Modding Mod Uploader

Note: Be sure to start with the Modding Quick Start guide as the quickest set of steps to get your mod created, ready to improve or publish.

The Mod Uploader is a standalone tool for packaging and maintaining your Cyber Knights: Flashpoint mods and publishing them to the Steam Workshop . It manages each mod as a configuration *.workshop.json file along with a folder of its content. The Mod Uploader helps maintain the published metadata for your mod, such as title, icon, description, tags, visibility, and change notes between submissions to the Steam workshop.

Note: The Uploader publishes to Steam, so Steam must be running and signed in before you submit.

Prerequisites[edit | edit source]

To publish a mod you will need:

A valid Steam account in good standing.
You must own Cyber Knights: Flashpoint on Steam.
Install the Cyber Knights Mod Uploader. The Mod Uploader is a Tool in Steam, so switch your Library over to Tools, find the Mod Uploader and install it from Steam. See Launching the Uploader.
Your mod's content is prepared and loaded into the ready to upload folder form a Unity project (see Example Project), or Data Modification (see Data Modding), or both.

Launching the Uploader[edit | edit source]

The Mod Uploader is a Tool in Steam, so to access the uploader, switch your Game's Library over to the Tools filter as shown below.

Then ensure the Cyber Knights Mod Uploader is installed and launch the tool.

Interface overview[edit | edit source]

The uploader has two panels.

The left panel (Mod Packs) lists all of the current mods that you have created. Selecting one of these mod entries loads it into the mod editor on the right panel.

The right panel is the editor for the currently selected mod, allowing you to change its metadata icon, update its files from the Unity project or data files, prepare its release notes for a new version, and submit the mod to the Steam Workshop.

Creating a new mod[edit | edit source]

Use the left-hand panel to create a new mod. Type the name of your new mod into the Enter name of new mod field at the bottom of the left panel. This is the codename and folder name for your mod, so use a short name such as FaceGodMode. Your mod will have a separate public title displayed in Steam Workshop, which you can edit later.
Click Create Item. The tool creates the mod, which consists of a new *.workshop.json and folder structure under WorkshopContent\.
The new mod appears in the mod list in the left panel and opens in the editor, ready for details and content.
At this point, you have created the mod locally on your filesystem. In order to upload the mod to Steam, you must complete the following sections and then submit the mod.

Note: Use a short internal name with no spaces or other special names that break folder naming conventions, such as `FaceGodMode`.

Setting Your Mod's Workshop details[edit | edit source]

The text field and configuration values in the Mod Uploader mostly drive the visible details in the workshop for your mod. Fill in all fields to give your mod the most professional look and best chance of discovery. These fields are saved with your mod and submitted each time you upload the mod to Steam Workshop, so you can always expand and update them.

Title — the public name shown on the Workshop. It can differ from the internal name; in the example, internal name FaceGodMode is published as the title Cheat - Money, XP, Power!.
Icon — click Change Icon to set the Workshop thumbnail. A default icon is provided, but it is not recommended to use it past the testing phase. There is also a prepared icon template available in the tool's install folder under WorkshopContent\mod-icon-template.png
Visibility — controls who can see the item on the Workshop. Only set your mod to Public when you are ready for the community to see it.
Translation Mod — tick this if the mod provides a translation for the game in another language that is not currently on the supported language list.
Description — the public description shown on the Workshop page.
Tags (comma delimited) — categorization keywords, for example cheat.

Mod Content Organization[edit | edit source]

A mod pack cause use two primary kinds of content - Unity address bundles or additions/modifications to the game data - depending on what type of mod you are creating. A mod can use either or both kind of content.

Note: It is highly recommend as best practice that you use a version control system for your mod files, allowing you to keep a history of all changes as well as revert any changes that might be a mistake or recover from accidentally deleted files.

The Mod Uploader helps you keep your content organized into 2 buckets -

Source content that is modified by the mod author
Prepared and ready to upload mod content

You will author your mod content in the source content locations (Unity Project or Data Modifications) and use the Mod Uploader to prepare and copy the resulting files into the ready to upload folder where they can be submitted correctly to the Steam Workshop.

