SE Plugins — Torch (server) and Pulsar (client)
Server and client extensibility that sit outside the mod system. Plugins load into their respective host process at startup.
Which one?
| Framework | Runs in | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Torch | Dedicated server process | references/torch.md |
| Pulsar | Game client process | references/pulsar.md |
Ask the user which and where it's installed — install paths differ.
Cross-cutting notes
- Plugins vs mods. Mods ship inside
Data/and are Workshop-distributed. Plugins are separate DLLs loaded by Torch or Pulsar, distributed via TorchAPI / PluginHub. A plugin cannot rely on mod-only APIs, and vice versa. - HarmonyLib. Both frameworks use HarmonyLib for monkey-patching game methods. Standard cautions apply — patches break on game updates that rename or restructure the target method.
- Multi-server (Torch) — NexusV3 for coordinating a fleet. Reference doc covers the manifest format.