[GUIDE] Ace of Spades Modding Beginner Guide

AoS Modding Other
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This is a complete beginner’s guide on how to install mods for the Ace of Spades Classic client, OpenSpades client, and BetterSpades client!

1) The first step to modding your game is understanding what each of the file types are used for.

  • .kv6 - Files ending with .kv6 are ingame models (Ex: rifle model, player model, grenade model, etc.)

  • .wav/.opus - Files ending with .wav or .opus are used for ingame sounds (Ex: rifle firing, grenade exploding, etc.)

  • .png/.gfx - Files ending with .png or .gfx are image files used for scopes, targets, or even custom huds. (Ex: rifle scope, splash screen, etc.)

2) The second step to modding your game is double checking which client you’re using. While there are some exceptions, mods can only be applied to the client(s) they were designed for. OpenSpades mods can only be applied to the OpenSpades client. Classic/BetterSpades mods can be applied to the Classic client and/or the BetterSpades client- those mods are compatible with both clients.

3) The third step to modding your game, applying your mods, will depend on which client you’re using. Scroll to the section listing your client to get the remaining steps.

Classic client / BetterSpades client

4) Applying your mods for these clients is actually quite simple! Inside of your client folder, there are three main folders- kv6, png, and wav. These folders correspond with the file types of the mods described in the first step of this guide.

Example: Applying a rifle mod-
Each gun has four files to change:

  • semi.kv6 (replace this mod file with the client’s file in kv6 folder)

  • semi.png (replace this mod file with the client’s file in png folder)

  • semishoot.wav (replace this mod file with the client’s file in wav folder)

  • semireload.wav (replace this mod file with the client’s file in wav folder)

5) The process used in the example above can be copied when applying other types of mods. Make sure you’re replacing the client’s file- the names of the files must match.

OpenSpades client

4) Unlike the other clients, it can be complicated to mod the OpenSpades client. The first step is to open your OpenSpades folder and then the Resources folder.

Inside of the Resources folder, you’ll see the following files-

  • font-unifont.pak

  • pak000-Nonfree.pak

  • pak002-Base.pak

  • pak005-Models.pak

  • pak010-BaseSkin.pak

  • pak050-Locales.pak

  • pak999-References.pak

These .pak files contain all of the visuals, guns, scripts, and more for the game. While this system allows for cooler and more complex mods for the game, it can be harder to install them.

5) To understand how to install a mod, it’s important to know three things.

  1. How OpenSpades prioritizes files in the Resource directory.
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OpenSpades can read two types of mods in the resources directory- .pak files and folders. Pak mod files are always given priority over the default .pak files (listed above) and/or any folder mods that are installed.

What does this mean:

  • If you install a mod that comes in the .pak format, it will override everything else that you’ve installed in Resources that mods the same thing (including everything default).
  • If you install a mod that comes in folders format, it will override the default files inside the default .paks (listed above).
  • If you have a .pak mod and a folders mod installed, the .pak mod will be prioritized and the folders mod will be ignored.
  1. What types of files are found in OpenSpades mods.
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OpenSpades has a file type that isn’t used in other clients: .as (AngelScript scripts)

These scripts define a mod’s behavior (Ex: how the rifle reloads), and it’s important to know if your mod uses a custom script as it’s usually what makes a cool looking gun look even cooler.

These files can be found in the Scripts folder of a mod or inside the default pak010-BaseSkin.pak.

These scripts use and manipulate other parts of the mod (kv6, wav/opus, png) and combine everything to make the entire mod- so it’s important to have all of the files to make it work.

If you add a script using a folders mod or .pak file mod, they will override the default script found in pak010-BaseSkin.pak.

  1. Recognize what type of mod you have and how to install them.
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There are three types of mods:

1. Pak mods:

These mods come packaged as a single .pak file. Inside of the .pak, you will typically find 4 folders- Gfx, Scripts, Sounds, Models.

To install a .pak mod, simply drag the .pak file into the Resources folder and it will override the default OpenSpades files. It can be named whatever_you_want.pak- there is no need to replace any files. However, you can not have more than one .pak file for the same weapon- your game will crash if you do.

2. Folder mods:

These mods come with the four previously mentioned folders (Gfx, Scripts, Sounds, Models), but are not packaged into a .pak file.

To install a folders mod, simply drag all four folders into the Resources folder to have something like this:

Gfx
Models
Scripts
Sounds
font-unifont.pak
pak000-Nonfree.pak
pak002-Base.pak
pak005-Models.pak
pak010-BaseSkin.pak
pak050-Locales.pak
pak999-References.pak

Keep in mind that some mods may not come with a scripts folder/file. This means that they are intended to use the default script. If you modified the default one, this will affect the folder mod.

3. Standalone Files:

These mods come as individual files instead of being packaged into folders or a .pak file.

You can install these mods by dragging them inside their corresponding locations of a .pak (either custom or default) or their corresponding locations of the four folders (Gfx, Scripts, Sounds, Models).

Here are the locations of some important files in the default .paks (in case you want to replace the default files):

pak000-Nonfree.pak

  • Sounds (all sounds)
    /Weapons (weapon related sounds)
    /Player (player related sounds)
    /Misc (two random block sounds)
    /Feedback (win and lose sounds)

  • Models
    /Weapons (gun related models)
    /Player (character models)
    /MapObjects (intel and tent models)

pak010-BaseSkin.pak

  • Scripts (all scripts)

  • Models
    /Weapons (sight/scope models)

If you have any additional questions or problems after reading this guide, feel free to post any questions on the aloha.pk forum or aloha.pk Discord!

Additional Info/Troubleshooting

  • Even though the BetterSpades and Classic client share mods, BetterSpades has a max weapon size to prevent them from clipping through walls. If you notice your weapon mod not displaying, it’s too long.

  • If your client crashes while modding OpenSpades, the error message that displays will include the directory where you have a missing or troublesome file. (Ex: base.pak/gfx/semi.png)

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