To install a mod on a Vintage Story dedicated server, stop the server, download a file that supports the server’s exact Vintage Story version, place the mod’s .zip archive in a directory listed by ModPaths (normally %AppData%/VSserverData/Mods on Windows), leave the archive compressed, and restart the server. Read the startup log for errors before players reconnect.
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That procedure is simple, but a wrong game-version file, an incorrectly configured data path, duplicate archives, or a mod that requires client installation can prevent a world from loading or keep players from joining. The sections below explain the complete server and player workflow, including backups, updates, removal, and recovery.
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What you need before installing a mod
Have these items ready before changing the server:
- Administrative access to the dedicated-server files and the ability to stop and start the process cleanly.
- The server’s exact Vintage Story game version. Mod compatibility is version-specific; the newest release on the Mod DB is not automatically the right release for an older server.
- A backup of the world save, especially when the mod adds blocks, items, entities, world-generation features, or other persistent content.
- The mod archive downloaded from the official Vintage Story Mod DB, with its supported game version and dedicated-server notes checked.
- Access to the server log after startup so you can distinguish a successful load from a silent or partial failure.
Do not edit or replace mod files while the server is running. Stopping first prevents the process from reading a half-written archive or saving a world while its content definitions are changing.
Understand which mods must be installed where
Vintage Story classifies mods by where they run and how they reach players. Identify the category on the mod’s Mod DB page before you install it.
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| Mod category | What it does | What the server administrator does | What a player does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Server-side | Runs only on the server and changes server simulation or administration. | Install the archive in the server’s configured Mods directory. | Normally nothing extra is required; the server supplies the functionality during connection. |
| Universal | Runs on both server and client, often because it adds content or behavior that must be known on both sides. | Install it on the server and allow the server to offer the required file. | The client receives a server-specific copy automatically when supported. |
| Client-side | Changes an individual player’s interface, visuals, controls, or local convenience features. | Installing it on the server does not make every client use it. | Each player installs it in the normal client Mods folder or follows the mod’s server-specific instructions. |
Since Vintage Story 1.16, a client can automatically create a server-specific directory under %AppData%/Roaming/VintagestoryData/ModsByServer for mods offered by a multiplayer server. This does not mean every mod is transferable: client-only additions still may require manual installation, and the mod’s own compatibility notes take precedence.
Find the server’s real Mods directory
The folder is part of the server’s data path, not necessarily the directory that contains the server executable. The official dedicated-server layout commonly uses:
%AppData%/VSserverData/Mods
That is a Windows-style example. Your installation may use another location because the server was started with a custom dataPath or because ModPaths points to one or more additional directories in serverconfig.json.
Check serverconfig.json
- Stop the dedicated server and wait for the process to exit.
- Open the server’s
serverconfig.jsonin a text editor that preserves plain text. - Read the
dataPathsetting to identify the server data directory. - Read
ModPathsto see the directories Vintage Story actually scans for mod archives. If it lists a relative path, resolve it from the server data directory; if it lists an absolute path, use that exact location. - If the expected
Modsdirectory does not exist, create the directory named by the configuration rather than inventing a second folder.
A mod placed beside the executable, in a player’s local game directory, or in an unlisted folder will not be discovered just because the archive is valid.
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Install a mod step by step
- Stop the server. Use the host control panel’s stop command or the dedicated-server console command. Confirm that the process has fully shut down before touching files.
- Back up the save. Copy the world and any server backup set to storage outside the live data directory. Label the backup with the date, server version, and the mod change you are about to make.
- Open the official Vintage Story Mod DB. Select the mod and open its Files entry. Choose a file whose supported Vintage Story version matches the version reported by your server. Read the description for dedicated-server requirements, dependencies, load-order notes, and whether it is server-side, universal, or client-side.
