Latest revision as of 20:38, 7 May 2024

< Modding Tutorials

This is a short list of programs that are useful for making mods. Most of the options listed here are free, but if you have development experience and have a favorite IDE, then by all means use what you're familiar and/or comfortable with!

XML Editors[edit]

While XML files are simple text files, basic Windows Notepad lacks any kind of syntax highlighting and rich text editors such as WordPad will insert invisible characters that are not recommended for machine-readable data files. The following are basic code editors that are recommended for writing or editing XML files:

Software	OS	Description
Notepad++	Windows	Light-weight editor with extension support. Adding the "XML Tools" plugin is recommended for editing XML files, as it adds additional validation and error-checking.
Visual Studio Code	Linux/Windows/Mac	A text editor with emphasis on productivity and extension support. Also has an excellent XML plugin.
Sublime Text	Linux/Windows/Mac	Natively supports many programming languages and markup languages, and its functionality can be extended by users with plugins - A brief overview of its functionality can be found here and a full course here
XML Notepad	Windows	XML-oriented editor with a lot of features you will most likely never use in Rimworld modding
Geany	Linux/Windows/Mac	Extremely lightweight text editor with syntax highlighting and some other basic features oriented towards XML and code editing.

IDEs[edit]

Writing C# code for custom assemblies requires not only code editing capability but also the ability to compile raw code into executable code. This is generally best done in an Integrated Development Environment that has a compiler built-in.

Software	OS	Description
Visual Studio	Windows/Mac	Microsoft's flagship IDE and strongly recommended if you are running Windows. The Community Edition is free for individuals and small teams, and does everything you need to make a RimWorld mod assembly out of the box.
Visual Studio Code	Linux/Windows/Mac	VS Code can technically be used for C# as well, but you will need to do a little more legwork to get it to actually build the assembly as it's not a true IDE. VS Code is generally recommended if you are using Linux, since there is no Visual Studio for Linux.
SharpDevelop	Windows	Free IDE specifically made for C#
Rider	Windows/Mac/Linux	Unless you're a student it costs, but offers a lot of tools across all platforms.

Whichever IDE you choose, make sure it's capable of compiling for .NET Framework 4.7.2. If you for whatever reason don't have this framework installed, you can download it here.

C# Decompilers[edit]

See Decompiling source code

Graphics Software[edit]

For making textures, you will need a graphics program. The following are simply popular options, any software that can export transparent PNGs will work for RimWorld though.

Raster Graphics[edit]

Raster graphics are graphics that are made of pixels. They can lose detail when resized, but may be more comfortable to use for those with traditional art experience.

Software	OS	Description
Adobe Photoshop	Windows/Mac	RimWorld's original graphics are made in Photoshop and the official Art Source generally contains PSD files. Photoshop is the gold standard for graphics software, but also very expensive. There are a lot of free alternatives.
GIMP	Linux/Windows/Mac	A free, open-source alternative to Photoshop that's been around since 1998. GIMP has a large user community, with great list of tutorials on the official sites
Krita	Linux/Windows/Mac	A free digital painting software. Better suited than GIMP for freehand painting and should feel like home pretty quick for Photoshop users.
Paint.net	Windows	A free photo editing program preferred by some modders. It is Windows-only.

Vector Graphics[edit]

Vector graphics are created using mathematical formulae for lines and shading. They may be easier to work with if you do not have an art tablet or prior art experience, and RimWorld's simplistic art style is easily emulated with vector graphics. Note however that as noted above, RimWorld's art source is in Photoshop files and not vectors as many people believe.

Software	OS	Description
Adobe Illustrator	Windows/Mac	Adobe's primary vector drawing software package. Also the gold standard for vector graphics, but just like Photoshop is expensive. A few free options also exist.
Inkscape	Linux/Windows/Mac	Free vector graphic program with a steeper learning curve due to the vector based image editing.

Audio Software[edit]

Recording your own audio for mods might be too much to ask, but editing audio is always possible. This can be done with the following software or your own alternative:

Software	OS	Description
Audacity	Linux/Windows/Mac	Audio editing software with many tutorials online, lots of useful functionality and a relatively readable interface

Additional Links[edit]

