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To check RimWorld mod compatibility and load order, start with the exact game version you’re running, read each mod’s version and dependency notes, then review its metadata and the game’s warnings before changing the list. Keep required mods enabled and load them before the mods that depend on them. A sorter can help flag problems, but neither metadata nor an automatic order proves that every combination will work together.
The key distinction is declared compatibility—what authors, mod pages, and metadata say—and observed compatibility—whether your actual combination loads and behaves as intended. Use the first to make a careful plan; investigate the second if the game reports errors or behaves unexpectedly.
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What should I check before changing my RimWorld mod list?
Record your RimWorld version and preserve your current configuration first. Compatibility information is version-specific, and changing several mods at once can make it difficult to identify the cause of a problem. Back up your list before a major edit, especially if you may need to restore an established save setup.
- Find the exact game version. Use the version shown by your game installation, not just a mod title or a comment saying it was recently updated.
- Save your current configuration. RimWorld stores the enabled mods and their order in
ModsConfig.xml. The RimWorld Wiki troubleshooting guide cautions that removing this file loses the saved modded order. Copy it somewhere safe before clearing configuration files or rebuilding a list. - Make a list of the mods you use. Include required libraries or other dependencies, not just the mods that add visible features.
- Review the mod pages and declarations. Check supported game versions, requirements, incompatibilities, author notes, and recent change information. Then use the game’s warnings or an external manager as a second check.
For Steam installations, the troubleshooting guide lists the Windows Workshop content directory as steamapps/workshop/content/294100. Local mod locations vary by operating system, so do not assume that path applies to every installation. The game’s mod folder structure can also contain separate content for different versions; the mod folder structure guide explains how version-specific folders and LoadFolders.xml can affect what loads.
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How do I tell whether a mod supports my game version?
Compare your exact RimWorld version with the version information on the mod’s page and in its files. A general “updated” label is not enough to establish support for your version or compatibility with your other mods.
For a Workshop mod, inspect its description and Required Items section. Read the author’s compatibility notes and recent change information for explicit support or known issues. If the page does not make the supported version clear, treat compatibility as uncertain rather than assuming that the mod works because it appears in the Workshop or can be enabled.
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Mod files may separate content by game version. The RimWorld Wiki’s folder-structure guide describes how the folder layout can include version-specific content and how LoadFolders.xml can specify which folders load for a game version. This is useful context when a mod appears to contain several versions, but it is not a substitute for the author’s compatibility notes: the files show what is packaged, not whether every combination has been verified.
How do I check a mod’s dependencies and incompatibilities?
Check both the mod page and its About.xml metadata. A dependency is something the mod requires; an incompatibility is a declared conflict. Missing a required mod is not the same problem as enabling two mods that cannot work together.
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On the mod page, review the requirements or Workshop Required Items, then confirm that each required mod is installed and enabled for the game version you use. In About.xml, dependency declarations can include modDependencies and version-specific declarations such as modDependenciesByVersion. Match dependency names to package IDs when needed; display names can be similar or ambiguous.
The same metadata can include incompatibleWith, which declares conflicts, as well as ordering hints such as loadAfter and loadBefore. Version-specific forms may also be present. The RimWorld Wiki About.xml guide explains these declarations and notes that players can be warned when a declared dependency is missing, even though they may choose to ignore the warning.
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What is the right load order in RimWorld?
As a starting rule, put a dependency before the mod that requires it. For other mods, follow their author instructions and declared ordering rules instead of applying a universal placement recipe.
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RimWorld’s metadata can express ordering preferences. loadAfter and loadBefore help describe where a mod should appear relative to another; the game can warn when a list does not follow declared ordering. The forceLoadAfter and forceLoadBefore declarations express stricter in-game constraints. However, the About.xml guide warns that external managers may not respect force-load fields, so check the final list in the game and heed author guidance even if a tool proposes a different position.
Load order can matter when multiple mods change the same content: a mod loaded later can take precedence in some cases. That is not an across-the-board rule that “later is better.” The effect depends on what the mods change, and there are exceptions. Use declared requirements, game warnings, and mod-author instructions to resolve order rather than guessing from a mod’s category or name.
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Should I use the in-game menu, RimWorld Mod Manager, or RimPy?
For a short list, the in-game mod menu is a straightforward place to enable mods and review ordering warnings. For a larger list, an external manager may make sorting and diagnosis more convenient. Choose based on the checks you need, and review its output rather than treating its suggested order as a guarantee.
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| Option | Useful when | What it can help check | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-game mod menu | You have a small list or prefer the built-in workflow | Enabling mods, dependency and ordering warnings, and whether a restart is requested | Repeated edits to a large list may be less convenient; log review may require a separate step. |
| RimWorld Mod Manager | You want an external interface for list management, sorting, version filters, or log-based troubleshooting | Its listing describes checks for missing or disabled dependencies, order, incompatibilities, duplicate copies, and unsupported game versions. | Its listing described support for RimWorld 1.6 and 1.7 at the time covered by the research. Verify the current release and version support; external tools may not honor every force-load rule. |
| RimPy | You already use its mod-list and database workflow | Its Workshop listing describes dependency data and community or custom sorting rules. | The listing cautions that Steam dependency information can be inaccurate or outdated. Check maintenance and game-version fit, and verify its results against current mod information. |
The RimWorld Mod Manager feature descriptions are on its Nexus Mods listing; RimPy’s caveat about dependency data and sorting is on its Steam Workshop listing. Features, releases, and supported game versions can change, so check the current listing before relying on a specific function.
