Modding Overview
This page provides an overview of different modding tools that are available.
Disclaimer: Modding is currently discouraged by the devs. Do not report bugs or crashes
related to modding to the Spelunky 2 developers. Make sure to back up your save file as modding and crashes
could cause corruption to your save.
Modding Tools
Modlunky 2
Modlunky 2 is a tool that provides the ability to extract and repack assets from the
Spelunky 2 executable for the purpose of Asset based modding as well as
tooling to assist with level editing of the extracted level files.
Playlunky
Playlunky is focused on the user side of asset modding, providing a launcher
that can load loose files without an extra packing step. It also provides
extended functionality for merging strings, shaders, etc.
Overlunky
Overlunky provides an overlay for your running game to provide a playground
for experiments and practice. It provides capabilities such has warping to
any areas, entity spawning and manipulation and more.
Spel2 Soundbank Tools
The audio files for Spelunky 2 are further packed into an FMOD soundbank. These
tools provide the ability to extract and repack the soundbank. This tool is required
for audio modding regardless of whether you use Modlunky 2 or Playlunky for loading
mods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I backup my save file?
While we haven't seen any corruption recently there have been incidents
where modding tools have caused crashes that could potentially corrupt save files.
Additionally bugs in the tooling could cause issues related to saving.
Save corruption is rare but it is possible so if you care about your save file
you should back it up.
Will achievements still work while my game is modded?
Yes. No modding tools will prevent you from unlocking achievements. If you
would like to experiement with modding without accidentally unlocking
achivements you intend to get legitimately you should look at
Goldberg Emulator
which will allow you to run your game without using steam directly.
Can I use mods online?
Texture/String/etc mods will work online with no problems. Changes to level files
however will only work if all players have the same level modifications.
Is there a level editor?
You can do some level editing with just a text editor (such as Notepad) as the
files extracted with Modlunky 2 are plain text. Modlunky 2 also provides a visual
editor that is currently in development.
Why is modding discouraged by the Spelunky 2 developers?
Below is the reasoning provided directly by the developers:
We want to look into official modding and integrating with workshop or mod.io
We don't know yet as S2 wasn't developed w/modding in mind
Modding is still discouraged because:- Formats are volatile enough & breakage is expected
- Can't guarantee that third-party mods don't contain any malware
- Wastes dev time: Bad pr / reports originate due to edited saves/cheats/modding
Why did the game crash when I did X?
There are a variety of reasons that your game could be crashing.
- You have anti-virus software that has quarantined the game or mod tools. Consult your anti-virus software for how to view and whitelist items from the quarantine.
- Spelunky 2 has been updated and is no longer compatible with the tools.
- There is some incompatibility between two different mod tools causing instability
Where can I get help with modding?
Developers of the modding tools provide support in the
#s2-modding
channel in the Community Discord Server.
You can also file issues against the GitHub repositories for each project to report bugs.How can I ask a good question?
When asking for help it is important to be respectful and ask good questions.
- Don't ask to ask a question. Just ask.
- Read the documentation of the project first to avoid asking something that is already documented.
- Provide details about what you were doing and what other modifications you may be using.