Finding Broken Mods

When a problem is clearly mod-related but the responsible file is unknown, the 50/50 method is the fastest systematic way to isolate it.

When to Use the 50/50 Method

Use it for problems such as:

• crashes or endless loading;
• broken UI;
• interactions that stop working;
• repeated LastException errors;
• problems that disappear when all mods are removed.

Before starting, make sure the game itself works without mods. If the issue still occurs in a completely unmodded test, the 50/50 method cannot identify a mod as the cause.

Prepare the Test

1. Back up your Saves folder.
2. Back up your current Mods folder.
3. Delete localthumbcache.package.
4. Keep required dependencies together with the mods that need them.
5. Prefer a fresh test save when possible.

Step 1: Split the Mods

Move roughly half of the files out of the Mods folder into a temporary folder outside the game.

You now have two groups:

• one half currently loaded by the game;
• one half temporarily removed.

Step 2: Test the Game

Launch the game and reproduce the problem.

• Problem still occurs: the broken file is probably in the half still installed.
• Problem disappears: the broken file is probably in the half you removed.

Keep the half that contains the problem and set the other half aside.

Step 3: Repeat

Split the problematic half again and test once more.

Continue until only a small number of files remain. With 100 files, you usually need only about 6–7 rounds to reduce the search to a single candidate.

Step 4: Verify the Result

Once you identify a suspected mod:

1. test it with only its required dependencies;
2. confirm that the problem appears;
3. remove it and confirm that the problem disappears;
4. check whether a newer version exists.

This final verification matters because more than one mod can be broken at the same time.

Keep Dependencies Together

Do not separate a mod from a required library during testing. For example, if a mod requires Smart Core Script, keep Smart Core installed while testing that mod.

Separating required files can create a new error and make the 50/50 result misleading.

Multiple Broken Mods

The 50/50 method isolates a problem source, not necessarily the only one. After removing or updating the first broken mod, test the full setup again.