How to Install the Stardew Valley Expanded Mod

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Stardew Valley is a farming simulator that has captured the hearts of many gamers. As the game’s official updates become less frequent, the modding community has risen to the occasion, giving new life to the game. Stardew Valley Expanded (SVE), is a content expansion mod that’s loved by fans, offering a new experience and content with the farming simulator. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to install and play SVE.

Stardew Valley Expanded, Is It Worth It?

Stardew Valley has hundreds of hours of content, which includes an additional new map, crops, and numerous romantic interests. But for those dedicated players who’ve exhausted the base game’s content, Stardew Valley Expanded is basically an unofficial DLC. Developed by a team of talented modders led by FlashShifter. The team introduces new NPCs, character events, and even entirely new questlines for you to play around. It’s a mod designed to reignite your player’s passion for the game.

Getting Started

Before diving into the world of Stardew Valley Expanded, there are a few prerequisites you’ll need to do before playing the game:

• Back-Up Your Game: Always start by creating a backup of your Stardew Valley game files. This ensures you can easily return to the original game if any issues happen during the modding process.
• Download SMAPI: SMAPI (Stardew Modding API), created by modder PathosChild, serves as the unofficial mod loader for the game. Fortunately, SMAPI comes with a user-friendly installer, simplifying the setup process.

The Installation Process

Download Required Mods:

Stardew Valley Expanded isn’t a one-and-done installation; it involves several additional mods to work seamlessly with the mod. SVE’s installation guide has listed nine essential mods to download and install. You can find them at the Nexus Mods website:

• Content Patcher by Pathoschild: Unlike the traditional XNB file mods, Content Patcher automatically checks updates ensuring that your modded content stays current and compatible with the latest game version.
• Extra Map Layers by aedenthorn: This mod expands the game’s capacity to recognize and display additional map layers in the game. To use this mod, extra layers must follow a specific naming convention. Each extra layer should be named after one of the vanilla layers, followed by a numerical number in the name.
• Custom NPC Exclusions and Farm Type Manager by EscaMMC: The mod fine-tunes the inclusion of non-playable characters (NPCs) in various quests and events. It particularly shines in scenarios where NPCs are randomly selected for specific in-game situations. This mod can also exclude specific NPCs from certain quests and events, this allows you to control which NPCs participate in various cut scenes.
• SpaceCore and Json Assets by spacechase0: Adds custom content to your base game, such as: crafting recipes, crops and giant crops, fruit trees, big craftables, hats, weapons, and of course our favorite clothing, and boots.
• Expanded Preconditions Utility and Shop Tile Framework by CherryChain: A modder’s essential toolbox, designed to check the condition of the SMAPI mods in your game.
• SAAT – Audio API and Toolkit by ZeroMetres: This mod enhances the audio features of your Stardew Valley gameplay. This mod primarily focuses on seamlessly integrating, managing, and customizing audio tracks within the game.
• Grandpa’s Farm Map: This optional map replaces the standard farm layout and aligns with the mod’s vision while preserving ConcernedApe’s original intent.

Fortunately, installing these mods is a breeze. SMAPI creates a dedicated “Mods” folder within the game directory. For a quick tutorial just follow these easy steps

• For each of the nine mods, simply download the files manually and unzip them.
• Then, drag and drop the unzipped folders into the “Mods” folder.

Server-Side Installation:

Once you’ve successfully installed the nine required mods, it’s time to add Stardew Valley Expanded to the mix. The installation process for SVE is identical to the previous mods. Follow this step-by-step process for reference.

1. Access Your Control Panel and Stop the Server: First, log in to your server’s control panel and stop the Stardew Valley server if it’s currently running.
2. Navigate to Config Files: In your control panel, navigate to “Files” and select “Config Files.”
3. Stardew Valley Server Settings: Click on “Stardew Valley Server Settings.” This is where you’ll configure Stardew Valley Expanded.
4. Enable SVE: In the settings file, locate the “Stardew Valley Expanded” dropdown menu and set it to “Enabled.”
5. Generate a New Farm: To ensure compatibility with SVE, change the Farm Name to a new value. This step is essential for the mod to function correctly.
6. Save and Start: After making these changes, click “Save” and then start your Stardew Valley server. SVE should now be active on your server.

Client-Side Installation

Once SVE is enabled on your server, you’ll need to install the mod on your local client. Here’s how to do it:

1. Navigate to the Stardew Valley Expanded Nexus Mods Page: Visit the Stardew Valley Expanded Nexus Mods page, where you can find the mod and additional information.
2. Manual Download: Click on “Manual download” to initiate the download process.
3. Ensure Required Mods: Before downloading SVE, make sure you have all the required mods installed on your local client. This ensures that the mod functions correctly. Then, click “Download.”
4. Choose Slow Download: Opt for the “Slow Download” option to initiate the download process.
5. Locate Your Stardew Valley Folder: Depending on your operating system and how you acquired Stardew Valley, the default file path may vary:
   • Windows:
     • Steam: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Stardew Valley
     • Xbox App: C:\Program Files\ModifiableWindowsApps\Stardew Valley
     • GOG: C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG Galaxy\Games\Stardew Valley
   • Mac
     • Steam: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Stardew Valley
     • Xbox App: C:\Program Files\ModifiableWindowsApps\Stardew Valley
     • GOG: C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG Galaxy\Games\Stardew Valley
   • Android:
     • /storage/emulated/0/StardewValley/Mods
   • Linux:
     • GOG: ~/GOGGames/StardewValley/game
     • Steam: ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/Stardew Valley
6. Open the /Mods Folder: In your Stardew Valley directory, locate and open the “/Mods” folder.
7. Extract the Downloaded .zip File: In the downloaded SVE mod file you should be in .zip format. Extract the contents of this .zip file into the “/Mods” folder. Ensure that SVE has its own dedicated folder within the “/Mods” directory.

By following these steps, you’ll not only enable SVE on your server but also install it locally, allowing you to fully enjoy the mod’s new features, characters, and quests. While installing nine mods may seem overwhelming, rest assured that the process only involves dragging and dropping files into a folder.