How to Install Steam Workshop Mods on Your Space Engineers Server

Space Engineers mods are attached to the world, not to the server. They are listed in the world's config file, and clients download them from the workshop automatically when they join.

Collect the workshop IDs

Open each mod's Steam Workshop page and copy the numeric ID from the end of the URL. Note any dependencies the mod page lists, because they have to be installed too.

Add them to the world

1. Stop the server. The world config is rewritten on shutdown, so editing it live loses your changes.
2. In the panel open Files and edit:

   instance/Saves/<WorldName>/Sandbox_config.sbc

3. Find the <Mods> element and add one entry per mod:

   <Mods>
     <ModItem>
       <Name>1234567890.sbm</Name>
       <PublishedFileId>1234567890</PublishedFileId>
       <IsDependency>false</IsDependency>
       <PublishedServiceName>Steam</PublishedServiceName>
     </ModItem>
   </Mods>

4. Save and start the server. It downloads each mod before loading the world, so the first start after a change takes longer.

The <Name> value is the ID followed by .sbm. Both fields must carry the same number.

Load order matters

Mods load top to bottom. When two mods change the same block, the later one wins. Put frameworks and dependency mods first, and put any mod whose page says it should override others last.

Check it worked

Start the server and read the console. Each mod is logged as it downloads and loads. A mod that has been removed from the workshop or made private is reported by ID and can stop the world from loading altogether.

Your players

Players do not subscribe to anything. Space Engineers downloads the server's mod list for them on connect, which is why a heavily modded server has a long first join.

Removing mods safely

Removing a mod deletes every block it added from the world, including blocks in the middle of a player's ship. Before removing anything:

1. Stop the server.
2. Download instance/Saves/<WorldName>/ from Files.
3. Remove the <ModItem> block for the mod.
4. Start the server and check the world loads.

If the world will not load afterwards, restore the folder you downloaded and put the mod back.

In game scripts are separate

Programmable block scripts are not mods. They are enabled by <EnableIngameScripts>true</EnableIngameScripts> in the same file and are pasted into the block in game.