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Modding Update: Subnautica 2.0

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It has been 4 years since Subnautica's full release and a year and a half since the release of the sequel Subnautica: Below Zero. Since then, a passionate modding community has formed around the series making it one of the top 30 modded games on Nexus.

Recently there has been an update to Subnautica known as Subnautica 2.0 “Living large”. Many of you will be aware of this change and that it is incompatible with most existing mods. For those who are returning or have just joined the modding community, this article will help you understand the changes to modding that have come with this update.

What is in the update?

With regards to content, the update mainly brings some base-building pieces that were available in Subnautica: Below Zero. All other changes are quality of life, bug fixes or performance improvements. You can read about them in detail on the Subnautica website.

What does the update mean for my mods?

Unfortunately, this likely means that most of your mods will no longer work. There’s a way to roll back your version of the game, but it is only available for users who own the game on Steam.

If you have the game on Steam, find the game in your Steam library, either right-click or open settings on the game page, navigate to “Properties” and select “Betas” from the window that opens. From there you can select “legacy - Public legacy builds” from the betas you can opt into. This will allow you to keep playing your old modded save game.



Why do my mods not work with the new version?

In short, QModManager, a de facto prerequisite for Subnautica, is not being updated for version 2.0. 

  • Only use QModManager if you are staying on the legacy branch of Steam. 
  • Moving forward, all mods will be using BepInEx only. 
  • Several mods have already been updated and will say so in either their descriptions or in the mod title. 

If you want the new features of Living Large, you will have to be patient and wait for your favourite mods to be updated. Some, however, will not be, such as if the mod author has moved on. We kindly request that none of you go around badgering mod authors into providing an update.

Vortex

Management of the Vortex Subnautica extension has been passed to one of our users, tobeyStraitjacket who will be providing updates going forward. Thank you to tobeyStraitjacket for taking on this task.   

  • The latest version of the Vortex extension (v2.2.2) will fix issues for legacy users and will allow you to carry on with using QModManager mods.
  • The extension will be updated for new mods when tobeyStraitjacket and our staff are back from the holiday season so keep an eye out for the update in the new year and thank you for your patience.
  • In the meantime, manual mod installation is recommended.

What are your thoughts on the new update so far? Let us know in the comments. Happy diving!

21 comments

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  1. CosmicGlowsticks
    CosmicGlowsticks
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    Hello everyone! I have yet to find any specific instructions on this, where do I put the mods I do have for 2.0?? I have a BepinEx folder but I have no clue where to put anything. I apologize if I missed something obvious.
    1. toebeann
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      Most mods should tell you where to install them on the description tab, but if they don't, generally speaking, most mods for 2.0 want to go inside the BepInEx\plugins folder.

      You can also use Vortex to automate the process, it knows where to put the mods, and can detect whether it's a mod for QMM or a mod for BepInEx and install it appropriately.
    2. veramamire
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      so i can use bepinx and qmm together?
    3. sdwfnd
      sdwfnd
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      Yes, but you should use 2 separate profiles
    4. Alloy52
      Alloy52
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      is that the same question?  pretty sure OP meant " can both systems be active and modifying a single playthrough instance?"

      your reply suggests the answer is no
  2. toebeann
    toebeann
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    I have recently updated the Vortex Subnautica extension to version 3.0 as of a few days ago. Assuming you have this version installed, Vortex should be capable of installing either QMM, BepInEx, and mods for either just fine.

    I have a further update (v3.1) on the way that will make the process even smoother, which should roll out to users in a day or two pending successful testing.

    To check which version of the extension you have installed:

    • In Vortex, navigate to the Extensions tab
    • In the search box at the top, enter "Subnautica Support"
    • The version will be displayed on the right hand side

    If you're on an old version of the extension, to update, follow these steps:

    • In Vortex, navigate to the Extensions tab
    • At the bottom of the page, click Find more
    • In the search box at the top, enter "Subnautica Support"
    • Click Install
  3. Morghean
    Morghean
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    Also worth mentioning, that 2.0 broke the game for many players. And I mean, it won't launch at all, even without mods, because they changed some key thing that prevents the game from launching on some systems.
    This "silent" update also includes the "Legacy" version...
    So if one is still using the old version, make a backup of the game folder before updating... to be safe...
    ...
    I didn't back up unfortunately... so I had to pirate an older version so I could continue playing it...
    1. GlennCroft
      GlennCroft
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      I was literally JUST going to buy this game, like i have it rn in my cart on steam opened next tab. Now im really concerned about this. Thank you Morghean!
    2. WinterCoin9212
      WinterCoin9212
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      It only breaks it if you had the other version before and then changed its core files via mods bud.
    3. Theisgood1
      Theisgood1
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      Dude he just said it only affects people with mods. 
    4. shortylickens
      shortylickens
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      the game is actually just fine without mods. Its one of the few modern games that is good on launch. 
      But some mods are nice for convenience. The Map mod is not essential but darn nice to have. As is easy crafting, and more than 5 hot slots.
    5. FBKong
      FBKong
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      "good on launch" if you ignore the horrific pop-in
  4. hulkteejay
    hulkteejay
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    I brought the game on epic games and that means I can't roll back a version that means I'm stuck in the new version of the game so I can't use old mods

    epic games are overall bad at making game stores honestly I think its only good for the free game of the week so if you are gonna buy a highly moddable game from epic games it might be like subnautica and update and you cant rollback so I say stick to steam
  5. RamuneNeptune
    RamuneNeptune
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    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Modlist for all mods updated for SN 2.0  ( Including mods not found on Nexus)
    https://ramuneneptune.github.io/modlists/sn.html

    Installation guides for SN 2.0,  SN Legacy,  and Below Zero
    https://github.com/RamuneNeptune/ModdingInSubnautica/blob/main/README.md

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    If you're having issues, or require further assistance, please post about it in the Subnautica Modding discord server
    Oh also for any general questions, come ask them over in the discord server!
    1. Aftershock3995
      Aftershock3995
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      This is amazing information. I was having such a hard time finding which mods were updated to 2.0, but now my problems are solved.
    2. iPanda115
      iPanda115
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      Seconded, thank you very much.
    3. 7aichi
      7aichi
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      so nice to have a list of updated mods. will this list be updated to be able to keep track of all the new ones that switched over?
      if so, yay.
      if not, still a nice list of the first few mods that were updated.
    4. RamuneNeptune
      RamuneNeptune
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      Yes the list will be updated every time a mod updates 
      I recently reworked some code for how the list is populated, so I can add new entries in just a few seconds
      I do encourage people to @mention me in the Subnautica Modding discord server, in case I miss something
  6. GRex2595
    GRex2595
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    What does this mean for existing mods? Do we need to split our mods for legacy and 2.0 or should we just update it and anybody stuck on legacy has to deal with what they get?
    1. OFSRazgriz
      OFSRazgriz
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      The way this worked with Skyrim AE is mod authors just added a main download option. So for Subnautica, you'd have one mod page for the mod, but two download options, one marked as "Legacy" and the other "2.0". You can even change their dependencies while still keeping them on the same mod page.
  7. Makron8
    Makron8
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    Thank you for posting an update since the official Steam thread was severely lacking in specifics for modding. (Like what the heck Bepinex even is for starters)

    I've been following mod updates to try to understand these changes for myself, but this post is far more helpful.