How to Add Mods to Your Space Engineers Server

Welcome, Space Engineers enthusiasts! If you've recently set up a server and want to enhance your gameplay experience with mods, you're in the right place. Before we get started, it's important to note that Steam Workshop mods only work on PC. Unfortunately, console players won't be able to use these mods as they stem from Steam's ecosystem.

Adding mods is an automated process facilitated through a configuration save file, which means you'll need to create a world first. Without a world created, there won't be any save configuration file to modify, making it impossible to add your desired mods.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding Mods

Follow these steps to successfully add mods to your Space Engineers server:

1. Create World:

   The server has a default World1 worldname, but you can set a new one with the mods added, if you like. This is essential as the configuration file we need will only exist after a world is created and the mod(s) will be only downloaded when this world is loaded.

2. Connect to the Server through FTP:

   First, ensure that your server is shutdown before making any modifications. This will prevent potential data corruption or server issues. To connect via FTP, refer to our detailed guide here.

3. Locate the Sandbox_config.sbc config file:

   After connecting through FTP, navigate to the folder addressing: PPServer\Saves\WORLDNAME, where WORLDNAME is the name of your created world. Here, you will find the Sandbox_config.sbc file.

4. Edit the Sandbox_config.sbc config file:

   Using a text editor (we recommend Notepad++ for its user-friendly features), open the Sandbox_config.sbc file. Alternatively, you can use the File Manager provided in your FTP client.

5. Find and Replace the Mods line:

   Scroll to the bottom of the file until you find the line <Mods>. Replace it with the following:

    <Mods>
     <ModItem FriendlyName="Recognizable name">
     <Name>Mod's name</Name>
     <PublishedFileId>URL ID</PublishedFileId>
     <PublishedServiceName>Steam</PublishedServiceName>
     </ModItem>
   </Mods>

6. Edit the Following:

   In the above code, make the following adjustments:

   • Replace "Recognizable name" with a name of your choice for the mod.
   • Replace “Mod's name” with the mod’s actual name from the Steam workshop.
   • Replace “URL ID” with the workshop Steam ID, which can be found in the URL of the mod.

The ID in this example is 2308085590. 

7. Save the Changes:

   After editing, ensure you save the changes made to the Sandbox_config.sbc file before closing it.

8. Restart the Server:

   Finally, restart your server to load the newly added mods!

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues while adding mods, consider the following common problems:

• Your mod might be outdated, deprecated, or abandoned, which can lead to crashing.
• Double-check to ensure the URL ID is correct.
• The mod may be sourced from a platform other than Steam Workshop like Mods.io or Nexus which aren't compatible yet.
• Be aware that some mods require a specific scenario or world mode (e.g., Creative, Planet Earth, Distant Moons).
• Server must be shutdown or the config file will be overwritten by the game on the next automatic save.

If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to our customer care agents through our live chat or email at [email protected]. 

Happy gaming!