How to install Mods on Mac?

[cowpiggy]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone found a way to install mods on mac for BG3. I've looked all over youtube and forums but I couldn't find anything useful.
Does anyone have a way to install mods easily for mac please?

[Metallicus]

Best way is to get a PC.

[cowpiggy]

Originally posted by Metallicus:

Best way is to get a PC.

LOL I bought a new mac thinking I would be able to play BG3... mistake of my life

[guard65]

Sadly, there is no Mac version of BG3 Mod Manager. Fortunately, if BG3 follows the footsteps of Divinity Original 2 in terms of mod management, it won't be necessary, as you will be able to manage your mods directly from the main menu. Which will happen at some point after launch. Or so the story goes.

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by cowpiggy:

How to install Mods on Mac?
Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone found a way to install mods on mac for BG3. I've looked all over youtube and forums but I couldn't find anything useful.
Does anyone have a way to install mods easily for mac please?

grummel grummel

Originally posted by Dmitriy6081:

This is how I install mods on the Mac version. May change in the future. I included attachments as examples. Make a backup of your Larian Studios folder inside of Documents (Local) beforehand.

Works with simple pak files. Advanced mods requiring dll files or dependencies will not work since the game is fundamentally different.

1. Download and extract your mod
2. Open the info.json file inside the mod folder with Visual Studio Code (or similar) and take note of 3 values: Name, Folder, and UUID. (See 1.png)
3. Go to Documents (Local) > Larian Studios > Baldur's Gate 3 > PlayerProfiles > Public and open modsettings.lsx with Visual Studio Code (or similar)
4. Create a new ModuleShortDesc node in the Mods node and paste it under the GustavDev node (See 2.png)
5. Change the Folder, Name, and UUID values to the values of your mod and leave the Version64 value blank (See 3.png)
6. After you’ve saved your changes use Get Info on the modsettings.lsx file and check Locked (See 4.png)
7. Go to Documents (Local) > Larian Studios > Baldur's Gate 3 > Mods (Create the folder if it doesn’t exist)
8. Move your pak file from the mod you downloaded into this folder (See 5.png)
9. Play the game

I used The Debug Book[www.nexusmods.com] mod as an example.

You’ll need to unlock your modsettings.lsx whenever your want to make changes in the future. It has to be locked or it will be overwritten when the game sees a data mismatch.

Notes
ModOrder doesn’t matter. MD5 and Version64 in the ModuleShortDesc nodes can be left blank.

Mac version is Apple silicon native and uses Metal but still needs work. Seems like the GOG Mac version is the least good experience out there. Simple version of Larian Launcher. GOG Galaxy overlay, cloud saves, and achievements don’t work. Might be an issue with macOS Sonoma though, but that’s my experience.

You could use Parallels Desktop and play the game in Windows 11 if you have the overhead. Everything worked for me there using DirectX 11.

Tested on
Baldur’s Gate 3 v4.1.1.3732833
Larian Launcher v1.0.00
GOG Galaxy v2.0.71 (2)
macOS Sonoma 14.0 (23A344)

[cowpiggy]

Originally posted by アンジェル:

Originally posted by cowpiggy:

How to install Mods on Mac?
Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone found a way to install mods on mac for BG3. I've looked all over youtube and forums but I couldn't find anything useful.
Does anyone have a way to install mods easily for mac please?

grummel grummel

Originally posted by Dmitriy6081:

This is how I install mods on the Mac version. May change in the future. I included attachments as examples. Make a backup of your Larian Studios folder inside of Documents (Local) beforehand.

Works with simple pak files. Advanced mods requiring dll files or dependencies will not work since the game is fundamentally different.

1. Download and extract your mod
2. Open the info.json file inside the mod folder with Visual Studio Code (or similar) and take note of 3 values: Name, Folder, and UUID. (See 1.png)
3. Go to Documents (Local) > Larian Studios > Baldur's Gate 3 > PlayerProfiles > Public and open modsettings.lsx with Visual Studio Code (or similar)
4. Create a new ModuleShortDesc node in the Mods node and paste it under the GustavDev node (See 2.png)
5. Change the Folder, Name, and UUID values to the values of your mod and leave the Version64 value blank (See 3.png)
6. After you’ve saved your changes use Get Info on the modsettings.lsx file and check Locked (See 4.png)
7. Go to Documents (Local) > Larian Studios > Baldur's Gate 3 > Mods (Create the folder if it doesn’t exist)
8. Move your pak file from the mod you downloaded into this folder (See 5.png)
9. Play the game

I used The Debug Book[www.nexusmods.com] mod as an example.

You’ll need to unlock your modsettings.lsx whenever your want to make changes in the future. It has to be locked or it will be overwritten when the game sees a data mismatch.

Notes
ModOrder doesn’t matter. MD5 and Version64 in the ModuleShortDesc nodes can be left blank.

Mac version is Apple silicon native and uses Metal but still needs work. Seems like the GOG Mac version is the least good experience out there. Simple version of Larian Launcher. GOG Galaxy overlay, cloud saves, and achievements don’t work. Might be an issue with macOS Sonoma though, but that’s my experience.

You could use Parallels Desktop and play the game in Windows 11 if you have the overhead. Everything worked for me there using DirectX 11.

Tested on
Baldur’s Gate 3 v4.1.1.3732833
Larian Launcher v1.0.00
GOG Galaxy v2.0.71 (2)
macOS Sonoma 14.0 (23A344)

wow thank youu. what's grummel?

[アンジェル]

A situational expression I had to made because I was looking up Mac Modding on Steam but could not find it. But when I found it I made sure to share since it looked like the information was on demand.

Good luck and enjoy!

[mkinfrared]

I created a mod manager for mac. You can get here[github.com]

[Marsh]

Originally posted by mkinfrared:

I created a mod manager for mac. You can get here[github.com]

Doesn't work...

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by Marsh:

Originally posted by mkinfrared:

I created a mod manager for mac. You can get here[github.com]

Doesn't work...

Heh. Already the second post to comment the mod manager by mkinfrared does not work. Is it at least safe?

[Dojiiie]

soooo nothing still?

[guard65]

Mac modding
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1086940/discussions/3/3882723431869070286/

[Serenie_Meilyne]

Here my video tutorial on how to install manually mods on Mac OS for BG3 for anyone who still needs help!
https://youtu.be/8BNi0uNOvrE

[Slaanesh_Greater_Goddess]

Here you go if you don't want do this manually: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeB58ldQ4GU

[hynotes]

Originally posted by mkinfrared:

I created a mod manager for mac. You can get here[github.com]

I have tried manually adding Mods on the Mac and I have tried the Mod Manager that I downloaded from the quote site. The manager seems to work well at loading the mods and modifying the modsettings file. However, whenever I run the game after trying to install a Mod (any mod), I get this error:

"We were unable to create a working story. Your add-on setup might be invalid. The game will continue with the setup from the savegame."

Does anyone have any thoughts on what I might be doing incorrectly?

Thank you for any help you can offer.

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by hynotes:

Originally posted by mkinfrared:

I created a mod manager for mac. You can get here[github.com]

I have tried manually adding Mods on the Mac and I have tried the Mod Manager that I downloaded from the quote site. The manager seems to work well at loading the mods and modifying the modsettings file. However, whenever I run the game after trying to install a Mod (any mod), I get this error:

"We were unable to create a working story. Your add-on setup might be invalid. The game will continue with the setup from the savegame."

Does anyone have any thoughts on what I might be doing incorrectly?

Thank you for any help you can offer.

That message is very common and almost only when you missed to fulfill a requirement for a mod. In doubt consult the mods authors.