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Vanilla Expanded Framework

The Vanilla Expanded Framework (VEF) is a core modding library required by many of the Vanilla Expanded mods. It contains all the shared code that powers features across the entire Vanilla Expanded series. Without this framework, several mods simply won’t function, as they rely on the systems and functionality defined here.

This mod is not a content mod on its own, you won’t see new items, factions, or gameplay changes by installing it alone. Instead, it acts as the backbone that allows other mods to add complex mechanics, custom behaviors, and quality-of-life improvements without duplicating code across each project.

All core functionality developed by the Vanilla Expanded team, including custom gizmos, UI, hediff mechanics, and more, lives inside this framework. It’s constantly being updated with new tools and systems as we create new mods or improve existing ones.

If you're using any Vanilla Expanded mods and see this listed as a requirement, make sure it's enabled. It ensures compatibility, performance, and the proper functioning of all features designed by the Vanilla Expanded team.

Oh, and this framework also removes the faction cap set by the base game at 12, because nobody ever asked for a faction cap.


The Vanilla Expanded Framework (VEF) is not just for our own mods: it's a powerful, modular toolkit designed to be used by the wider RimWorld modding community.

If you've ever seen a feature in a Vanilla Expanded mod and thought, "How did they do that?", chances are, the code behind it is already included in this framework. By making VEF a dependency for your mod, you gain access to a wide range of advanced systems without having to reinvent the wheel.
Some examples of what's available:

- Custom gizmos (like toggles, mode switches, or tool-based interactions)

- Dynamic hediff behavior and health effects

- Custom UI elements and inspector tabs

- Animal behavior extensions

- Gene-related tools for Biotech content

- Custom comp classes and thing behaviors

- Event and quest utilities for storytellers and world generation

And much more...


Our GitHub wiki[github.com] contains comprehensive documentation on how to use these systems, with examples and explanations. We’re actively updating both the framework and its documentation, so we strongly encourage you to check back regularly for new additions and improvements.

If you want your mod to include advanced features or just work more efficiently with Vanilla Expanded content, making VE Framework a requirement is the easiest way to get started.

You can use the following banner in your description, if you like!




Q: Is this mod necessary to run other Vanilla Expanded mods?
A: Yes. This mod contains all the code used with the other mods that are marked as requiring this framework. Running those mods without this framework will not allow you to play them.

Q: Which position in the mod loader should this mod take?
A: This mod should be loaded BEFORE other mods, as close to Core as possible.

Q: Is this mod compatible with other mods?
A: Yes, it’s a framework, and it is compatible with every other mod. For known issues please see the known issues section of this mod description before commenting.

Q: Can this mod's functionality be used in other mods?
A: Yes, and we are working hard on making a solid documentation. You are allowed to make your own mods based on this framework as long as you mark this framework as a required item.

Q: Can I take your code and put it in my mod?
A: No. The reason we made this framework is to avoid just that: if we were to use the same code in two different mods, it would cause performance issues that would cascade into errors.

Q: Is this mod compatible with Faction Control or Empire mod?
A: We made sure it is!

Q: Compatible with Combat Extended?
A: Yes.

Q: What does this mod actually do?
A: If you’re not running any other Vanilla Expanded mods, this mod serves as Faction Discovery mod as explained above.

Q: I pressed to ignore a specific faction but I want it to spawn after all. How?
A: You need to edit your save file, remove the "ignoredFactions" part.

Q: Where are the changelogs for this mod?
A: They are all in the commit descriptions on GitHub. We won't put them on Steam as this is a framework that updates A LOT, and many of the updates are technical and completely irrelevant to the average player.



Please make sure your RimWorld is updated. We will not be troubleshooting not-up-to-date RimWorld logs. If you don't report using this system, just don't bother, we will remove all error reports from Steam comments.

[forms.gle]



Many people have contributed to Vanilla Expanded and this framework, most of them either present or past Vanilla Expanded members. Please check them out below!:





























Brrainz created the Harmony Patch Library which has made this series of mods possible.

NotFood has kindly provided the community with PatchOperationLoadDefsOnDemand.

RimWorld is owned by Ludeon Studios.

This mod is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) (the "Licence").

Vanilla Expanded loves streamers. For the purposes of Section 8(c) of the Licence, streamers on Twitch and YouTube are expressly permitted to publicly perform using this mod for commercial advantage or monetary compensation, provided all other terms of the Licence are met (the "Residual Commercial Right"). Should the Licence be terminated at any point accordance with Section 6(a), the Residual Commercial Right shall also cease.

We encourage all the modders to utilise our framework in their mods! For the purposes of Section 8(c) of the Licence, Modders that create mods that depend on this framework (through marking this mod as a dependency) are expressly permitted to create commissioned mods with commercial advantages or monetary compensation, as well as accept donations on their mods, provided all other terms of the Licence are met (the "Residual Commercial Right"). Should the Licence be terminated at any point accordance with Section 6(a), the Residual Commercial Right shall also cease.