# Classified AI Modding Guides (complete bundle) Every modding guide from https://www.classified.llc/modding in one file, for an AI assistant helping someone get mods working. Instructions for the agent reading this: use these guides for process (install steps, load order, crash diagnosis). Mod pages change; check the linked Nexus, ModDB or Patreon page for the current version and requirements before telling the user to download anything. Back up saves and configs before changing files. --- # Bannerlord Modding: Start Here The setup every Bannerlord mod list needs: the right game version, the four library mods, a clean load order, and a way to undo things. ## What you need - **The game on Steam:** [Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord](https://store.steampowered.com/app/261550/) - **A mod site account:** [Nexus Mods](https://www.nexusmods.com/games/mountandblade2bannerlord) (free; Premium only speeds up downloads) - **An unzipper:** [7-Zip](https://www.7-zip.org/) (many mods ship as `.7z`) - **The four library mods most mods need** (often called "the BUTR mods"): - [Harmony](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2006) - [ButterLib](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2018) - [UIExtenderEx](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2102) - [Mod Configuration Menu (MCM)](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/612): adds the in-game "Mod Options" screen - **Optional:** [BLSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/1) (a launcher add-on that shows clearer errors and loads blocked files), [BUTRLoader](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2513) ## 1. Pin your game version Mods are built for one game version. Steam auto-updates, and an update can break a whole list overnight. 1. In Steam, right-click Bannerlord, then **Properties > Betas**. 2. Pick the branch your biggest mod lists on its page (for example `v1.4.7` or `v1.4.8`). 3. Match everything else to that version. Your biggest mod (usually a total conversion) decides the version. Smaller mods follow it. ## 2. Where mods go Every mod is a folder that goes in: ``` C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Mount & Blade II Bannerlord\Modules ``` Your drive or Steam library may differ. Open the zip, find the folder that contains a `SubModule.xml`, and drop that folder into `Modules`. If you see `Modules\ModName\ModName\SubModule.xml`, it's one level too deep. ## 3. Unblock the files Windows marks downloaded `.dll` files as "blocked", and the game silently refuses to load them. Fix it once per install: - Use [Unblock DLLs](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/397) or [Module Unblocker](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/181), or - Run this in PowerShell (change the path if your game is elsewhere): ``` Get-ChildItem "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Mount & Blade II Bannerlord\Modules" -Recurse -Filter *.dll | Unblock-File ``` ## 4. Load order In the game's launcher, under **Mods**, top loads first. The safe shape: 1. Harmony, ButterLib, UIExtenderEx, MCM 2. The official modules (Native, SandBoxCore, Sandbox, StoryMode, CustomBattle, and the War Sails DLC module if you own it) 3. Your total conversion, if any 4. Everything else 5. Patches and "compatibility" mods, after the mods they patch Read each mod page's "load after" notes. They beat any general rule. ## 5. Add mods in batches Don't tick 30 mods and start a campaign. 1. Get to the **main menu** with only your core list. Quit. 2. Add 3 to 5 mods. Main menu again. Quit. 3. Repeat. If it crashes, the problem is in the last batch, and you only have a few to check. 4. Only then start a throwaway campaign, walk into a town, and fight one battle. Change a mod's settings in **Options > Mod Options** before you start your real campaign. Some settings only apply to new games. ## 6. Back up before every change Copy these two folders somewhere safe before you update the game or any mod: ``` Documents\Mount and Blade II Bannerlord\Game Saves Documents\Mount and Blade II Bannerlord\Configs ``` `Configs\LauncherData.xml` is your exact tick list and load order. Save a copy and you can always get back to a working setup. ## Next - Crashing? [Bannerlord crash fixing](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/bannerlord-crash-fixing) - Want a whole new world? [LOTR: Tales from the Age of Men](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/lotr-tales-from-the-age-of-men), [Empires of Europe 1100](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/empires-of-europe-1100), [Realm of Thrones](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/realm-of-thrones) --- # LOTR: Tales from the Age of Men (TAOM) Tales from the Age of Men turns Bannerlord into Middle-earth near the end of the Third Age. It's a total conversion, so it replaces the map, factions and troops. ## Links - [TAOM on Nexus Mods](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/7748) - [TAOM on ModDB](https://www.moddb.com/mods/tales-from-the-age-of-men) (also hosts the full download) - [Official TAOM launcher](https://lotraom.com/) (installs, patches and checks the files for you) - [TAOM Discord](https://discord.gg/taom) (the only official support channel) ## Before you start - **Match the game version** on the mod page. Set it in Steam under **Properties > Betas**. See [Bannerlord Modding: Start Here](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/bannerlord-start-here). - **Steam or GOG only.