Install mods by hand

To install Deadlock mods without a mod manager, you edit one game file, create one folder, and rename your mods. Read What's allowed and how to stay safe first.

When to install by hand

Deadlock Mod Manager does every step on this page for you, so most players should use it. Install by hand to see exactly what changes, to test your own VPK, when a mod's readme says so, or when a manager does not work on your PC.

Pick one method. If you use a mod manager, let it handle gameinfo.gi and the addons folder. Never run two managers, such as Deadlock Mod Manager and Grimoire, on one install.

What you need

You need the archive tool only if Windows cannot open your mod download. Divine is adding Deadlock mods. When they arrive, you'll find them in Explore mods, and you'll publish yours from the Creator Panel.

How it works

The file gameinfo.gi lists the folders the game reads. You add an addons folder to that list, above the game's own files, so your mod files win.

Install a mod by hand

		SearchPaths
		{
			Game_UILanguage		citadel_*LANGUAGE*
			Game_LowViolence	citadel_lv
			Game				citadel
			Game				core
		}

		SearchPaths
		{
			Game_UILanguage		citadel_*LANGUAGE*
			Game_LowViolence	citadel_lv
			Game				citadel/addons
			Mod					citadel
			Write				citadel
			Game				citadel
			Mod					core
			Write				core
			Game				core
		}

File names that work

Mods with more than one file

Big mods can come as a set, such as pak01_dir.vpk with pak01_000.vpk and pak01_001.vpk. Give every file in the set the same new number. For example, rename pak03_dir.vpk and pak03_000.vpk to pak05_dir.vpk and pak05_000.vpk:

Choose the load order

When two mods change the same file, the lower number wins: pak01_dir.vpk beats pak05_dir.vpk. Give the mod you care about most the lowest number, and swap numbers if the wrong mod shows in game.

Mods that change different files all work, in any order. Skins and sounds for the same hero often clash. You can load up to 99 mods this way.

After a game update

Steam replaces gameinfo.gi whenever an update ships a new copy, about once a month, and whenever you run Verify integrity of game files. Your mods then stop loading with no error. The addons folder stays on disk.

1. Close Deadlock.
2. Open game/citadel/gameinfo.gi. If citadel/addons is missing, Steam replaced the file.
3. Redo Edit gameinfo.gi on the new file.

Big updates also break some mods, most of all HUD mods. A crash like FATAL ERROR: Unable to find child '...' in layout file '...' means an outdated HUD mod. To find the broken mod:

1. Move all your VPK files out of addons and start the game once.
2. Add the mods back one at a time, and start the game after each one.
3. Leave out the mod that crashes the game, and wait for a newer version of it.

Mods not loading and Crashes, launch errors, and matchmaking blocks have more fixes.

Turn all mods off

To play the normal game but keep your mod files:

1. Right-click Deadlock in your Steam library.
2. Choose PropertiesInstalled FilesVerify integrity of game filesProperties, then Installed Files, then Verify integrity of game files.

Steam restores Valve's gameinfo.gi, so the game stops reading addons. Redo the edit to turn mods back on. Renaming addons to addons_off should also work, but we have not tested it on the current build.

Remove mods completely

1. Close Deadlock.
2. Delete everything inside game/citadel/addons/.
3. Delete any extra folders a mod manager made in game/citadel/. Look for addons plus a number, such as addons2, and a grimoire folder.
4. Run Verify integrity of game files in Steam. This restores Valve's gameinfo.gi.
5. Delete the empty addons folder if you want.

Uninstalling Deadlock does not delete files you added. Old mods can survive a reinstall and keep crashing the game.

Common problems

Next steps

Credits

This guide is based on the work of these creators. Check out their original guides.

• Guide: Installing Mods from Deadlock Modding Notes.
• Guide: How to install Mods by Deer_uwu on GameBanana.
• Guide: Troubleshooting from the Deadlock Mod Manager docs.
• Tool: Deadlock Mod Manager source code by Stormix and contributors. The gameinfo.gi block on this page matches what it writes.
• Tool: Grimoire source code by Slush97. Its notes explain why each line is needed.
• Game data: GameTracking-Deadlock by SteamTracking (SteamDB), which tracks every change to Valve's gameinfo.gi.