Research game modding methods and tools across public websites and archived pages. Recover information from dead forum links, compare reports, and produce findings with source URLs, version details, credibility notes, and clearly identified gaps.
Research a game, engine or modding technique on the open web with archive-aware, rate-limit-safe searches — Wayback Machine/archive.today for dead forums (XeNTaX, Zenhax, old threads), GitHub code/repo search, Nexus/Steam Workshop/Thunderstore APIs, Reddit JSON, YouTube transcripts, plus archive snapshots as evidence. Use when starting work on a game ("how did people mod X before?"), when a documented tool/link is dead, when forum threads are login-gated (semi-auto handoff to the human), and before writing a field note so claims carry source URLs.
Review the instructions the agent will receive before you install.
Modding knowledge lives on forums that died in 2020, in Discord channels nobody can fetch anonymously, and on pages that move. This skill makes searching for it systematic: archive first, live sources second, screenshots as evidence, and an explicit handoff when a page needs the human's login.
Search engines are the index, not the source — every conclusion gets a real URL behind it.
skills/mod-any-game/references/safety.md).um kb search "<game>" — check the knowledge base and field notes first, as AGENTS.md says."fatal error loading shader archive" beats fatal error loading shader archive.site:nexusmods.com <game> mods, after:2023-01-01."<tool name>" github OR gitlab OR codeberg: forks often outlive the original
host, but if the original was taken down (DMCA or legal notice), stop there.Dead-forum recovery is the highest-value move in game modding research.
https://web.archive.org/cdx/search/cdx?url=forum.example.com/thread*&output=json&limit=50&filter=statuscode:200
https://web.archive.org/web/<timestamp>/<url>. Prefer recent snapshots; check the
replay actually matches the URL (CDX serves nearest-match redirects)."<magic>" <format> <game>.
Repo search for the tool itself.POST https://api.nexusmods.com/v2/graphql. The v1 REST API
(https://api.nexusmods.com/v1/...) needs the user's personal key. If they want that, they set it in
their own shell, and it never goes into the chat or a file. One page at a time; Nexus forbids bulk
scraping.GetPublishedFileDetails API (see
knowledge/techniques/checking-steam-workshop-mods-against-a-game-version.md).https://thunderstore.io/api/experimental/package/<namespace>/<name>/ — not the whole-community
listing, which can be hundreds of MB.publish-mod..json to a thread URL and throttle, but never spoof a browser User-Agent
(Reddit's API rules ban it); unauthenticated .json is often blocked anyway. Old.reddit.com
renders when the JSON endpoint misbehaves.yt-dlp --write-auto-subs --skip-download <url>) — video
descriptions and pinned comments often carry the tool links; transcripts beat rewatching.Discord channels, private forums and Members-only Nexus threads cannot be fetched anonymously. Protocol — the agent never handles credentials:
um win shot --exe <game.exe> out.png (windowed, GPU-safe), never a
full-desktop grab that would sweep in the human's other windows.Win+Shift+S / ms-screenclip;
GNOME: gnome-screenshot -w (window) or -a (area); KDE: spectacle -b -a -o <file>.png (active
window) or -b -r (region), and -b is required or nothing is written; never the whole desktop;
headless: skip and ask the human).media/ and 1.5 MB or um kb check fails.knowledge/techniques/oracles-how-agents-know-a-mod-works.md).Every research session ends with:
MODLOG.md; the cleaned-up version becomes a field note
(share-field-notes).No reviews yet. Tell others what you thought.
No login needed. Share how it worked for you, ask a question, or note where it did not run.
No comments yet. Be the first to write one.
Prepare generated or hand-drawn artwork for a game's required file layout, dimensions, colors, and transparency. Create sprite sheets, assemble animation frames, and render 3D models into consistent views for use as game images.
Create game assets through fal.ai, including sprites, textures, 3D models, sound effects, music, voices, and video clips. Guides consistent visual variations, file conversion, model selection, and generation records so assets can be traced and regenerated.
Launch and control a real game to verify mods through screenshots and logs. Automate menus, keyboard and mouse input, and repeatable test scenes, with guidance for connecting an agent to game state through a JSON bridge.
Investigate an installed game before making a mod. Identify its engine, available mod loaders, save locations, anti-cheat protection, and compatibility issues, then record a practical approach and unresolved questions in MODDING_PLAN.md.
Build mods that combine content or gameplay from different games. Choose between content ports, two games exchanging data, embedded game engines, or rewritten rules, with clear integration plans and checks against the original behavior.
Build modifications for PC games you own, from new weapons and enemies to units and combined game experiences. Covers choosing an approach, creating assets, testing inside the actual game, and recording a short showcase video.