In your file system, the folder structure for the Steam tool Cyber Knights Mod Uplader is as follows, with the root folder being Cyber Knights Modkit\ :

Cyber Knights Modkit\
└─ WorkshopContent\
   └─ <ModName #1>.workshop.json ← stored configuration values for your mod
   └─ <ModName #1>\           ← your mods root folder
      └─ source_content\      ← sub-folder containing your Data Modifications
      └─ upload_content\      ← sub-folder with the Ready to Upload content
         └─ _data\            ← prepared and game-ready Data Modifications

Ready to Upload Content[edit | edit source]

Within the Mod Uploader, you can locate your mod's Content folder, which indicates the path to the ready to upload mod content as well as the number of files in the folder and their total size. You can click Open Folder to open this ready to upload content folder in your file browser.

Folder name of Ready To Upload Content: upload_content\

Unity Project Content[edit | edit source]

For mods that want to adjust the visuals of the game or change other artistic aspects, you will need to build from the Example Unity Project.

Common uses cases for this type of mod include adding new 3D weapon models or adding new 3D cosmetic options.

If you are using an Example Unity Project, you need to click Change Unity Project in the Mod Uploader. Select the root folder of your Unity project. Unlike Data Modification and Ready to Upload Content, the Unity Project will reside elsewhere on your hard drive at a location of your choosing and is referenced by path from within the mod's configuration files.

Folder name of Unity Project Content: <a path of your choosing>

Folder path of Unity Project addressables once they are Ready to Upload: upload_content\

See Example Unity Project for more details.

Data Modification[edit | edit source]

For mods that want to modify the game's content and database, see Data Modding for more details about how to provide your modification code. In most cases, your source files should reside in the source_content\ sub-folder of the root mod directory.

Common uses cases for this type of mod include rebalancing weapons, adding a new class or writing a new story.

Folder name of Data Modification Content: source_content\

Folder path of Data Modification once it is Ready to Upload: upload_content\_data\

Preparing for Publishing[edit | edit source]

Before you publish your mod to Steam, be sure to update the ready to upload content in your mod from any source content you worked on.

If you made changes in your Unity project, be sure to build the project's addressables and click the Refresh Project button in the Mod Uploader to load the latest files into the ready to upload project folder.
If you made changes in your Data Modification source, be sure to build these changes into the game-ready files by clicking the Prepare Data Mods button in the Mod Uploader to load the latest files into the ready to upload project folder.

Warning: When you click either Prepare Data Mod or Refresh Project Files these will delete and replace any files you have in the ready to upload folder (upload_content). It is not recommended to rely on the files in upload_content folder to be your source files for your mod, nor to make changes to these files directly. You should change the source files in their respective locations and then use the Mod Uploader to prep them for publish.

Local Install[edit | edit source]

While your mod is in development, you can use the Mod Uploader to push your latest mod files into your Steam install folders to make testing faster.

First you must select the Steam Mod folder inside your local install:

The folder is usually in location like steamapps\workshop\content\<APP ID>\<MOD ID>\

Once the folder has been set, you can use the Local Install button below to push your mods \upload_content\ folder into the local Steam mod install. This allows you to skip the timely and error prone process of submitting the mod to Steam, ensuring the mod is downloaded into your Steam client before testing.

Publishing[edit | edit source]

Before submitting to the Steam Workshop, be sure to always fill in well written Change notes, which describe what has changed in this version of the mod. Your players and community will rely on these to see progress, understand changes and have something to ask you about.
Click Submit to upload the current version of the mod to the Steam Workshop with all settings. Be sure to check your Visibility setting before uploading.
Once submitted successfully, check Cyber Knights > Community > Steam Workshop > Your Items You've Posted to see your mod in action.

Note: Warning: The first successful submit creates a permanent Workshop item tied to your Steam account. Double-check the Title, Visibility and Icon before submitting.

Warning: Each time a mod is submitted to Steam, all mod files in Steam Workshop are immediately overwritten and go live for your players. Be sure to quality check your work before submitting. Also, it is recommended that you use your own version control system (if needed, as simple as versioned copies on the file system) to ensure you are able to revert to previous versions of your mod if needed.