** The mod page says it does not work on the Xbox Game Pass version. - **Free up space.** The full download is around 25 GB zipped, and more once unpacked. - **Delete any older TAOM folders** from `Modules` first. Leftover files from an old version cause crashes. ## Install 1. Download from Nexus, ModDB, or the official launcher. If the ModDB page keeps failing in your browser, use the launcher instead. 2. Unzip with [7-Zip](https://www.7-zip.org/). Inside `Modules` there are four folders: `TAOM.Dependencies`, `LOTRLOME_Armory`, `TAOM_Map`, `TAOM`. 3. Drop all four into your game's `Modules` folder. 4. Unblock the DLLs (see Start Here). 5. In the launcher, tick the four TAOM modules plus the official ones and launch. ## The three things that break it **1. Doubled library mods.** `TAOM.Dependencies` already contains Harmony, ButterLib, UIExtenderEx and MCM. If you also tick the standalone [Harmony](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2006) and [MCM](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/612), they load twice and the game dies about 30 seconds into launch. Untick the standalone four when you play TAOM. You don't need to delete them; other mod lists can still use them. **2. War Sails.** TAOM is not War Sails compatible. Untick the `NavalDLC` module. Any mod that requires War Sails (it says so on its page) has to go too. **3. Other total conversions.** Don't tick [Realm of Thrones](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2907) or [Empires of Europe](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/4867) at the same time. They can stay installed. To switch between them cleanly, see [Two campaigns, one install](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/two-campaigns-one-install). ## Adding other mods The TAOM team does not support third-party mods, so you're on your own here. Add them in small batches (see Start Here). Two lessons from real installs: - [DismembermentPlus](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2190) can crash mid-battle when hitting TAOM's non-human races (trolls). If you keep it, turn off **"AI can dismember"** in Mod Options. Arrows and thrown weapons never trigger it. - [AI Influence](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/9711) works, but needs a small edit and new lore files. See [AI Influence context packs](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/ai-influence-context-packs). ## How the campaign plays Good to know before you sink hours in: - **There is no main quest.** TAOM doesn't load Bannerlord's story mode. Book characters like Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli show up as companions you can recruit in taverns. - **The war is on a timer.** Around day 30, Isengard and Dunland declare war on Rohan, and the wider War of the Ring follows. You can move that date in Mod Options ("Isengard Attack Timing"). ## Logs TAOM writes its own log, `taom_debug_.log`, into a `bin\Win64_Shipping_Client\Logs` folder. Search your game folder for `taom_debug` to find it. Post that file plus the game's crash report (see [crash fixing](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/bannerlord-crash-fixing)) when you ask for help in the Discord. --- # AI Influence Context Packs [AI Influence](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/9711) makes Bannerlord's NPCs talk with an AI model. They remember your conversations and react to world events. Out of the box it thinks every world is vanilla Calradia, so in a total conversion the NPCs feel off. A **context pack** fixes that: a set of text files that tells the AI what world it's in. ## Links - [AI Influence on Nexus Mods](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/9711) - [AI Influence Discord](https://discord.gg/692hQj3rvq) (setup help, community packs) - [Mod Configuration Menu (MCM)](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/612): required, even though the mod page doesn't list it ## Download: Middle-earth pack for TAOM **[Download the TAOM context pack (.zip)](https://www.classified.llc/modding/downloads/taom-ai-influence-pack.zip)** For AI Influence running on [Tales from the Age of Men](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/lotr-tales-from-the-age-of-men). Tested on TAOM 2.0.27, Bannerlord 1.4.7, AI Influence 6.0.2. It includes: - **Lore files:** realms, cultures, rules for battles, events and kingdom statements, and secrets, all written for the late Third Age - **1,200 NPC profiles:** one