SCUM UE4SS Vortex Extension

SCUM (UE4SS) — Vortex Game Extension

A Vortex extension that adds SCUM as a managed game, so you can install SCUM mods with one click instead of editing files by hand. It covers both the SCUM game client and the SCUM dedicated server, sets up UE4SS for you, and understands every common SCUM mod format — UE4SS Lua/script mods and cooked .pak content mods.

This is a Vortex extension, not a gameplay mod. Install it into Vortex; it doesn't change the game by itself — it manages the mods that do.

What it does

• []Adds two games to Vortex — SCUM (the game client) and SCUM Dedicated Server — discovered automatically through Steam. Manage whichever one you're modding.[/]

  []Installs UE4SS for you, on demand. The first time you install a UE4SS mod (or when you click Install/Update UE4SS), it downloads a SCUM-tested RE-UE4SS build and writes a known-good, SCUM-safe UE4SS-settings.ini (engine hooks off, UE 4. 27 override, the object-cache that crashes SCUM disabled, GUI console off for headless servers). A mod-less install is left completely vanilla; if UE4SS is already present it's left alone.[/]

  []One-click installs for every mod format — it figures out what an archive is and puts it where the game expects it (see Mod formats below), then enables it for you on deploy. No manual copying, path editing, or mod-list editing.[/]

  []Loads unsigned PAK mods — the launch button adds -fileopenlog so loose mod paks in ~mods actually load.[/]

  []Updates flow through Vortex's normal Nexus update checks, like any other mod.[/]

  Mod formats it handles

  UE4SS Lua / script mods → deployed to …\SCUM\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods\<name>\, and added to the UE4SS mod list:

  • []With a ue4ss.mod.json manifest (the format these mod pages use) — installs by the manifest's folder name and side, with full Nexus update support.[/]

    []Without a manifest (any "flat" third-party UE4SS mod) — recognised by its structure: <Mod>/Scripts/main.lua, a bare main.lua, an enabled.txt, a C++ dlls/main.dll, or an existing ue4ss/Mods/<Mod> tree. The mod folder is re-rooted under ue4ss\Mods and loose files (README, etc.) at the archive root are dropped.[/]

  PAK content mods → deployed under …\SCUM\Content\Paks\, honouring whichever loader folder the archive ships:
  • []Loose paks (a bare or wrapped .pak) → Content\Paks\~mods\.[/]

    []"Mods" folder (e.g. mods built for the Unofficial Editor Mod Loader) → kept as Content\Paks\Mods\.[/]

    []"LogicMods" folder (UE4SS pak loader) → kept as Content\Paks\LogicMods\.[/]

    []IoStore siblings (.utoc / .ucas) and signatures (.sig) are kept beside their .pak.[/]

  PAK mods don't need UE4SS, so installing one won't pull it in.

  Buttons & tools

  Everything the extension adds to Vortex, and what each one does:

  • []▶ Play (the main launch button) — launches the game with BattlEye off by default (so modded servers/clients load) and -fileopenlog (so unsigned .pak mods load). On the dedicated server it also adds -log (opens the console window + writes the live log).[/]

    []"… (with BattlEye)" (a launcher tool on the dashboard) — the same game launched without the no-BattlEye flag, for vanilla play. Note: genuine BattlEye enforcement on official servers still means launching through Steam; this tool just doesn't suppress it.[/]

    []"Install/Update UE4SS" (button above the Mods list) — installs or refreshes UE4SS on demand, even with zero mods installed (handy when setting up a fresh server first). It's safe to click any time — if UE4SS is already there it just tells you so.[/]

    []"Open UE4SS Mods Folder" (icon on each mod row / the Mods toolbar) — opens …\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods\ in Explorer, so you can check what's deployed.[/]

    Requirements

    • []Vortex mod manager.[/]

      []A Steam install of SCUM (the game) and/or the SCUM Dedicated Server tool.[/]

      []An internet connection on first setup (so the extension can fetch UE4SS).[/]

      How to use it

      [*]Install this extension — in Vortex, drag this file onto the