This guide will show you how to install mods manually. The method described will work for both the Steam and the offline version of Prison Architect. Downloading mods without going through the subscribe process and getting it via the game itself can be very handy for modders.
Mar 09, 2018 This guide will show you how to install mods manually. The method described will work for both the Steam and the offline version of Prison Architect. Downloading mods without going through the subscribe process and getting it via the game itself can be very handy for modders. Not a problem, reason for that is I have just been uploading mods to steam workshop that I know fully work both in XXL and older versions. Pretty much all my mods uploaded here will work in all versions. Only issue so far is a few won't show my transparent furniture objects, like balcony's etc.
For instance, if you need to quickly verify if some mod might be interfering with your own mods when somebody asks you. Simply get the mod, check its files and you have your answer ready in no-time. No need to subscribe, fire up the game, waiting for the intro prison to load, downloading the mod, quitting the game, finding the data folder, etcetera.
Other cases include having only an offline version of the game and you want access to this content to play with mods without an internet connection. First of all, let's open the folder where all the user data is stored for the game.To do this, start the game, click on Options, and click Open Save Folder.Windows Explorer will open, and you can now close the game.To make things easier for you next time, create a shortcut to this map:- go one level up in the folder structure, click and drag the PA folder to the left side.- when it says 'Add to quick access' and shows you a line where to put it, let go of the mouse.You will now have quick access to this hidden folder so you can get to it the easy way. Once you've downloaded the file, you will need to do some tricks to unpack it.First of all, WinRAR is required. Once you unpacked the mod, have a look inside its folder to see if everything is correct.Typically you will see a 'data' folder, a thumbnail image and a manifest.txt inside the main folder.Inside the 'data' folder are some.txt files, perhaps a sprites.png or other stuff, and language or scripts folders. When this all looks ok (instead of empty folders or files being shown as folders) you can move the unpacked mod into your mods folder.Right-click the unpacked folder and select Cut, then click on the Prison Architect quick access to the left side.Double-click the 'mods' folder, and Paste your mod in there. Be sure to paste it in the 'mods' folder itself and not in some already existing mod inside!You could also open another Explorer window, keep them side by side, then click and drag the unpacked folder from one window into the other.
It's all up to you.Each folder inside the 'mods' folder is a separate mod. Folder names starting with a number have been downloaded via the game. These numbers correspond to the number in the URL of the workshop item.
I'm not sure if the next step is needed, but check if your manually unpacked mod folder name starts with 'mods' like shown in the picture. Rename it if it doesn't, so it will work for sure. Not all mods will be compatible with each other or with the current game version:. if two mods alter the same thing, the mod on top of the mod-list will override the one below. only 1 mod altering things like the menu icons, floor tiles or complaints icons can be active!.
some mods contain way more data than needed. Like a complete default materials.txt for example, or a spritesheet of the menu icons, or the people in the game. The author probably didn't intend to mod those things at all, but put them in the mod anyway.This can result in incompatibility when a new game update is released. Menu icons can go wrong, weather icons missing, or other weird sprite stuff. Always keep an eye on the release date of a specific mod you want to try, because it might need an update to be compatible with the latest version of the game.Special files which can mess up when they get outdated include:complaints.pngcomplaints.spritebankinterface.spritebankmaterials.txtneeds.txtneeds-staff.txtobjects.pngobjects.spritebankpeople.pngtileset.pngui.pngSo if you have strange problems, check if one of your mods is altering these files.Sometimes the author isn't aware, so it's a good thing to leave a comment on the workshop item if you suspect a mod from being outdated. If things mess up, just check the debug.txt file to see if it can shine some light on your problem.You can safely delete preferences.txt to reset all game options, PA will simply recreate this file upon launch with default settings.You can edit the preferences.txt with notepad to change all game options or edit the loaded mods list as well:No mods loaded: change Mods to (empty)Modname with spaces: change Mods to 'Name Of The Mod' within quotes, as given in the manifest.txt file of the downloaded mod.Several mods: change Mods to 'Modname1,Mod Name 2,etcetera' within quotes.
Choose and Download ModsDownload the appropriate mods that you wish to install and prepare to install them by first extracting the contents. The mods will be downloaded as.zip or.rar files, so you will have to unarchive them, either by right-clicking the files and selecting 'extract' or by opening them with your preferred archive software.Keep the extracted files in one place. Each mod will typically have two folders (Meshes and Textures) and a single.esp file. If you are installing multiple mods, you can merge these folders together or just keep them handy while you locate the 'Skyrim' installation directory.
Download Steam Workshop Mods Without Steam Videos
Carefully check your mods to see if any of them have special instructions. Some mods don't work well together, and there will typically be a note included in the mod folder if there are known issues. Check through these notes to see if there are any special instructions in your specific mods.Installing the ModsNavigate to your game's installation folder. Even if you are not using Steam for this process, or do not use Steam in general, your mods will nonethess be installed to 'C:Program Files (x86)SteamSteamAppscommonskyrimdata'. Open this folder.Click and drag the 'Meshes' and 'Texture' folders and the.esp file from the mod directory to your 'Skyrim' data directory.
You will be asked if you wish to merge the folders you are moving with those already present in the 'Skyrim' file structure. Select 'Yes' for all.Double check your files.
How To Download Mods From Steam Workshop
You should now have the.esp files for your mods in the 'skyrimdata' directory and the meshes and textures should be merged into their appropriate folders.Launch 'Skyrim' and test the content to see if the game has changed. Some mods that affect game play are very obvious, but you may have to travel to a specific area or talk to a specific NPC to see new content.