Content Packages

**Content Packages**, also referred to as **Mods**, are a feature in *Barotrauma* that allow players to create their own unique XML based content in the game. This content includes enemies, weapons, items, missions, outposts, subs, jobs, and even entire new areas within the game's maps. They also allow the creator to edit certain existing game content, or disable it entirely.

Content packages are the backbone of Barotrauma's XML modular-modding system, and is generally what people mean when they refer to mods. It is not to be confused with the more niche Source Code Modding.

## Installation

### Steam Workshop

The Steam Workshop is the officially supported method of installing content packages, and the generally the easiest when it works. Content packages from the workshop will be automatically updated when new versions of packages are released, ensuring that every package installed through workshop is always up to date.

1. Open the Steam Workshop. Through the Steam client, you can go to COMMUNITY > Workshop and search for "Barotrauma" in the search workshop bar to find the Barotrauma workshop.

* Opening through an internet browser also requires you to log in with your Steam account be able to use it.

2. Find your desired mod's workshop item page.

3. Click the subscribe button.

* Note: Some content packages depend on other content packages in order to work, the required items are displayed right of the subscribe button.
* If you wish to install multiple content packages, find their respective pages and subscribe to them all.
* The files for the content package should be automatically installed as soon as Steam is open on computers with Barotrauma installed.
	+ If Steam does not briefly show a download progress bar on the bottom of the window, or does not initiate a new download, try completely shutting down steam and relaunching it.

4. Launch Barotrauma.
In the main menu, go to settings. On the left is a list of all the content packages available to you.

* The square tick-box next to each name allows content packages to individually be enabled and disabled, and the multiple dots on the left serve as handles to allow you to drag the mods up and down to change their load order.
	+ Note: Load order only matters if you are hosting a game, all client's load orders will be the same as the host's.

5. After you have enabled and ordered the mods to your liking, press Apply. If the game tells you to restart the game, do so. Afterwards, the mods should be applied.

* If you would like to check to be sure, the sub editor and character editor should show all items and creatures available respectively.

### Server Browser Quick-Install ("Get Missing Packages")

Content packages can also be quickly installed when joining a modded server.

1. Launch Barotrauma, and go to the server browser as usual. Find the desired server. Below the server description box, if you don't have all of its mods installed, a button will say "Get Missing Packages From Workshop". Press it, and wait for the mods to install.

* You can check the progress of the mods in the workshop option in the main menu.

2. Afterwards, follow the steps 4 and onward from the above workshop installation guide.

* If you need to be reminded of what packages to toggle, mousing over and incompatible server will show you what packages need to be enabled/disabled.

### Manual Installation

Manual installation is the less recommended method of installing Content Packages. Mods installed this way will not automatically update and will remain as they are forever.

Using ExampleMod as an example content package.

1. Locate the Barotrauma game folder on your computer:

* On Windows, this path is usually `/Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Barotrauma\`

* On Linux, this path is usually `~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/Barotrauma/`

* On OSX (Mac) this path is `~/Library/Application Support/Steam/steamapps/common/Barotrauma/`

2. Unzip the contents into the `Barotrauma/Mods `folder``

* Exact path to the mod should be `Barotrauma/Mods/ExampleMod`

3. Select the content package in the game settings and restart the game if it tells you to.

## Creation

*Main article:* Content Packages/Tutorial

Creating a Content Package is, at first, a daunting task, but once you understand the basics it becomes a swim through the underwater park. *Barotrauma* was specifically designed to be highly compatible with user modifications, and as such no special software is required (or even recommended) to make a Content Package.