Headless Loader

ACUFixes Headless Plugin Loader

This is an unofficial modification of the Plugin Loader included with ACUFixes and Plugin Loader v0. 9. 2.

Install and endorse the original mod first. This project does not replace the original ACUFixes package as a whole; it only changes the Plugin Loader's overlay initialization behavior.

What it does

The standard Plugin Loader initializes a DirectX 11 Present hook and Dear ImGui renderer for its in-game overlay. Graphics-layer tools such as NVIDIA Smooth Motion can conflict with that rendering hook.

This modification allows the Plugin Loader to run without starting its DX11 Present hook or ImGui interface while leaving the backend loader functionality active.

Plugin discovery, compatibility checks, early initialization, integrity-check handling, input hooks, and backend code-patch initialization continue to run. What is removed is the graphics-facing Plugin Loader UI layer.

It is intended for users who need backend plugins such as Asset Overrides, but do not need the Plugin Loader's in-game interface.

GitHub / source

The headless-mode source modification is available here: github.com/not-JASH/ACUFixes

The implementation is based on the original ACUFixes Plugin Loader and adds an optional headless mode rather than replacing the plugin system itself.

Upstream ACUFixes source: github.com/NameTaken3125/ACUFixes

Tested configuration

• []Assassin's Creed Unity 1. 5. 0[/]

  []ACUFixes and Plugin Loader 0. 9. 2[/]

  []NVIDIA Smooth Motion enabled[/]

  []Asset Overrides 0. 1. 1[/]

  []Better LOD 0. 0. 4 and Texture Pop-in Fix[/]

  Requirements

  • []Assassin's Creed Unity 1. 5. 0.[/]

    []The original ACUFixes and Plugin Loader v0. 9. 2.[/]

    []Any backend plugins you intend to use should be configured before switching to headless operation, or configured directly through their JSON files.[/]

    Vortex installation

    • []Install the original ACUFixes and Plugin Loader v0. 9. 2.[/]

      []Install this archive with Vortex.[/]

      []When Vortex reports a conflict, make ACUFixes Headless Plugin Loader load after the original ACUFixes package so this mod wins the conflict for:

      ACUFixes\ACUFixes-PluginLoader.dll[/]

      []Deploy mods and start the game normally.[/]

    The archive has no wrapper directory and uses the game-root-relative path expected by the Assassin's Creed Unity Vortex extension.

    Manual installation

    Extract the archive into the Assassin's Creed Unity directory containing

    ACU.exeAllow it to replace:

    ACUFixes\ACUFixes-PluginLoader.dll

    Expected limitations

    • []The Insert menu, injection indicator, ImGui console, and Plugin Loader/plugin menus are unavailable while running headless.[/]

      []Plugins that depend on an every-frame ImGui callback or other UI-side behavior may not function correctly.[/]

      []Backend-oriented plugins can continue to initialize normally.[/]

      []Asset Overrides works when

      enableOnStartupand its load order are configured beforehand.[/]

      []Because there is no in-game Plugin Loader UI, configuration changes that would normally be made through plugin menus must instead be made before enabling headless operation or directly in the relevant JSON configuration files.[/]

      []This build targets Assassin's Creed Unity 1. 5. 0 and is not compatible with the separate 1. 5. 1 fork.[/]

      Uninstallation / rollback

      In Vortex, disable or remove this mod and redeploy the original ACUFixes package.

      For a manual installation, restore the original v0. 9. 2

      ACUFixes-PluginLoader.dll

      • []NameTaken / NameTaken3125 — creator of ACUFixes, the Plugin Loader, its plugin API, reverse-engineering work, and the overwhelming majority of the code used by this modification.[/]

        []Dear ImGui contributors and HwBpLib contributors — upstream third-party components used by the original project.[/]

      Original mod: ACUFixes and Plugin Loader at Assass