How to Get Started with PC Game Mods

One of the many advantages of playing PC games is the ability to use mods—user-created additions or modifications that alter the content of a game. Since the 1980s, players have been using PC mods to personalize the appearance, feel, and functionality of their favorite games. Mod creators have turned poor games into great ones, transformed good games into unique experiences, and breathed new life into outdated titles. The creativity of modders is virtually limitless, resulting in both strange and beautiful creations. While console players have occasionally seen modding in the past, mods are most commonly associated with the PC platform.

If you're new to modding, getting started is surprisingly simple. Mod hubs and official forums offer a vast collection of user-generated content, along with easy-to-use installers and step-by-step guides. Even if you're not familiar with the process, you may find it easier than you expect. Instructions for installing mods for your favorite games can usually be found through an online search.

However, there are a few risks to consider when you're new to modding. As with any third-party content, it's important to download mods from reputable sources and be cautious of malware or viruses. Additionally, for online games, you should ensure that the mods you use do not violate the game's terms of service.

Before diving into modding, it's important to make sure your PC has the right hardware. Modding can be a complex and hardware-intensive process, and not all mods are optimized for performance. While simpler re-skins or visual changes may run smoothly on your current setup, more advanced mods may require more processing power than the original game. For more information, check out our guides on how the CPU affects gaming performance and the importance of a balanced build.

Why Hardware Matters for Modding

Mods often require more powerful hardware than the base game because developers aim to optimize their games for a wide range of systems. They try to ensure that the game can run on as many different hardware configurations as possible. However, mod creators typically don’t have the same resources to implement such rigorous optimization. As a result, many mods are not optimized for performance, which can lead to higher hardware demands than the original game.

A good example of this is Minecraft. Despite its blocky graphics and flat textures, Minecraft can become quite demanding when you add mods. There are mods for almost everything, from item storage systems to mini-maps and even changing the layout of the procedurally generated world. Minecraft worlds can be very large, built from individual blocks that your processor must render one by one. The game is also programmed in Java and uses extensive voxel data, both of which are CPU-intensive.

Adding mods like complex lighting or high-resolution texture packs can significantly increase the workload on your hardware. Even a relatively simple game like Minecraft can become quite demanding when you start customizing it with mods.

Choosing the Right CPU

Mods can make large-scale changes to a game, including adding new objects, non-playable characters, and revamped physics. For example, the Skyrim Immersive Creatures mod introduces a variety of new enemy types with unique AI behavior in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

These additions, especially when used together with other resource-intensive mods, can put a strain on your system’s CPU, potentially causing performance issues like inconsistent frame rates. A CPU with a high clock speed and multiple cores can help mitigate these issues.

Some mods even allow players to fine-tune performance. For instance, the Skyrim Configurator mod enables players to enable parallel processing in Skyrim, even though the game is nearly a decade old. This powerful configuration tool allows players to reassign tasks across their CPU’s multiple cores and threads. These tasks can be both native to the game and those from other mods. By distributing these tasks, Skyrim can take advantage of the advancements in processor technology that have occurred since its release in 2011.

Why an SSD Helps

In addition to your CPU, upgrading to a solid-state drive (SSD) can greatly improve your modding experience. Like games, mods access data from storage, and a slow hard disk drive (HDD) can lead to slow load times and other performance issues.

Because SSDs allow faster data access compared to traditional HDDs, almost any program that runs from an SSD will load faster, including games with mods. If you're still using an HDD to store your games or mods, upgrading to an SSD can have a significant positive impact on performance.

The Right GPU

A sufficiently powerful GPU can be very helpful when you're modifying the visual aspects of a game with mods. For example, older games can be modded to take advantage of modern GPUs. Extensive graphical overhaul mods can update lighting, textures, and other visual elements, which can dramatically extend the life of a game.

A GPU with 2GB of vRAM was sufficient in 2013, but more recent games and mods require more powerful video cards. More vRAM is needed to render the increased complexity and size of textures and 3D objects in modern, visually ambitious games. Without a powerful dedicated GPU to handle this workload, your frame rate can suffer as the rest of your system is forced to compensate.

Expanding RAM

Once you experience the freedom of being able to customize your game as you like, you may find it hard to stop at one mod. While each mod in Minecraft is relatively small individually, they add up quickly. For example, the Biggest Modpack is a collection of dozens of different mods. Running all of these mods at once can be resource-intensive.

When playing a game, RAM is where data sets like variables (such as health and ammo counts) and visual assets are temporarily stored for quick retrieval. One possible result of installing too many mods is hitting RAM limitations, which can cause performance issues like lower frame rates as the rest of your system is forced to compensate.

The minimum system requirements for "vanilla" Minecraft (completely unmodded) is 4GB of RAM, but players who use mods routinely allocate 6GB or more to keep the game running properly. If you're planning on heavily modding Minecraft, 8GB of RAM is a good starting point, with more being better. This 8GB minimum is an excellent baseline for any modern gaming experience.

Upgrading Hardware for a Better Modding Experience

PC game modding is a fantastic way to personalize your play experience and make the game truly your own. If you're invested in customizing your software, it makes sense to ensure your hardware is up to the task. Mods can push your system beyond the developers’ recommended specs, so it's important to aim higher if you intend to implement mods.