Modding

What is a mod?

Asset Modding was added in November 2024, in the "Asset Modding Major Update" (v1.13.0). Asset modding allows you to replace/edit many game files, such as terrain, shaders, physics constants, and some aspects of components. You can also create new components, with a major caveat; you cannot create new functionality, such as custom logic, physics, etc., but you can create copies of blocks already in the game with different 3D models, sounds, size, weight, cost, and other changes.

Component Modding was added in July 2025, in the "Components, Physics, and Gameplay modding update" (v1.15.0). Needs continuation.

NOTE: some people may refer to vehicles or addons (sometimes called "environment mods") as mods, although they are not.

Creating Mods

Folder Structure:

• mod folder
  • mod.xml
  • mod.png*
  • audio*
  • data*
  • graphics*
  • meshes*

Files marked with an asterisk (*) are optional

Creating a mod.xml file (steps 1 and 2 may be slightly different on systems other than windows 11):

1. create a new text file in your mod folder, name it mod.xml (make sure you are changing the file type, not naming it mod.xml.txt)
2. right click > edit with notepad
3. paste the following:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <mod name="[NAME]" author="[AUTHOR]" desc="[DESCRIPTION]"/>
   

4. Edit the [NAME], [AUTHOR], and [DESCRIPTION] fields as you wish
5. congratulations, for most mods that's all the "coding" you will do

Creating a mod.png (Optional)

• This will be used as the thumbnail if you choose to upload your mod to the steam workshop
• It's out of the scope of this page to explain what makes a good thumbnail, but it must be a 512 x 512 px PNG

NOTES:

The mod folder can be named whatever you want.

If you intend to replace a base game asset, the names and folder structure of everything lower in hierarchy of the mod folder must match the base game exactly, as if your mod folder were the "rom" folder of stormworks.