Multiplayer in the Content Patcher readme (applies for XNB mods too). |
Map replacements | local | That includes mods which replace an existing map (without adding special logic with SMAPI). These are only visible to players who install them. Players without the custom map will see the normal map and will be subject to the normal bounds (e.g. they may see other players walk through walls, but they won't be able to follow). |
Visual changes | local | That includes custom portraits and sprites, custom farmer appearance (except GetDressed or Kisekae), recolors, etc. These mods only affect the players who installed them. Other players won't be affected. If both players have the same mods, they'll see the same visual changes though. |
Time changes | global | That includes any mod which pauses time, changes the current time, or changes the rate of time. These mods only work when installed by the main player, but will affect all players. They will have no effect when used by farmhands. |
Custom UI | local | That includes mods that add new icons, tooltips, and menus. These mods only affect the players who installed them. Other players won't be affected. |
World changes | global | That includes any mods which edit things in the world — durable fences, monster stat changes, etc. These mods affect all players, no matter who installs them. |
Other mods | depends | See the mod's description for details, or ask the author. |
What is SMAPI?
SMAPI is the mod loader for Stardew Valley. It works fine with GOG and Steam achievements, it's compatible with Linux/Mac/Windows, you can uninstall it anytime, and there's a friendly community if you need help. SMAPI is required for most types of Stardew Valley mod.
SMAPI does a lot for you. For example, it will...
- Load mods into the game and provide APIs they can use. Many types of mod aren't possible without SMAPI.
- Rewrite mods for crossplatform compatibility, so you can use almost any mod on Linux/Mac/Windows.
- Intercept errors. If a mod crashes or causes an error, SMAPI will intercept the error, show the error details in the console window, and in most cases automatically recover the game.
- Provide update checks. SMAPI automatically alerts you when a new version of a mod is available.
- Provide compatibility checks. SMAPI automatically detects when a mod is incompatible and disables it before it causes problems.
Where are my...
- Game folder: see Getting Started#Find your game folder.
- SMAPI log: see Troubleshooting#Find your SMAPI log.
- Save files: see Saves.