Make a mod
Everything you need to write a mod for Ascent of Ashes that plugs into the AshForge Mod Loader — a C# API, the game's assemblies to build against, a starter mod that compiles in one command, and documentation for the parts that are not obvious.
What you get
- A starter mod that builds. Copy it, run
dotnet build, and it lands in your mods folder laid out correctly. It finds your game install itself — including a Steam library on another drive. - The loader API. Player-facing settings, state that survives a save, periodic work, dev commands, and a broker for talking to other mods without depending on them.
- Harmony, for changing how the game behaves, and the game's own assemblies to compile against.
- Documentation — including the mistakes that already cost us real time, written down so they cost you none.
Before you start
You need the .NET 6 SDK or newer, Ascent of Ashes installed, and the AshForge Hub with the mod loader enabled. Windows only for now.
One thing that catches everyone
The loader only runs mods signed by AshForge, so your own build will be refused and you will see nothing happen at all. To test your own work, open the Hub → Manage Mods → Advanced and turn off Require AshForge signatures. A warning stays on screen while it is off, because with it off any mod in your folder runs — turn it back on when you are done.
Getting your mod published
Packaging and publishing go through Depot, however you built the mod — it has a local target that just writes the package to a folder for you to keep or share, and a target that pushes it to us for review. Full detail on both, and on what review involves, is on the submit a mod page.
Mods in the library are signed by us, which is how a player knows the code they are running is the code we reviewed. Depot can package and submit but can never sign — the key never ships in any tool.
A signature says we reviewed that exact build and it reached the player unmodified. It is not a certificate that a mod is safe, and we will never describe it as one.
Not writing code?
A mod that only adds or changes content needs no code at all. That path starts at getting started with the Mod Kit.
Stuck?
Check the FAQ first — the common problems are answered there. Otherwise ask on the contribute page; questions from mod authors are welcome and they tell us which docs are failing.