Mod Deployment Guide

This guide will walk you through the process of packaging and distributing your ScheduleLua mods so that other players can easily install them.

Preparing Your Mod for Distribution

Before distributing your mod, ensure:

1. Your mod has been thoroughly tested
2. You have a complete manifest.json file with correct information
3. All required files are included and listed in the manifest
4. Your mod follows the best practices for compatibility

Folder Structure for Distribution

To make installation easy for users, structure your ZIP file to match the game's folder structure:

YourMod.zip/
├── Mods/
│   └── ScheduleLua/
│       └── Scripts/
│           └── your_mod_folder/
│               ├── manifest.json
│               ├── init.lua
│               └── [other mod files]

This structure allows users to simply extract the ZIP into their Schedule 1 game directory, and all files will be placed in the correct locations.

Creating the Distribution ZIP

Follow these steps to create a properly structured ZIP file:

1. Create a temporary folder for packaging, wherever you desire, like your Desktop (e.g., package_temp)
2. Inside it, recreate the folder structure: Mods/ScheduleLua/Scripts/
3. Copy your mod folder into the Scripts directory
4. Compress the Mods folder into a ZIP file
5. Name your ZIP file descriptively (e.g., YourModName_v1.0.0.zip)

Installation Instructions for Users

Include these instructions in your mod's README or description and replace your_mod_folder:

1. Install ScheduleLua
2. Download the mod ZIP file
3. Extract the ZIP file directly into your Schedule 1 game directory
   • Typically: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Schedule I\
4. The ZIP already contains the correct folder structure, so files will be placed in:
   • [Game Directory]/Mods/ScheduleLua/Scripts/your_mod_folder/
5. Launch the game and verify the mod is loaded in the console

Distribution Platforms

Consider these platforms for sharing your mods:

1. GitHub - Create a repository for your mod
2. Thunderstore - Game modding platform
3. ScheduleLua Discord - Share with the community

Versioning Your Mods

Use semantic versioning for your mods:

• Major version (X.0.0): Breaking changes
• Minor version (0.X.0): New features, backwards-compatible
• Patch version (0.0.X): Bug fixes, backwards-compatible

Update the version in your manifest.json file with each release.

Documentation

Include documentation with your mod:

1. README.md - Overview, installation, and basic usage
2. CHANGELOG.md - Version history and changes
3. In-game documentation or wiki for complex mods

Best Practices for Deployment

1. Test on a clean installation before distributing
2. Include dependencies or clearly document them
3. Use relative paths within your scripts
4. Version check to detect incompatible game or API versions
5. Create a backup system for user data

Example README Template

# Your Mod Name

Brief description of what your mod does.

## Installation

1. Download the mod ZIP file
2. Extract the ZIP file directly into your Schedule 1 game directory
3. Launch the game

## Features

* Feature 1
* Feature 2
* Feature 3

## Dependencies

* ScheduleLua v0.1.2 or higher
* [Other Mod] v1.0.0 or higher (if applicable)

## Usage

Instructions on how to use the mod...

## License

MIT License (or your chosen license)

By following this deployment guide, you'll make it easy for users to install and enjoy your mods.