Starter Project
The Starter Project is distributed by the Satisfactory Modding team as a GitHub repository named "Satisfactory Mod Loader". Despite the name, the repository is actually an Unreal Engine project that includes the source code of the Satisfactory Mod Loader (as a plugin), the game’s C++ headers, placeholder assets for base game content, and some useful developer plugins.
Within this 'Starter Project,' you can develop as many mods as you like while still keeping their files separate, a process that will be covered later in the docs.
First, let’s decide where on your computer to store the Starter Project files.
Selecting a Storage Location
The Starter Project folder will be your modding workspace, and could grow to a considerable file size depending on what kinds of mods you make. As such, you should extract the folder somewhere convenient so that you can find it later.
DO NOT put the project in any of the following locations:
-
❌ Downloads folder
-
Windows sometimes automatically cleans up this folder depending on your system settings, deleting your files.
-
-
❌ Cloud-synced folder
-
Cloud sync services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive can corrupt your project files.
-
-
❌ Windows Desktop
-
Some cloud sync services will automatically sync your Desktop without telling you about it.
-
-
❌ Documents folder
-
Some cloud sync services will automatically sync your Documents folder without telling you about it.
-
-
❌ Nested within many folders
-
When packing Unreal projects, some filenames can get long, so a deeply nested location may cause bizarre issues because Windows handles long paths poorly.
-
-
❌ In a folder path with unusual/international characters in any folder name
-
Unreal and Windows are easily confused by unicode characters in file and folder names.
-
DO consider putting your project folder in one of these locations:
-
✔️ Near the root of your drive (for example,
C:\Modding\Satisfactory\)-
This avoids long path issues and avoids including your computer user’s name in files distributed with your mod.
-
-
✔️ On your SSD
-
Most modding operations will run significantly faster if you keep the project on an SSD, assuming you have one.
-
-
✔️ On a secondary drive
-
This will help keep your primary drive from filling up with modding files.
-
Once you have decided where to put the project, move on to the next heading.
Obtaining the Starter Project
There are 2 ways to obtain the Starter Project. Select one based on the details below and what you are comfortable with.
Option 1: Git Clone
If you are familiar with version control software (ex. Git), we suggest that you clone the repository, which drastically simplifies the process of updating the files later when the game updates.
If you’re not familiar with version control, now is a great time to learn! Using Version Control Software (VCS) is a great skill to have for developers and will greatly help with updating your project in the future, as well as protect you from losing your mod sources if you upload them to a hosting website like GitHub.