for every lord in TAOM, built from the mod's own character data, with ages that fit each race - **A player description template:** you write your own character - **A deploy script:** copies everything into the right campaign for you - **Generator scripts:** rebuild the profiles if TAOM adds lords - **A faction ID map:** TAOM reuses vanilla faction IDs, so `empire` is not an empire. Read it before you edit anything The README inside has the full install steps. ## How AI Influence stores things Knowing this saves a lot of pain: - **Each campaign has its own folder:** `Modules\AIInfluence\save_data\\`. NPC profiles sit in the root of that folder, and the lore files go in `prompts\` and its `world_data` and `rules` subfolders. - **The folder only appears after you start a campaign and save once.** - **Shared between all campaigns:** the logs, the Mod Options settings, and the autosave slots. Make a named save before switching campaigns. - **Edits hot-reload.** Change a file, and AI Influence picks it up without a restart. Because data is per campaign, you can run a LOTR campaign and a Game of Thrones campaign side by side without mixing their memories. Just deploy each pack to the right campaign id. The deploy script lists your campaigns with their creation dates so you can tell them apart. ## Getting it to load **Missing dependency crash.** AI Influence uses MCM but doesn't declare it. If MCM is unticked you get "cannot load due to a dependency problem", then a crash. Tick MCM (or, on TAOM, `TAOM.Dependencies`, which includes it). **On TAOM:** open `Modules\AIInfluence\SubModule.xml` and delete every line mentioning `Bannerlord.Harmony`, `Bannerlord.UIExtenderEx`, `Bannerlord.ButterLib` or `Bannerlord.MBOptionScreen`. Keep the standalone versions of those unticked. Put AI Influence last in the load order. **Pick one boss for wars.** Total conversions often script their own wars. If AI Influence's diplomacy also declares wars, the two fight each other. - On TAOM: turn **off** AI Influence's diplomacy in Mod Options. Let TAOM run the wars. - On Realm of Thrones: turn **off** ROT's scripted wars and events in its settings. ## Making a pack for any mod The same approach works for any total conversion: 1. Start a campaign with AI Influence and save, so the campaign folder exists. 2. Open the files AI Influence created in `prompts\`. These are the defaults you're replacing. 3. Rewrite them for your setting: what the world is, who rules what, how each culture talks, what people don't know yet. 4. Pull names and IDs from the mod's own `ModuleData` XML so they match what the game uses. 5. Copy them into `prompts\`, then talk to an NPC to test. An AI agent like Claude Code or Codex is good at steps 3 and 4: point it at the mod's `ModuleData` folder and ask it to draft the files. See [Make Mods Your Own](https://www.classified.llc/guides/modding-make-it-yours.md) for the full interview, research, draft, and check loop. ## Credits The TAOM pack's rule files are adapted from the Realm of Thrones AI Influence community pack. Faction, culture and character data comes from Tales from the Age of Men by Haterade22 and team. AI Influence is by MFive. No mod files are redistributed, only data derived from TAOM's public `ModuleData`. --- # Empires of Europe 1100 Empires of Europe 1100 (EoE) is a historical total conversion: Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the steppe in the 12th century. ## Links - [EoE 1100 on Nexus Mods](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/4867) - [Empires of Europe on Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/cw/EmpiresofEurope) (early builds and the team's roadmap) - [EoE War Sails compatibility patch](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/12721) (use this one, not the older 11138 patch) - Same team: [EoE 1700](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/6733), [EoE Americas](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/9919) ## Popular add-ons - [Start As Anyone](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/8308): start the campaign as any existing lord - [Snowballing Kingdoms (EoE 1100)](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/7715) - [Changing Culture Fix for EoE 1100](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/7065) - [Erik's Troops](https://www.patreon.com/Erikstroops) (a troop overhaul, on Patreon) and its [config for EoE 1100](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/5966) - [Cultured Start Reloaded](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/10050) Check each add-on's page for the EoE version it targets. "EoE 1100 Expanded", for example, targets a newer Patreon build than the public release. ## Install 1. Set the game version the EoE page lists (Steam, **Properties > Betas**). 2. Unzip into `Modules` and unblock the DLLs (see [Start Here](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/bannerlord-start-here)). 