- Keep the downloaded archive intact. The installation instruction from the Vintage Story Wiki is explicit: “Do not extract the mod zip. Just place the .zip file into your Mods folder, that’s all you need to do.” If your browser saved a second copy with a suffix such as
(1), decide which file is intended and remove the duplicate before starting the server. - Copy the
.zipfile into a scanned directory. Put it directly in the directory identified byModPaths, normally the server dataModsfolder. Do not put the archive inside another newly created subfolder unless the configuration explicitly scans that subfolder. - Check dependencies. If the mod page names required libraries or companion mods, copy each compatible archive into the same scanned location. Match the game version for every dependency; a current dependency can still be incompatible with an older server.
- Start the server. Use the same launch method and configuration that you normally use. Avoid changing the game version, data path, and mod set in one operation, because that makes a failure harder to isolate.
- Read the startup log. Look for the mod’s identifier, a successful registration message, dependency warnings, version errors, or a stack trace. A server that reaches the normal “ready” state is not proof that every mod feature loaded; the log is the authoritative first check.
- Join with an administrator account and test the feature. Use a safe test area or a copy of the world when the mod changes generation or adds content. Confirm that the expected blocks, commands, items, or behaviors appear before inviting other players.
If the server fails during startup, stop it again and remove only the newly added archive or restore the backup. Keep the error log with the backup so you can identify the incompatible file later.
What players need to install
For server-side mods, players generally connect with an unmodified client because the simulation runs on the server. For universal mods, the server can offer the required client files as part of the connection process. The Vintage Story Wiki states that, starting with version 1.16, “when you connect to a multiplayer server which offers a modded game, your game will automatically set up the mods correctly for that server on the player’s side.”
Automatic setup is server-specific. It does not replace a player’s normal Mods folder and does not guarantee that a client-side-only mod will be delivered. A player who uses a client interface mod should follow that mod’s installation instructions separately.
Where automatic copies are stored
Server-supplied files are kept in a per-server directory under:
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%AppData%/Roaming/VintagestoryData/ModsByServer
Each server has its own subfolder, so one server’s universal-mod version does not overwrite another server’s copy. Players should not manually edit these files while connected.
Refresh a stale client copy
- Leave the multiplayer server completely.
- Close the game if it is still running.
- Open
%AppData%/Roaming/VintagestoryData/ModsByServerand identify the subfolder for the affected server. - Delete only that server’s subfolder, not the entire client Mods directory.
- Start Vintage Story and reconnect. The server will offer its current universal files again.
This fixes a client that retained an older server-supplied archive. It does not fix a genuinely incompatible mod or a server that is advertising the wrong game version.
Version matching and duplicate files
Use the Mod DB Files list rather than assuming that “latest” means “compatible.” A newer mod release may drop support for an older Vintage Story version. The result can be a clean refusal to load, missing content, a crash, or subtle world behavior that appears correct until a particular feature is used.
Keep one intended copy of each mod in the scanned directories. When duplicate copies exist, Vintage Story attempts to load the highest version. That can make an administrator believe an older archive was installed when the server is actually reading a different file, and it can leave incompatible dependencies mixed together. Before restarting, remove obsolete archives and make the filename and version visible in your maintenance notes.
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A safe compatibility check
- Record the server’s exact game version from the server startup output or installation.
- Open the mod’s Files list and select the release that explicitly includes that version.
- Check every dependency against the same game version.
- Read the release notes for breaking changes, required configuration edits, or migration instructions.
- Install one small group of related files at a time, then restart and inspect the log.
Backups, updates, and removal
Before an update
Make a fresh save backup before replacing an archive. Updating a cosmetic or purely administrative mod is usually easier to roll back than updating a mod that writes new blocks, entities, recipes, or terrain to the world, but the distinction is not a guarantee. Treat every content and world-generation update as a potential data migration.
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- Stop the server and verify that the world is no longer being written.
- Copy the current save and the current mod archive to a dated backup location.
- Remove the old archive only after recording its filename and version.
- Copy in the compatible replacement, still as a
.zip. - Start the server, inspect the log, and test the world before allowing normal play.
