Here is a thread to summarize everything you need to know to install mods.
Don't hesitate to ask if your question is not answered. This thread will be regularly updated when the situation evolves or if new questions arise.
That thread is intended for questions about modding in general. For questions related to a particular mod, please ask the author in his thread.
Are mods compatible with Android/Ios?
No, all mods available here only work with the Steam version of SFS. Mods/Custom parts/Textures are not compatible with any of the mobile versions. To this date, it's very unlikely that mods will be made available for mobile.
What do I need to install mods?
From version V1.5.8.5 (released on October the 20th, 2022), SFS includes a mod loader that you can access from the main screen. This mod loader allows the use of all mods present in this section, custom textures and custom parts, you don't need to install anything.
I still don't have access to the official mod loader, how do I update the game?
Note: this is for players that didn't update their game since October the 20th, 2022. You can skip this if you're not in this situation.
The game normally updates automatically by itself when you launch Steam, but you may have to perform these steps depending on your situation:
It's possible that the update doesn't trigger automatically. In this case you have to leave the beta program.
For this, open your game library, and right-click on Spaceflight Simulator:
Click on Properties, then open the "BETAS" panel:
Open the beta list, then select None:
Steam will automatically update your game to the latest version.
You have to uninstall the old mod loader. Here is how to proceed:
- Navigate to your "Spaceflight Simulator Game" folder.
- Remove "doorstop_config.ini" and "winhttp.dll".
- Navigate to your "Spaceflight Simulator_Data/Managed" folder.
- Remove "ModLoader.dll", but DON'T remove "0Harmony.dll". That last one has normally been updated, you need to keep that one.
How to access my game files?
The SFS files are installed by default under C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Spaceflight Simulator\Spaceflight Simulator Game
You can also access that folder from Steam, by right-clicking on Spaceflight Simulator then choose Manage > Browse local files:
From the game directory, here are all the important folders:
You can also directly open the Mods folder from the game, by clicking the Open Mods Folder button.
I'm interested in a mod. How do I install it?
The modders usually explain the procedure to install their mods. However, this is how you should proceed in general:
For mods: The mods consist in a dll file. From the game directory, navigate to "Spaceflight Simulator Game\Mods", and drop the dll file directly into it. Note that the next time you'll start the game, the file will automatically be moved into a subfolder named after the mod.
For custom parts: Custom parts are defined through assets assembled into an ".pack" file. You have to drop the asset files into "Spaceflight Simulator Game\Mods\Custom Assets\Parts".
For texture packs: Texture packs consist in a folder containing several files. That folder must be placed into "Spaceflight Simulator Game\Mods\Custom Assets\Texture Packs".
It says it's a virus! Are you sure it is safe?
You can have such alert for dll files. Your browser or your antivirus warns you based on the dll extension, not the actual file content. Those files contain executable code, which makes them a potential support for a malware, but it doesn't necessarily mean it is a malware.
As a general advice, if you don't trust a download source it's recommended to scan those files with an antivirus to be safe: right click on the file, then you should have the option to analyze it with either Windows Defender or your antivirus if you have one.
In practice, if you ask me, the modders represent a very small community, they all know eachother and have proven to be trustworthy with time. And of course we would not allow any virus to be hosted on the forum.
What is the old mod loader section?
The old mod loader/obsolete mods sections (see here) contain Dani's mod loader and a collection of mods that work with it. You will also find some versions of mods that were compatible with the earlier versions of the official mod loader (up to version 1.5.7.3). All of this is now obsolete, mods from this section are NOT compatible with the current mod loader. Please don't try to install them, they won't work. You'll find a working version of those mods in the current section.
I installed a mod but it doesn't work!
- First check that you installed the mod correctly: re-read the installation instructions, and verify that each file has been placed in the correct folder.
- Make sure you restart the game after installing your mod. The game only checks for new mods at startup, so this is necessary.
- Some mods have dependencies and require that you install another mod to make them work. This is normally explained in the instructions. The most notable cases are:
- Most mods require UITools as a dependency. It's available by default, just make sure you activate it in your mod loader menu.
- Some custom parts require the electricity parts pack by N2O4
- Check that your mod is compatible with your current game version. If you downloaded mods from the old mod loader version or from the obsolete mod section, those are not compatible with the embedded mod loader.
- If the game has been updated since the latest mod version, it's possible that the mod is not compatible anymore and needs an update. You'll have to wait for the modder to update his mod.
- Conversely, make sure your game is up to date (just launch Steam, it automatically checks and updates the game if needed): some mods have an auto-update capability, and an updated mod may not work with an outdated version of the game.
Those actions are normally enough to correct any problem, but in some rare cases you may have to perform those additional actions:
- From your game directory, go under Spaceflight Simulator\Spaceflight Simulator Game\Saving\Settings, and delete ModsSettings.txt. Don't worry, it will be automatically recreated the next time you launch your game.
- If you suspect you made something wrong, verify your file integrity just in case (see following question).
Of course, don't hesitate to ask if you can't find the solution by yourself.
If you suspect a bug, first check if it has already been reported. If not, then please inform the modder and give him as many informations as possible to help him to investigate.
I messed up with my game files! Help!
Don't panic, it happens. If you accidentally deleted a game file or damaged the game installation in any way, go to your Steam library, right-click on Spaceflight Simulator, and choose Properties:
Then in the panel that opens, go to the Installed files panel, and click Verify integrity of game files. Any missing file will be restored:
