Mods Communicator

Outward Mods Communicator

Outward Mods Communicator enables seamless communication between mods through shared events and configuration syncing. It also lets users override any changes made by other mods, giving them full control over their settings. You can find library published on NuGet as Outward.ModsCommunicator.

Why should I use this?

Benefits of using this library:

Configuration Syncing

This library allows mod pack creators to synchronize configuration files without directly editing them. Users don’t need to download configuration files from third-party sources. Configurations can be edited through XML, and the control flow follows this order: User -> Mod -> Cfg Documents

Deeper explanation

Currently, Outward's BepInEx does not provide a built-in way for mods to modify .cfg configuration files inside the BepInEx/config directory. Mods Communicator solves this by using two XML files. One XML file is placed in the mod’s plugin directory (recommended), and Mods Communicator uses it to override configuration settings right after the ResourcesPrefabManager class finishes its Load method. Afterwards, it reads the player’s PlayerModsOverrides.xml file, located in BepInEx/config/gymmed.Mods_Communicator folder, to apply personal overrides based on the player’s preferences.

FAQ

Why use XML instead of hardcoding values in the assembly/code/DLL?

XML is used so players can freely edit values without needing to modify any code. The XML structure is simple, human-readable, and gives full control to the user.

Why are there two XML files?

Mods can be updated frequently, and each update may include new default XML values. By separating the player’s personal overrides into a second XML file, updates won’t overwrite their custom settings. Mods Communicator only provides a BepInEx/config/gymmed.Mods_Communicator/PlayerModsOverrides.example.xml file — players must rename it to BepInEx/config/gymmed.Mods_Communicator/PlayerModsOverrides.xml. This makes their configuration safe from updates and re-downloads.

Why are XML files read after the ResourcesPrefabManager.Load method?

Because all plugins and their configurations must be initialized first. Once ResourcesPrefabManager.Load completes, all .cfg files are loaded, and it becomes safe to apply overrides.

Does every mod that changes settings through configs need Mods Communicator as a dependency?

No. The Mods Communicator library is only required for mods that want to modify other mods’ default values to create new experiences. For example, the Outward Game Settings mod uses this dependency solely for the EventBus feature to publish additional events.

Changing Configuration As User

This library includes PlayerModsOverrides.example.xml file inside your BepInEx/config/gymmed.Mods_Communicator folder. You will need to change it's name to PlayerModsOverrides.xml when you can open it to add or modify XML values.

Adding Configuration Path To Mod

You can add your configuration XML path inside your plugin’s Awake method like this: OutwardModsCommunicator.OMC.xmlFilePath = "FullPathTo/MyModsOverrides.xml";

Editing XML

This library will contain BepInEx/config/gymmed.Mods_Communicator/PlayerModsOverrides.example.xml document as an example. Each override is added inside a ConfigOverrides element: <ConfigOverrides> <Mod GUID="gymmed.outward_game_settings"> <Section Name="Enchanting Modifications"> <Entry Key="EnchantingSuccessChance" Value="5" /> <Entry Key="RequireRecipeToAllowEnchant" Value="false" /> <Entry Key="UseRecipeOnEnchanting" Value="false" /> </Section> </Mod> <Mod GUID="gymmed.outward_mods_communicator"> <Section Name="Event Profiler"> <Entry Key="EnableEventsProfiler" Value="true" /> <Entry Key="InstantLogEventsProfileData" Value="true" /> </Section> </Mod> </ConfigOverrides>

Possible mod override information can be found in BepInEx/config directory inside .cfg documents

Settings file was created by plugin Outward Game Settings v0.0.1

Plugin GUID: gymmed.outwardgamesettings

[Enchanting Modifications]

\## Allow enchanting only if enchantment is on character?

\# Setting type: Boolean

\# Default value: true

RequireRecipeToAllowEnchant = false

\## Remove recipe after using it on encha