Mod Folder Structure - How to set up a mod folder.
Setting up a solution - How to set up a C# solution and project for building a RimWorld mod assembly.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{DISPLAYTITLE:Recommended Software}}
 {{BackToTutorials}}
-{{Credit|[[User:Alistaire|Alistaire]]}}<br/>
-=What you'll learn=
-This tutorial lists a few programs you could use to edit XML and C# code.<br/><br/>
-=XML Code Editors=
+This is a short list of programs that are useful for making mods. Most of the options listed here are free, but if you have development experience and have a favorite IDE, then by all means use what you're familiar and/or comfortable with!
-===Basic Editors===
+=XML Editors=
-Just about any text editor can write XML code, but as a modder you will want to at the very least see when you forgot closing brackets, a closing tag and other syntax errors.<br/>
+While XML files are simple text files, basic Windows Notepad lacks any kind of syntax highlighting and rich text editors such as WordPad will insert invisible characters that are not recommended for machine-readable data files. The following are basic code editors that are recommended for writing or editing XML files:
-Notepad doesn't do this, so if you're even somewhat serious about modding, the following software will help you immensely:<br/>
 {| class="wikitable"
 ! Software !! OS !! Description
 |-
-| [NotepadQQ] || Linux || Notepadqq is a Notepad++-like editor for the Linux desktop so has the exact same UI and functions as Notepad++
+| [http://notepad-plus-plus.org/download/ Notepad++] || Windows || Light-weight editor with extension support. Adding the "XML Tools" plugin is recommended for editing XML files, as it adds additional validation and error-checking.
 |-
-| [http://notepad-plus-plus.org/download/ Notepad++] || Windows || Has well implemented auto-completion and a very customizable user interface. Can be used to write both XML and C# code, although C# software usually has its own text editor
+| [https://code.visualstudio.com/ Visual Studio Code] || Linux/Windows/Mac || A text editor with emphasis on productivity and extension support. Also has an excellent XML plugin.
 |-
 | [http://www.sublimetext.com/ Sublime Text] || Linux/Windows/Mac || Natively supports many programming languages and markup languages, and its functionality can be extended by users with plugins - A brief overview of its functionality can be found [http://webdesign.tutsplus.com/tutorials/useful-shortcuts-for-a-faster-workflow-in-sublime-text-3--cms-22185 here] and a full course [http://code.tutsplus.com/courses/perfect-workflow-in-sublime-text-2 here]
-|-
-| [http://www.pnotepad.org/download/ Programmer's Notepad] || Windows || More lightweight with a less cluttered interface than Notepad++, also capable of editing both XML and C# code
 |-
 | [http://xmlnotepad.codeplex.com/releases/ XML Notepad] || Windows || XML-oriented editor with a lot of features you will most likely never use in Rimworld modding
@@ Line 30: / Line 23: @@
 |}<br/>
-===Advanced Editors===
+=IDEs=
-There's many editors out there specifically made for XML code. Because Rimworld uses XML in a very simple way, advanced code editors are rarely needed. In case you're ever in need of one, however, the following ones might help:<br/>
+Writing C# code for custom assemblies requires not only code editing capability but also the ability to compile raw code into executable code. This is generally best done in an Integrated Development Environment that has a compiler built-in.
 {| class="wikitable"
 ! Software !! OS !! Description
 |-
-| [http://sourceforge.net/projects/xpontus/files/ XPontus] || Windows || Has a tree view and is capable of checking XML for errors, fixing tabs and creating schema's detailing every tag's data types
+| [http://www.visualstudio.com/ Visual Studio] || Windows/Mac || Microsoft's flagship IDE and strongly recommended if you are running Windows. The [https://www.visualstudio.com/products/visual-studio-community-vs Community Edition] is free for individuals and small teams, and does everything you need to make a RimWorld mod assembly out of the box.
 |-
-| [http://xmlgrid.net/ XMLGrid] || - || Capable of validating XML and turning it into Excel Spreadsheets, XSD Charts and an online table detailing each tag of a certain type and its contents
+| [https://code.visualstudio.com/ Visual Studio Code] || Linux/Windows/Mac || VS Code can technically be used for C# as well, but you will need to do a little more legwork to get it to actually build the assembly as it's not a true IDE. VS Code is generally recommended if you are using Linux, since there is no Visual Studio for Linux.
+|-
+| [http://www.icsharpcode.net/OpenSource/SD/Download/ SharpDevelop] || Windows || Free IDE specifically made for C#
 |-
-| [http://codebeautify.org/xmlviewer Codebeautify's xmlviewer] || - || Can display as a tree view, automatically format/indent your code and can validate and show errors too. Also have a function share code (like [http://codebeautify.org/xmlviewer/b39586 that])
+| [https://www.jetbrains.com/rider/ Rider] || Windows/Mac/Linux|| Unless you're a student it costs, but offers a lot of tools across all platforms.
-|}<br/><br/>
+|}
-=IDE's=
+Whichever IDE you choose, make sure it's capable of compiling for .NET Framework 4.7.2. If you for whatever reason don't have this framework installed, you can download it [https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet-framework/net472 here].
-C# code is best edited in an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) to make the process of editing code, managing a solution's content and compiling its projects both easier and faster. Any IDE for C# will probably work just fine, so here's a list of suggested editors:<br/><br/>
+=C# Decompilers=
-{| class="wikitable"
+''See [[Modding_Tutorials/Decompiling_source_code|Decompiling source code]]''
-! Software !! OS !! Description
-|-
