Solutions for when your game isn't launching with mods
Location Settings
Various issues can prevent a game from launching with mods or at all. In most cases these can be resolved by ensuring the following settings have correct values.
Thunderstore Mod Manager tries to automatically assign the correct values for location settings. Restarting the manager after installing new games might resolve issues.
The three location settings affecting launching a game.
Change data folder: the location where the mod manager stores mod files and configs
The location can be chosen freely, but it should NOT be the Steam folder nor the game folder
Change [game name] folder: the location of the game executable
For Steam games, the default location is C:/SteamLibrary/steamapps/common/[game name]/
You can verify the actual location in Steam's Library view by right-clicking the game and choosing Properties... → Installed Files → Browse...
Change Steam folder: the location of the steam.exe executable
The default location is C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam
This setting is available only if the mod manager supports the game on the Steam platform, and it was selected on the game selection screen (for many games this selection is automatic as only Steam is supported)
To change a location setting, click on the setting row and navigate to the correct folder using the file explorer window that pops up. It may pop up underneath the current window, so check your taskbar.
Errors and Solutions
Steam folder hasn't been set at all. Use "Change Steam folder" setting.
Steam folder has been set incorrectly or moved. Use "Change Steam folder" setting.
Game folder hasn't been set at all. Use "Change [game name] folder" setting.
Game folder has been set incorrectly or moved. Use "Change [game name] folder" setting.
Game folder has been set incorrectly or moved. Use "Change [game name] folder" setting.
Game starts without errors but the mods are not loaded
Restart the PC. Just do it
Ensure all the Locations settings are correct even if the game launches
Ensure the game's mod loader (usually BepInEx or MelonLoader) is installed in the selected profile
Ensure the game folder doesn't contain any manually installed mod files
For Steam games this can be done via Reset [game name] installation setting in the mod manager. Note that this deletes and downloads the whole game again
Ensure your anti-virus hasn't quarantined any files from the data folder or the game's folder
Ensure extra launch parameters are NOT set
Open Steam's Library view. Right click the game and choose Properties... . Ensure the LAUNCH OPTIONS text input at the bottom of the popup is empty
Open the mod manager's settings. Click the Set launch parameters setting. Ensure the text input at the bottom of the popup is empty
Ensure you have a compatible version of the game. Some Steam games require a specific "branch" to be selected. The branch can be changed in Steam's Library view by right-clicking the game and choosing Properties... → Betas → Beta Participation
Outward: use default-mono - Public default branch (mono)
Project Arrhythmia: use alpha
ROUNDS: use old-rounds-for-mods - Old ROUNDS for mods
Ensure you own the game on the selected platform (e.g. Steam). Pirated games are not supported
A specific mod isn't working
If a specific mod isn't working, try to find support in the modding server for that specific game.
The modding Discord for a game at the top of the Thunderstore website
I'm still having problems
For more help, join the Thunderstore Discord and create a new post in the #support channel. To save everybody's time, please include the following details in the post:
Go to mod manager's settings and click Copy troubleshooting information to clipboard. Paste this info into your Discord message
If there are any errors, provide screenshots of them
Create a new profile. Install only a mod loader (usually BepInEx or MelonLoader) and launch the game modded. Does the mod loader's console pop up? Does it contain any errors?