Change a small set of mods during each maintenance window. If several files are changed at once, a single error cannot be reliably assigned to one update.
Removing a mod
Stop the server, back up the save, and remove the archive from every directory listed by ModPaths. Removing a mod from an established world can produce missing-asset, block, item, entity, or remapping warnings. Some worlds will continue with lost content; others can become unusable. If the log reports missing data or the world behaves incorrectly, restore the pre-removal backup rather than repeatedly starting the damaged copy.
Troubleshooting common failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check and do |
|---|---|---|
| The mod is absent from the server’s mod list. | The archive is extracted, in the wrong directory, or the server was never restarted. | Confirm the filename ends in .zip, place it directly in a directory named by ModPaths, stop and start the server, then read the startup log. |
| The server reports a load error or crashes. | The mod or a dependency does not support the server’s Vintage Story version, or it cannot run in a dedicated-server environment. | Remove the new file, restore the backup if necessary, and select a release whose Files entry lists the exact game version and server support. Check the first error and its inner exception rather than only the final shutdown message. |
| Players cannot join after the installation. | The client and server game versions or required mod sets do not match, or a client-side requirement was overlooked. | Compare the game version on both sides, verify every required universal file, and determine whether the mod is server-side, universal, or client-side. Have affected players refresh their server-specific copy if it is stale. |
| A player still has an old mod version. | The per-server client cache contains a previous archive. | Leave the server, close the game, delete that server’s subfolder in ModsByServer, and reconnect so the current files are downloaded. |
| Configuration or replacement changes do not apply. | The server process still had the old files open, or the edited directory is not in ModPaths. |
Stop the process completely, verify dataPath and ModPaths in serverconfig.json, replace the archive, restart, and inspect the log. |
| The server starts but content is missing or warnings appear after removal. | The save contains references to assets supplied by the removed mod. | Stop testing the affected save and restore the backup made before removal. Do not assume that reinstalling a different version will repair every remapping change. |
Read the first useful error
Logs often contain a cascade: one missing dependency causes several later registration failures. Start at the earliest mod-related error, note the mod identifier and version named there, and resolve that issue before acting on secondary warnings. If the server reaches the ready state but a command or item is missing, search the log for the mod’s identifier and confirm that the archive was actually discovered.
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Self-hosted and managed-server considerations
The installation logic is the same whether the server runs on your own machine or with a managed host. The operational differences determine how easily you can recover from a bad update.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors| Operational requirement | Self-hosted server | Managed server |
|---|---|---|
| Access to the Mods directory | Direct filesystem access, subject to the account running the server. | A file manager, SFTP account, or panel feature must expose the persistent data directory. |
| Clean stop and restart | You control the process or service and can wait for a full shutdown. | Use the provider’s stop and restart controls; do not overwrite files while the panel still reports the server as running. |
| Log visibility | Read the console and log files directly. | Confirm that the panel exposes complete startup logs, not only a truncated status line. |
| Backup and rollback | Set an independent backup schedule and test restoration. | Confirm retention, download access, and whether backups include the world and mod archives. |
| Client-file distribution | The server can offer universal files if the game and mod support it. | The host does not change the game’s mod categories; players still need manual installation for client-only mods. |
A managed panel that hides the persistent Mods directory, prevents clean restarts, or omits useful logs makes mod maintenance risky. Before committing a world to a service, verify all five operational requirements above.
A repeatable maintenance checklist
Use this short checklist for every addition, update, or removal:
Quick Recap
- Record the server game version and current mod list.
- Stop the server and confirm the process is offline.
- Back up the world, configuration, and current mod archives.
- Choose compatible files from the Mod DB Files entry and check dependencies.
- Keep each archive zipped and place it in a directory listed by
ModPaths. - Remove duplicate or obsolete copies.
- Restart once, then read the complete startup log.
- Test the changed feature in a safe area before reopening the server.
- Tell players whether the change is server-side, universal, or client-side.
- Record the final filenames and versions so the next rollback has a known-good target.
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