Modding:Overview

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For information on installing mods, see Modding:Installing a mod.
For information on installing mods, see Modding: Installing a mod.

Caves of Qud presents a broadly extensible engine. The game's core definition files reside in %game directory%\CoQ_Data\StreamingAssets\Base.

You can create mods for the game by creating a Mods folder in the same parent directory where your Saves are located, and then creating a sub-folder inside of the Mods folder for your new mod. New content can be created and existing content can be modified or replaced via data files and textures placed in this directory.

For example, on Windows: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Freehold Games\CavesOfQud\Mods\MyAwesomeMod
Likewise, on Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/com.FreeholdGames.CavesOfQud/mods/MyAwesomeMod
On Linux: ~/.config/unity3d/Freehold Games/CavesOfQud/Mods/MyAwesomeMod

A (partial) checklist for getting ready to mod

  • If your file manager (such as Windows Explorer) hides file extensions, tell it to show them instead. Being able to verify you're using the correct file extensions is vital when programming.
  • Install a programming text editor, such as Visual Studio Code (all major platforms), Sublime Text (all major platforms), or Notepad++ (Windows only).
    • Visual Studio Code in particular, paired with Microsoft's C# extension for it, is very useful if you plan to write any script mods.
    • Word processors (such as LibreOffice Writer and Microsoft Word) are unsuitable for modding the game, because they deal primarily with formatted text, as opposed to plain text.
    • If you cannot install a programming text editor for whatever reason, Notepad is essentially useable, even though it's missing certain features usually considered desireable for programming, such as syntax highlighting and line numbering.
  • If you plan to mod in your own tiles, familiarize yourself with a pixel editor, such as Piskel (all major platforms and web).
    • GIMP is essentially useable, but it isn't designed specifically for pixel art and may take more work to make game tiles with it than with a dedicated pixel editor.

Modding FAQ/Frequent Issues

Q: I keep getting an error when trying to save my game.

A: Most likely, you have a list in your mod. Qud's default method of saving doesn't handle lists, so you need to handle it yourself. To see how, check out this article on how to override Qud's default saving/loading.


Q: I'm stuck and don't know what to do.

A: Feel free to ask for help or guidance in #modding on the official Caves of Qud discord server! There are several modders there who use the channel to talk through and ask for feedback on their mods.


Q: Where can I find 'Player.log'?

A: The location is dependent on your operating system.

  • PC: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Freehold Games\CavesOfQud\Player.log
  • Mac: ~/Library/Logs/Unity/Player.log
  • Linux: ~/.config/unity3d/Editor/Player.log