3. Tick the standalone [Harmony](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2006), [ButterLib](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2018), [UIExtenderEx](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2102) and [MCM](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/612). EoE only requires Harmony, but most add-ons need the other three. ## Load order The order the EoE team gives: 1. Harmony 2. The official modules 3. War Sails (`NavalDLC`), if you own it 4. Your other mods 5. Empires of Europe 1100 6. Add-ons made for EoE (Snowballing Kingdoms and similar) 7. The EoE War Sails patch, last ## Things to know - **The team only officially supports EoE on its own.** Anything else is at your own risk, so add mods in small batches. - **[DismembermentPlus](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2190)** has reports of occasional battle crashes with EoE. Leave it off if battles crash. - **[AI Influence](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/9711)** works, but its lore defaults to Calradia. Rewrite its world files for 1100 Europe, see [AI Influence context packs](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/ai-influence-context-packs). - **Running EoE next to another total conversion?** See [Two campaigns, one install](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/two-campaigns-one-install). --- # Realm of Thrones (Game of Thrones) Realm of Thrones (ROT) turns Bannerlord into Westeros and Essos around the War of the Five Kings: the great houses, hundreds of characters, and the Free Folk north of the Wall. ## Links - [ROT on Nexus Mods](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2907) (public release and the install guide) - [ROT on Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/u22327201) (newer builds, including the War Sails version) - [ROT Discord](https://discord.gg/MGUZVyhubF) - [Slop Studios](https://www.patreon.com/cw/SlopStudios): a set of add-on mods tuned for ROT ## Install 1. **Delete every old ROT folder** from `Modules` first. The ROT team says leftover files will crash the game. 2. Set the game version the ROT page lists for your build (Steam, **Properties > Betas**). Public and Patreon builds can target different versions. 3. Unzip with [7-Zip](https://www.7-zip.org/) and check it finished with no errors. 4. Drag the ROT modules from the zip's `Modules` folder into your game's `Modules` folder. 5. Install [Harmony](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2006), [UIExtenderEx](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2102) and [MCM](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/612) (plus [ButterLib](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2018), which MCM needs). 6. Unblock the DLLs (see [Start Here](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/bannerlord-start-here)). 7. In the launcher, put Harmony and the other library mods above the official modules. The ROT modules sort themselves below them. Any other mods you sort by hand. ## Keep a rollback copy ROT updates are big, and a new version can break your add-ons. Keep the zip of the version that works for you. If you're on the Patreon build, download the matching version again before you delete an old one. ## With AI Influence [AI Influence](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/9711) works well with ROT. The community has a Realm of Thrones context pack, so ask in the [AI Influence Discord](https://discord.gg/692hQj3rvq). Two rules: - **Turn off ROT's scripted wars and events** in its settings. Otherwise ROT and AI Influence both try to run diplomacy and fight for control. - See [AI Influence context packs](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/ai-influence-context-packs) for how its files work. ## Known crashes - **Crash right after closing the loot screen**, following a fight with the White Walker bosses in hideouts. The crash happens in ROT's own end-of-battle code. It showed up when an AI Influence NPC was travelling with the party ("follow me"). Workaround: dismiss followers before those fights, and save before you enter. - **"Shader cache version of the external module (ROT-Content) is invalid"** in the log is only a warning. The game rebuilds the cache, so it's not your crash. ## Don't mix ROT is a total conversion. Don't tick it with [TAOM](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/lotr-tales-from-the-age-of-men) or [Empires of Europe](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/empires-of-europe-1100). You can keep all three installed and switch between them, see [Two campaigns, one install](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/two-campaigns-one-install). --- # Bannerlord in VR [BannerlordVR](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/14011) puts Bannerlord in a PC VR headset, with tracked hands and physical sword, shield and bow combat. It's an early alpha, so expect rough edges. It does run, though, even with big total conversions loaded. ## Links - [BannerlordVR on Nexus