-| [http://www.visualstudio.com/ Visual Studio] || Windows || Very extensive IDE with paid, trial and free versions. Any of these versions will probably work, so you might as well take [https://www.visualstudio.com/products/visual-studio-community-vs Visual Studio Community 2015] which is free for individuals and small teams
-|-
-| [http://www.icsharpcode.net/OpenSource/SD/Download/ SharpDevelop] || Windows || Free IDE specifically made for C#
-|-
-| [http://www.monodevelop.com/download/ MonoDevelop] || Linux/Windows/Mac || Free, cross-platform IDE with customizable user interface. Has support for C# as well as some other languages you won't need for Rimworld
-|-
-| [http://www.xamarin.com/platform Xamarin] || Mac || It's free but you need to register to download it. Probably your best option on a mac.
-|}
+=Graphics Software=
-Whichever IDE you choose, make sure it's capable of compiling for .NET Framework 3.5. If you for whatever reason don't have this framework installed, you can download it [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=21 here].<br/><br/>
+For making textures, you will need a graphics program. The following are simply popular options, any software that can export transparent PNGs will work for RimWorld though.
-=Additional C# Software=
+==Raster Graphics==
-Besides your IDE it's strongly recommended to install the following software for decompiling:<br/>
+Raster graphics are graphics that are made of pixels. They can lose detail when resized, but may be more comfortable to use for those with traditional art experience.
 {| class="wikitable"
 ! Software !! OS !! Description
 |-
-| [http://ilspy.net/ ILSpy] || Windows || Software which is capable of [[Modding Tutorials/Decompiling source code|decompiling source code]], which is very useful in Rimworld modding
+| [http://www.photoshop.com/products Adobe Photoshop] || Windows/Mac || RimWorld's original graphics are made in Photoshop and the official Art Source generally contains PSD files. Photoshop is the gold standard for graphics software, but also very expensive. There are a lot of free alternatives.
 |-
-| [http://www.monodevelop.com/download/ MonoDevelop] || Linux/Windows/Mac || The Linux version of the software has an integrated decompiler for .DLLs
+| [http://www.gimp.org/ GIMP] || Linux/Windows/Mac || A free, open-source alternative to Photoshop that's been around since 1998. GIMP has a large user community, with great list of [http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/ tutorials] on the official sites
-|}<br/><br/>
+|-
+| [https://krita.org/en/ Krita] || Linux/Windows/Mac || A free digital painting software. Better suited than GIMP for freehand painting and should feel like home pretty quick for Photoshop users.
+|-
+| [https://www.getpaint.net/ Paint.net] || Windows || A free photo editing program preferred by some modders. It is Windows-only.
+|}
-=Graphics Software=
+==Vector Graphics==
-For making textures you will need graphics software. Any image editing program should work, and if you have an alternative to the following links that's probably okay:<br/>
+Vector graphics are created using mathematical formulae for lines and shading. They may be easier to work with if you do not have an art tablet or prior art experience, and RimWorld's simplistic art style is easily emulated with vector graphics. Note however that as noted above, RimWorld's art source is in Photoshop files and not vectors as many people believe.
 {| class="wikitable"
 ! Software !! OS !! Description
 |-
-| [http://www.photofiltre-studio.com/download-en.htm Photofiltre Studio] || Windows || Functional software with very little user interface clutter for its applications. Doesn't support pen tablet, and has a 100% free (non-trial) version called [http://photofiltre.free.fr/download_en.htm Photofiltre]
+| [https://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator.html Adobe Illustrator] || Windows/Mac || Adobe's primary vector drawing software package. Also the gold standard for vector graphics, but just like Photoshop is expensive. A few free options also exist.
 |-
-| [http://inkscape.org/en/download/ Inkscape] || Linux/Windows/Mac || Free vector graphic program with a steeper learning curve due to the vector based image editing. Vector graphics can look better than bitmap graphics in Rimworld
+| [http://inkscape.org/en/download/ Inkscape] || Linux/Windows/Mac || Free vector graphic program with a steeper learning curve due to the vector based image editing.
-|-
+|}
-| [http://www.photoshop.com/products Photoshop] || Windows/Mac || Paid software with a trial version. Rimworld's original graphics are made in Photoshop (they're .PSD files)
-|-
-| [http://www.gimp.org/ Gimp] || Linux/Windows/Mac || A free, open-source alternative to Photoshop that's been around since 1998. Gimp has a large user community, with great list of [http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/ tutorials] on the official sites
-|-
-| [https://krita.org/en/homepage/ Krita] || Linux/Windows/Mac || A free digital painting software. Better suited than GIMP for painting and should feel like home pretty quick for Photoshop users.
-|}<br/><br/>
 =Audio Software=
@@ Line 101: / Line 85: @@
 |-
 | [http://sourceforge.net/projects/audacity/ Audacity] || Linux/Windows/Mac || Audio editing software with many tutorials online, lots of useful functionality and a relatively readable interface
-|}<br/><br/>
+|}
-=Next up=
-# [[Modding Tutorials/XML file structure|XML File Structure]] starts you off with the XML side of modding.
+=Additional Links=
-# [[Modding_Tutorials/Setting up a solution|Setting up]] starts you off with the C# side of modding. Knowledge of the XML part can and will be very useful.<br/>
+* [[Modding_Tutorials/Mod_Folder_Structure|Mod Folder Structure]] - How to set up a mod folder.
+* [[Modding_Tutorials/Setting up a solution|Setting up a solution]] - How to set up a C# solution and project for building a RimWorld mod assembly.
 [[Category:Modding tutorials]]

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