Scrap Mechanic Mods

Workshop categories explained

Blueprint items are shareable contraptions — cars, harvesters, raid towers — exported as JSON you import through the in-game blueprint menu. They do not change core Survival rules.

Blocks and Parts and Tile mods inject new meshes, materials, or terrain stamps. They appear in Creative and in Custom Game saves that enable them.

Custom Game mods are the heaviest category: Lua scripts, new quests, alternate survival rules, or entirely new maps. Treat them like mini-expansions.

Challenge Pack and World uploads feed Challenge mode and prefab islands respectively.

Finding quality uploads

Sort by Most Subscribed or filter by Custom Game when you want structured campaigns. Read the description for 1.0 / Chapter 2 compatibility — pre-1.0 mods may be marked incompatible until authors update.

Collections such as community-curated "Survival mod packs" group compatible part mods; subscribe to the collection to batch-download.

Step 1 — Subscribe on Steam

Open the Scrap Mechanic Workshop → search or browse → click Subscribe on a blueprint, part pack, or Custom Game. Steam downloads files to `steamapps/workshop/content/387990/`. Confirm under Steam → Library → Scrap Mechanic → Workshop → Subscribed Items.

Step 2a — Blueprint import (Survival / Creative)

Launch Scrap Mechanic → open your world → Blueprint menu (default B) → Import Blueprint → pick a subscribed upload. Place with the lift tool, weld, and connect power as usual. Heavy builds may need logic or engine tuning from the building guide.

Step 2b — Custom Game with mods

From the title screen: Play → Custom Game → New Game. Left pane lists subscribed Custom Game mods; right pane lists Blocks and Parts packs. Select a Custom Game, name the save, tick part mods if supported, then Play.

To add or remove part mods later: Play → Custom Game → highlight your save → manage mod list before loading.

Step 3 — Verify download

If Subscribe shows active but nothing appears in-game, verify the workshop folder exists and file count is non-zero. Run Verify integrity on Scrap Mechanic. Restart Steam if downloads stall.

Blueprint mods — lowest friction

Subscribe → import → weld. Ideal after Chapter 2 when you need a mining hauler or raid tower without designing from scratch. Strip unknown mod parts before pasting into hardcore Survival if the author used Custom-only pieces.

Part injection mods

Lord Pain-style Interactive Parts packs and similar uploads add meshes that behave like vanilla switches or decorations. They require a Custom Game or Creative save with the mod enabled — you cannot inject them mid-vanilla-Survival.

Total conversion Custom Games

Examples trending after 1.0 include survival rebalance projects tagged for Chapter 2, puzzle hubs, and RPG-style quest injectors. Read the description for required companion mods.

Survival — best practices

Start vanilla until Mechanic Station tier 2–3, then import a blueprint hauler or wall set. Avoid heavy Custom Game part packs until you understand raid scaling from the farming guide.

Custom Game survival rebalance mods belong in a dedicated save — do not expect to merge them into an existing Chapter 2 world.

Creative — best practices

Enable multiple Blocks and Parts mods when prototyping planes or logic circuits. Test physics before exporting your own blueprint back to Workshop.

Creative is the safe place to preview oversized Workshop builds that would cost thousands of components in Survival.

What players usually mean

In practice, "calling all mechanics" maps to Custom Game uploads that rebalance loot, add quests, or ship new part libraries — the kind of mod you launch through Play → Custom Game → New Game, not a simple blueprint paste.

After Chapter 2, filter Workshop for Custom Game + "1.0" or "Chapter 2" in the description. Examples in that space include community survival rebalance projects and part packs updated for Drilling Thunder.

How Custom Game mods differ from blueprints

Blueprints spawn one contraption. Custom Game mods can replace crafting tables, quest managers, and world scripts via the Lua API documented at scrapmechanic.com/api. They behave like alternate game modes — great for groups, heavier on compatibility.

Creator tools

Authors use the Scrap Mechanic Mod Tool (bundled with the game) plus JSON/Lua templates. Players only subscribe. Advanced DLL frameworks (community launchers) exist but are optional and not required for standard Workshop subs.

Multiplayer checklist

Host creates the world after all players finish downloading subscriptions. Mixing part mod lists mid-campaign causes missing-block glitches.

For vanilla Survival co-op, prefer blueprint-only mods so guests without part packs can still join.

Performance tips

Ultra-large blueprints (thousands of parts) tank frame rate on modest PCs. Strip cosmetics before importing to Survival bases.

Underground Chapter 2 zones already stress GPU — keep automation mod parts lean when mining co-op.

When to skip mods entirely

Speedrunners chasing achievements often stay vanilla for predictable spawns. Learn 1.0 mechanics from Chapter 2 notes before layering Custom Games.