Mods](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/14011) - [BannerlordVR on GitHub](https://github.com/NotLooky/BannerlordVR) (source and issues) - [SteamVR](https://store.steampowered.com/app/250820/SteamVR/) - [Steam Link for Meta Quest](https://store.steampowered.com/steamlink/), or [Virtual Desktop](https://www.vrdesktop.net/) - Needs [Harmony](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2006). [BLSE](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/1) is optional and helps if the DLL won't unblock. ## Game version The mod page lists Bannerlord 1.4.8 and the 1.5.5 beta as verified. It also works on 1.4.7: the mod's own engine check passed there, and it ran alongside TAOM and Empires of Europe. If you're on another version, check `BannerlordVR.Native.log` (below) for the engine check result. ## Install 1. Unzip `BannerlordVR` into `Modules` and unblock the DLLs. 2. Tick it and put it **last** in the load order. 3. **On TAOM:** TAOM already includes Harmony, and loading a second copy crashes the game. Open `Modules\BannerlordVR\SubModule.xml`, remove the `Bannerlord.Harmony` dependency line, and keep standalone Harmony unticked. Save a copy of the original file, and redo this edit after every BannerlordVR update. ## Start it in this order The mod checks for a headset **once, at startup**. If the game opens first, you're stuck in flat mode. 1. Put the headset on and connect (Steam Link, Virtual Desktop or a cable). 2. Wait until SteamVR shows the headset and both controllers green. 3. Then start Bannerlord. Never start or stop the headset connection while the game is running. It crashes the game. SteamVR must be your OpenXR runtime (SteamVR settings > OpenXR). Meta's own OpenXR runtime isn't supported. ## Graphics: start low VR draws every frame twice. A 6 GB graphics card runs out of memory fast. Symptoms: the headset stays on the SteamVR menu, or you get 1 to 3 frames per second. A starting point that ran smoothly (around 50 to 80 fps in a small custom battle) on a 6 GB RTX 3060 laptop: - Every graphics setting at its lowest or off - **Except terrain quality: keep it at 1 or higher.** Terrain at 0 crashed the game on load. - Resolution scale 50% - `render_scale = 0.6` in `Documents\Mount and Blade II Bannerlord\Configs\BannerlordVR.cfg` - Frame rate capped at 90 (an uncapped game starves the headset stream) Then raise one setting per session: render scale first, then textures, shadows, lighting. Watch the memory warnings in the log after each change. Small battles are the sweet spot. The campaign map is much heavier, so test it last. ## Logs ``` Documents\Mount and Blade II Bannerlord\logs\BannerlordVR.log Documents\Mount and Blade II Bannerlord\logs\BannerlordVR.Native.log ``` `bvr_init: NoHeadset` means the game started before the headset was ready. ## Keep flat and VR graphics separate Your VR settings will look terrible in normal play, and your normal settings will choke the headset. The switcher in [Two campaigns, one install](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/two-campaigns-one-install) keeps two graphics sets and swaps them with a `-VR` switch. --- # Two Campaigns, One Install Keep several total conversions installed (say LOTR, Europe 1100 and Game of Thrones) and switch between them in one click, without breaking any of them. ## Download **[Download the profile switcher (.zip)](https://www.classified.llc/modding/downloads/bannerlord-profile-switcher.zip)**: one PowerShell script and a README. ## Why it works - Total conversions don't need to be uninstalled to be turned off. **Unticked mods in the launcher don't load.** They can sit in `Modules` side by side. - Your whole tick list and load order lives in one file: `Documents\Mount and Blade II Bannerlord\Configs\LauncherData.xml`. - Save a copy of that file per campaign, and switching campaigns is just copying the right one back. The script does that for you. It also saves your current list first, so any ticks you changed are kept. ## Set up 1. Unzip the switcher somewhere permanent, for example `C:\Modding\launcher-profiles`. 2. In the launcher, set up your first mod list. Launch to the main menu once to check it works, then quit. 3. In PowerShell, in the switcher folder: ``` .\Switch-Bannerlord.ps1 -Save LOTR ``` 4. Set up the next mod list in the launcher, then save it as another profile: ``` .\Switch-Bannerlord.ps1 -Save EoE ``` ## Switch ``` .\Switch-Bannerlord.ps1 LOTR .\Switch-Bannerlord.ps1 EoE ``` It swaps the list and starts the game through Steam. **Desktop shortcut:** right-click the desktop > New > Shortcut, and paste: ``` powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Modding\launcher-profiles\Switch-Bannerlord.ps1" LOTR ``` Make one per campaign. ## VR Add `-VR` and the script ticks [BannerlordVR](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/bannerlord-vr), loads a separate VR graphics file and caps the frame rate. Without `-VR` it unticks it and puts your normal graphics back. Graphics changes you make in-game are saved back to whichever mode you were in. ## Things that are shared between campaigns The script can't separate these, so plan around them: - **Autosaves.