Grimwar/Steam Workshop addons

Getting started · Maps · VSig · VMod · Addons · Workshop · Servers · SDK

Current publishing boundary. Grimwar Workshop publishing accepts non-empty, map-only Release packages. A package containing VMods or another addon content kind cannot be published through this workflow.

Steam Workshop is one source in Grimwar's addon catalog. The same package can be tested locally, published, subscribed to, selected, validated, and loaded without a separate Workshop format.

Prepare the map package

1. Finish local testing with a Development package.
2. Open Tools > Vellocet > SDK > Map Exporter.
3. Select Release. Release builds Windows client, macOS client, and Linux dedicated-server artifacts and requires complete lighting and spatial bakes.
4. Assign Map Image (in-game) for the map browser.
5. Assign separate Addon Thumbnail (Workshop) artwork. It must be a decodable 1920 x 1080 PNG or JPEG.
6. Build the Release package and resolve every validator error.

The exporter places the Workshop image at the addon root and records it as addonThumbnail. A map's map.thumbnail is separate and does not satisfy the Workshop requirement.

Do not modify a Release folder after export. Grimwar validates the manifest, schema, compilation receipt, build ID, file paths, sizes, SHA-256 hashes, and platform payload before upload and again before mounting.

Test the unpublished package

1. Put the Release package in Grimwar's normal addon folder or an SDK overlay.
2. Launch Grimwar and open Addons.
3. Confirm the package is installed, valid, enabled, and offers Publish / Update.
4. If another copy has the same addon ID, select Use This Copy on the local Release build.
5. Open Host. The Host tab rescans addon folders when entered.
6. Select Test Map and exercise the packaged map.

An unpublished package has no guest download source, so Grimwar restricts the session to Local. This is expected.

Publish a new item

1. Launch Grimwar through the Steam account that will own the Workshop item.
2. Open Addons and select Publish / Update on the local map package.
3. Enter the title, description, change note, and visibility. A new item defaults to Private.
4. Review the linked Workshop terms and submit. Steam cannot cancel the upload after item submission begins.
5. If Steam reports an unaccepted contributor agreement, open the agreement or item page from the result dialog and accept it.
6. Inspect the item page before changing its visibility.

The publisher uploads the complete addon directory and uses the addon thumbnail as the Workshop preview. It assigns the Map tag plus Grimwar addon ID, schema, kind, and optional build metadata.

Update an existing item

1. Export a new Release package with the same addon ID.
2. Start Grimwar with the same Steam account that created the item.
3. Select the intended local copy with Use This Copy.
4. Choose Publish / Update, supply an accurate change note, and submit.
5. Wait for upload and subscribed-copy refresh to finish, then test the installed Workshop copy.

The publication mapping is keyed by Steam user and addon ID. Before an update, Grimwar checks Steam ownership and item metadata and refuses an ambiguous match. A successful upload refreshes an installed subscribed copy; do not unsubscribe and resubscribe just to pick up the author's update.

Visibility and hosting access

The least-public required Workshop item limits the Host screen:

Workshop visibility	Available hosting access
Private	Local only
Friends Only	Local, Friends Only, and Invite Only
Public or Unlisted	All Host access modes, subject to other required content

Guest hosting also remains disabled while Steam requires the current contributor agreement. Grimwar checks that state again after upload.

Subscribe and use a map

1. Open Grimwar Workshop or select Browse Steam Workshop in the Addons screen.
2. Subscribe to the map.
3. Wait until Steam reports the item installed with no pending update.
4. In Grimwar, confirm the package is valid and enabled.
5. Use Use This Copy if a local package with the same addon ID is selected.
6. Host the map or join a server that advertises the same published-file ID and exact build ID.

Joining occurs before Grimwar login completes. The client subscribes when necessary, waits for Steam installation, validates the Release package, mounts the exact candidate, and verifies the map came from that package. A failure stops the join instead of loading a different build.

Dedicated servers

Dedicated servers list direct Workshop items, collections, or manual Workshop bindings in <data>/config/server-addons.json. Put the installed map IDs in <data>/config/rotation.json.

A manually staged server package can still advertise its Workshop item to clients, but the staged folder must be the exact Release build uploaded to that item. See Install Workshop maps on a dedicated server.

Publishing failures

Symptom	Check
No Publish / Update action	Select a local or SDK-overlay Release package. It must contain at least one content entry and every entry must be a map.
Thumbnail rejected	Supply a readable 1920 x 1080 PNG or JPEG as addonThumbnail, not only a map image.
Package validation failed	Re-export Release and do not edit its manifest or files afterward.
Update ownership failed	Use the Steam account that owns the mapped item and confirm the addon ID has not changed.
Guests cannot join	Check item visibility, contributor-agreement state, selected source, exact build, and whether every required addon has a delivery source.
Old copy still loads	Select the intended source with Use This Copy and wait for Steam's update state to clear.

See Using addons for catalog conflicts and local installs.