Use a manager as a diagnostic and organization aid. Its result depends on the information it can read, including mod metadata and any community rules it uses. A sorter can identify declared issues, but it cannot guarantee that a particular mod combination will load or behave correctly. Review warnings and author notes, then test a changed list carefully.
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How do I check compatibility step by step?
Work from version and requirements toward ordering, then investigate any remaining failure. This sequence reduces guesswork and makes it easier to recover the list if a change causes trouble.
- Record your game version and back up the configuration. Keep a copy of
ModsConfig.xmlbefore major changes. It contains the saved modded order, and deleting it removes that order. - Read every mod page. Note the supported game version, requirements or Required Items, known incompatibilities, author instructions, and recent changes. Do not treat “updated” on its own as proof of compatibility.
- Inspect metadata when a declaration is unclear. In
About.xml, review dependency fields, version-specific dependencies, ordering hints, force-load declarations, andincompatibleWith. Confirm that the referenced dependency is actually installed and enabled. - Enable required mods and put them before their dependents. Use the in-game menu for a basic list and review its warnings. Restart if the game requests one.
- For a large list, run one manager’s checks. Look for missing or disabled dependencies, wrong order, declared incompatibilities, duplicate copies, and unsupported game versions. Check that the manager supports your game version.
- Review rather than blindly accept its proposed order. Compare it with author instructions and metadata. Pay particular attention to force-load declarations, which an external manager may not honor, and to potentially outdated Workshop dependency information.
- If the game still fails, inspect the log and narrow the suspects. Confirm dependencies first. Then disable or test a small set of likely problem mods at a time. If you suspect an interaction, consider the pair as well as each mod alone; a combination can fail even when each mod works separately.
- Restore deliberately if needed. If you need to clear stale configuration files, restore the saved
ModsConfig.xmlor rebuild the list from your backup instead of deleting it without a copy.
The RimWorld Wiki troubleshooting advice supports checking dependencies and order, reviewing logs, and preserving the configuration. The manager listing also describes stepwise diagnosis for a broken mod or a pair that fails only together. This is a narrowing process, not proof that a particular mod is the cause until the relevant combination has been isolated.
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Why can a sorted mod list still fail?
Sorting can only act on the information available to it. A list may follow declared dependencies and still contain an undeclared conflict, outdated dependency data, a version mismatch, or a problem that appears only when two mods interact.
- The game version does not match. Recheck each mod’s supported version and version-specific files. A mod being listed or enabled does not prove that it supports your installation.
- A dependency is missing or disabled. Confirm every requirement, including libraries, and check that it is enabled. Reordering cannot supply a missing mod.
- The pair is explicitly incompatible. Read both authors’ notes and metadata. Moving the mods around does not necessarily resolve a fundamental conflict.
- The order follows a generic rule but not the mod’s instructions. Check author notes and metadata rather than relying only on category-based placement or a sorter’s default.
- The tool’s data is incomplete or stale. The RimPy Workshop listing warns that Steam dependency information can be inaccurate or outdated; a tool can also miss undeclared interactions.
- A duplicate copy or other list issue is present. Some manager checks specifically flag duplicate copies. Review warnings and make sure you are not confusing one copy or version with another.
- The problem is an interaction. If individual mods do not explain the failure, examine a small group or pair. Change one small part of the list at a time so you can tell whether the result changes.
Do not respond to every failure by clearing configuration files. Preserve ModsConfig.xml first, because it holds your modded order. If you remove it without a backup, you lose that saved arrangement and may have to recreate it.
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Keep a recoverable configuration and make changes in small, explainable steps. A mod list is easier to maintain when you know which game version it was arranged for and why its dependencies and order are set as they are.
- Keep a backup of
ModsConfig.xmlbefore major changes. - Record the game version alongside the list, especially when checking older saves or revisiting a setup later.
- When adding a mod, check its version, requirements, incompatibilities, and ordering notes before enabling it.
- Use one manager at a time for sorting and diagnostics, then verify its warnings against the mod pages and in-game messages.
- After an error, avoid changing many unrelated mods simultaneously. Narrow the issue through the log and controlled, small changes.
This process cannot guarantee that all mods work together, because compatibility depends on the actual versions and interactions in the list. It does make the causes of a failure easier to isolate and gives you a route back to the previous order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is RimWorld’s ModsConfig.xml file?
Its location depends on the operating system and installation, so use the RimWorld troubleshooting guide for the relevant setup rather than assuming a universal path. For Steam on Windows, the Workshop content directory is listed as steamapps/workshop/content/294100; that is where Workshop content is stored, not a universal location for the configuration file.
Can I ignore a missing-dependency warning if the mod still appears in the list?
A mod may remain selectable even when a dependency warning appears, but the warning means its declared requirement is not loaded. The RimWorld Wiki notes that players may choose to ignore such a warning; doing so does not establish that the mod will work correctly.
Does a mod marked compatible with my RimWorld version work with every save?
A version declaration addresses the game version the author lists; it does not prove that every save state or combination of mods will behave correctly. Check the mod’s own notes for save-related guidance, and keep a recoverable configuration before changing a list used with an established save.