** All campaigns share the same three autosave slots. Make a named save before you switch. - **Mod Options settings** for mods used in both lists. - **Library mods.** Some total conversions bundle their own (TAOM does). Others need the standalone Harmony, ButterLib, UIExtenderEx and MCM ticked. Get each profile right once, and the switcher remembers it. - **AI Influence** keeps memories per campaign, so it's safe. Its logs and settings are shared. See [AI Influence context packs](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/ai-influence-context-packs). ## Before the first switch Copy your `Game Saves` and `Configs` folders somewhere safe. The script only touches `Configs`, but a backup costs nothing. --- # Bannerlord Crash Fixing A short playbook for getting a crashing mod list back to the main menu. Most crashes come from a handful of causes, and the game already writes down which one it was. For the general method that works in any game, plus a checklist to hand your AI, see [When a Modded Game Crashes](https://www.classified.llc/guides/modding-crash-investigation.md). ## Download **[Download the mod checker (.zip)](https://www.classified.llc/modding/downloads/bannerlord-mod-checker.zip)**: a read-only PowerShell script that checks for every cause below and prints the latest crash report. ## Step 1: read the crash report Every crash writes a folder here: ``` C:\ProgramData\Mount and Blade II Bannerlord\crashes\\ ``` **Copy it somewhere safe right away.** The game deletes it the next time you launch. Inside: - `crash_tags.txt`: **App Run Time** plus the exact list of mods that were loaded - `LauncherData.xml`: your load order at the moment of the crash - `rgl_log_*.txt`: the engine log. The last lines show how far it got. - `dump.dmp`: a memory dump, for the deep cases (Step 4) **App Run Time is the best clue.** - **About 1 to 3 seconds:** a mod's DLL failed to load. It's a file problem: blocked DLLs, missing dependencies, duplicate files. Go to Step 2. - **About 30 seconds:** often two copies of the same library loading. See "Library mods loaded twice" below. - **Minutes, mid-game:** a gameplay bug in one mod. Go to Step 3. A second log lives in `Documents\Mount and Blade II Bannerlord\Configs\ModLogs\` if you use ButterLib. After a hard crash it often shows the *previous* run, so check its timestamp. ## Step 2: the usual suspects **Blocked DLLs.** Windows blocks downloaded files, and the game skips them. Fix: [Unblock DLLs](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/397), or the PowerShell line in [Start Here](https://www.classified.llc/modding/bannerlord/bannerlord-start-here). **A mod shipping the game's own files.** Some mods accidentally include `TaleWorlds.*.dll` files in their `bin` folder. Those replace the real game files and crash it instantly. Fix: move every `TaleWorlds.*.dll` out of that mod's `bin` folder (keep a backup). Recheck after every mod update; one version can be clean and the next not. **A hidden dependency.** A mod uses another mod but doesn't list it. Example: AI Influence needs MCM but doesn't say so. The launcher says "cannot load due to a dependency problem" and points at the wrong thing. Fix: read the mod page's requirements, not just the launcher. The checker lists declared dependencies that are missing. **Library mods loaded twice.** Bundles like `TAOM.Dependencies` contain Harmony, ButterLib, UIExtenderEx and MCM. Tick the standalone versions too, and the game crashes about 30 seconds in. Fix: untick the standalone ones for that mod list. **A mod folder one level too deep.** `Modules\ModName\ModName\SubModule.xml` doesn't load. Move the inner folder up. **Version mismatch.** Check which game version each mod page lists. Set it in Steam under **Properties > Betas**. Don't assume a mod is too old just because its date is old, though. Confirm with Step 3 before you go hunting for a newer download. ## Step 3: find the mod by halving When the report doesn't name a culprit: 1. Untick half your non-essential mods. Launch. 2. Still crashes? The problem is in the half that's still ticked. Works? It's in the half you unticked. 3. Halve again. Ten mods take about four launches. Keep the library mods and your total conversion ticked the whole time. Test each step at the same point (main menu, then a town, then a battle) so you're comparing like with like. ## Step 4: the stack trace For a crash mid-game, the memory dump tells you which mod's code was running. Dumps live in the crashes folder (`dump.dmp`) and in `%LOCALAPPDATA%\CrashDumps\`. The game is built on .NET, so you can open the dump with [ClrMD](https://github.com/microsoft/clrmd) and read the managed stack. The name at the top (for example `SomeMod.MissionLogic.OnRegisterBlow`) is the mod to blame. This is fiddly by hand and easy for an AI agent. See [When a Modded Game Crashes](https://www.classified.llc/guides/modding-crash-investigation.md). ## Step 5: ask well When you post in a mod's Discord or Nexus page, include: - your game version (and beta branch) - the mod's version - `crash_tags.txt` and the last 30 lines of `rgl_log` - what you were doing ("closed the loot screen after a battle") ## Real fixes from real installs - **Battles crashing on hitting trolls in TAOM:** [DismembermentPlus](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/2190) broke on TAOM's non-human body meshes. Fix: turn off "AI can dismember" in Mod Options, or drop the mod for that list. - **Instant crash after updating DismembermentPlus:** that version shipped nine `TaleWorlds.*.dll` files by mistake. Deleting them fixed it. - **Cinematic Combat crashing when soldiers spawn:** [Cinematic Combat](https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/5819) was built against a newer, unreleased version of its own core library, so the public core was missing pieces. It wasn't the game version at all. Checking every reference in the mod against the installed files found it. If you hit this, check the mod's Patreon or Discord for a matching core build. --- # Starfield: Star Wars Genesis [Star Wars Genesis](https://www.nexusmods.com/starfield/mods/11114) is a free fan-made total conversion that turns Starfield into Star Wars: factions, locations, HUD, music and more. It's a modlist: hundreds of mods installed together by an auto-installer called Wabbajack. ## Links - [Star Wars Genesis](https://genesismodlist.com/) (official site and install guide) - [Star Wars Genesis on Nexus Mods](https://www.nexusmods.com/starfield/mods/11114) (a patch repository: don't download those files by hand) - [Wabbajack](https://www.wabbajack.org/) (the installer) - [Mod Organizer 2](https://github.com/ModOrganizer2/modorganizer) (the mod manager the list runs through; Wabbajack sets it up) - [Starfield Script Extender (SFSE)](https://www.nexusmods.com/starfield/mods/106) - [Nexus Mods Premium](https://www.nexusmods.com/premium) (optional: lets Wabbajack download everything automatically) ## How a Wabbajack list works 1. Install Wabbajack and open the modlist gallery. 2. Pick the list, then choose an **install folder** and a **downloads folder**. Use short paths on a fast drive, like `C:\Genesis`, never inside `Program Files` or your Steam folder. 3. Wabbajack downloads every mod and builds the setup. With free Nexus you click "download" for each file; with Premium it runs on its own. Expect it to take hours and a lot of disk space. 4. Launch the game from the list's **Mod Organizer 2**, not from Steam. ## Rules that keep it working - **Don't update Starfield until the list says it supports the new version.** The Nexus page shows the version it's working on. Turn off Steam auto-updates for Starfield. - **Follow the install guide's settings steps** on the official site. They're part of the install. - **Don't download the Nexus patch files manually.** Wabbajack pulls them. - **Back up your saves** before updating the list. ## Adding your own mods on top You can, at your own risk. The official site and Discord have guidance. The safe way: 1. In Mod Organizer 2, copy your profile first, and test on the copy. 2. Add one mod at a time, at the bottom of the left-hand list. 3. Start a new test save, check that locations still have their Star Wars names, then try your real save. If a location shows its vanilla Starfield name, a mod is overriding the list. Disable your last addition. Help: the Discord linked from the official site. --- # Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered Spider-Man Remastered on PC takes suit mods and gameplay mods through one free mod manager, Overstrike. ## Links - [Overstrike](https://www.nexusmods.com/marvelsspidermanremastered/mods/4199) (open-source mod manager; also covers Miles Morales, Spider-Man 2 and Ratchet & Clank) - [.NET 7.0 Desktop Runtime](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/7.0) (Overstrike needs it) - [Spider-Man Remastered on Nexus Mods](https://www.nexusmods.com/games/marvelsspidermanremastered) ## Popular starting points - [Spider-Man Brand New Day suit (MCU)](https://www.nexusmods.com/marvelsspidermanremastered/mods/5765) - [First Person Swinging](https://www.nexusmods.com/marvelsspidermanremastered/mods/3601) - [Simple First Person Mod](https://www.nexusmods.com/marvelsspidermanremastered/mods/2773) Check each mod's page for the game version and requirements. Some need extra tools. ## Install with Overstrike 1. Install the .NET 7.0 Desktop Runtime. 2. **Back up your saves.** If you remove a suit mod while your save is wearing that suit, the game crashes on load. 3. Close the game. Run Overstrike. It finds the game if it's in the default Steam location. 4. Create a profile, add your mod files (drag them in, or use the green plus button), tick them, and install. 5. Launch the game. To remove a suit, switch to a vanilla suit in-game first, save, then remove it in Overstrike.