Installing R2ModManPlus With Steam & Standalone Versions

Introduction

R2ModMan Plus works with both Steam-installed games and standalone game versions purchased or distributed outside of Steam. The installation process for R2ModManager Plus itself does not change between these two scenarios, but the configuration steps after installation differ significantly depending on how the target game was acquired and where it is installed.

Getting this configuration right the first time prevents the most frustrating category of R2ModMan Plus problems, which are setups where the tool installs correctly but cannot find, communicate with, or launch the target game.

Quick Facts about Installing R2ModManPlus

• R2ModMan Plus installation is identical regardless of whether the target game uses Steam or a standalone launcher
• The difference between Steam and standalone setups lies entirely in game path configuration and launch method settings within R2ModManager Plus
• Steam games are usually detected automatically by R2ModMan Plus when installed in the default Steam library location
• Standalone game versions require manual directory specification in R2ModMan Plus settings before the tool can interact with them
• Games on Steam running through Proton on Linux require additional path configuration due to the compatibility layer’s directory structure
• R2ModMan Plus cannot launch standalone games through Steam even if the standalone version is also registered in Steam as a non-Steam game
• Multiple Steam library locations require manual verification in R2ModMan Plus settings as only the default library path is scanned automatically
• Profile data and mod files are stored separately from the game directory in both Steam and standalone configurations
• Standalone game versions may have different executable names or folder structures that require manual identification within R2ModMan Plus

What Determines Whether R2ModMan Plus Finds Your Game Automatically

R2ModMan Plus uses a detection routine at first launch and during manual refresh scans to locate installed games. This routine checks a set of known default installation paths and registry entries to identify game locations without requiring manual input from the user.

Understanding exactly what this routine checks and where it looks explains why some games are detected instantly while others require manual configuration.

How Automatic Game Detection Works for Steam Games

When R2ModMan Plus scans for installed games, it reads Steam’s libraryfolders.vdf file. This file contains the paths to all Steam library locations configured on the system and is the source R2ModMan Plus uses to build its list of detectable game paths.

What R2ModMan Plus reads from Steam’s configuration:

• The default Steam library path, typically C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\ on Windows
• Any additional Steam library locations added through Steam’s Storage Manager
• The app manifest files within each library location that identify which games are installed at each path
• The game’s executable name and installation folder name as declared in the app manifest

If the libraryfolders.vdf file is in an unexpected location, if the Steam installation itself is in a non-default path, or if a Steam library is on a drive that is disconnected or unmounted, R2ModMan Plus will not detect the games in those locations automatically.

Why Standalone Games Require Manual Configuration

Standalone game versions have no equivalent to Steam’s libraryfolders.vdf infrastructure. There is no central registry or configuration file that R2ModMan Plus can read to discover where a standalone game is installed.

Every standalone game must be manually pointed to within R2ModMan Plus settings.

Common sources of standalone game versions that require manual configuration:

• Games purchased directly from a developer’s website and installed through a proprietary launcher
• Epic Games Store purchases where the game is installed in Epic’s default directory structure
• GOG Galaxy games installed through the GOG client
• Itch.io games installed through the Itch desktop app or manually extracted
• DRM-free game copies installed to custom directories by the user
• Game Preview or early access versions distributed outside Steam with separate installers

The manual configuration process is straightforward once the game’s installation directory is known. The critical requirement is identifying the correct folder containing the game’s primary executable file.

Installing R2ModManPlus for Steam Games

Steam game installation in R2ModMan Plus covers two scenarios. The first is games in the default Steam library that are detected automatically. The second is games in secondary Steam libraries or non-default Steam installation paths that require manual assistance.

Both scenarios start with the same R2ModMan Plus installation process. The divergence occurs during initial game configuration.

Automatic Detection Setup for Default Steam Library Games

For games installed in Steam’s default library location, R2ModMan Plus typically completes detection without any manual input required.

Step by step setup for automatically detected Steam games:

• Complete the R2ModMan Plus installation as described in the installation guide
• Launch R2ModMan Plus for the first time
• On the game selection screen, look for your target game in the displayed list
• If the game appears with its icon and name, R2ModMan Plus has detected it automatically
• Select the game and proceed to profile creation
• Once a profile is created, verify the game path by navigating to Settings within the profile
• Confirm the displayed game directory path matches the actual installation location on your system
• Use the Start Modded button within R2ModMan Plus exclusively for launching modded sessions going forward

Verifying the detected path even when detection appears successful is a good practice. R2ModMan Plus occasionally detects a game folder correctly but points to an outdated installation if a game has been moved or reinstalled since the last detection scan.

Manual Path Configuration for Secondary Steam Library Locations

Games installed in secondary Steam library locations on additional drives are not always detected automatically. This is one of the most common R2ModManager Plus setup issues for users with multiple storage drives.

Steps to manually configure a secondary Steam library game:

• Open R2ModMan Plus and select the target game from the game selection screen
• Create a new profile for the game
• Navigate to the Settings section within the profile interface
• Locate the game directory or game path setting
• Click the browse or change button next to the current path field
• Navigate to the secondary Steam library location, typically [DriveLetter]:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\[GameName]\
• Select the folder containing the game’s primary executable
• Save the path setting and return to the profile main screen
• Test the configuration by clicking Start Modded and confirming the game launches correctly

If the secondary Steam library is on an external drive, ensure the drive is connected and mounted before launching R2ModMan Plus. A disconnected drive at launch may cause the tool to revert to no path or an incorrect fallback path for the affected game.

Common Problems and Solutions:

• Game not appearing in R2ModMan Plus game list despite being installed  the game may not yet have a Thunderstore mod community; only games with active Thunderstore support appear in R2ModMan Plus
• Correct path set but game still not launching through R2ModMan Plus  verify the path points to the folder containing the executable directly, not a parent folder or a subdirectory below the executable
• Game launches without mods despite using Start Modded  the mod framework such as BepInEx may not be installed in the active profile; check the installed mod list for the framework package
• R2ModMan Plus loses the game path after restarting  this indicates a write permission issue with the R2ModMan Plus data directory; move the data directory to a location outside system-protected paths
• Multiple installations of the same game detected  R2ModMan Plus may have found both a Steam version and a leftover folder from a previous installation; verify which path contains the current active installation

Installing R2ModManPlus for Standalone Game Versions

Standalone game configuration in R2ModMan Plus requires more deliberate setup than Steam game configuration. The absence of automatic detection means every path and launch setting must be verified manually before the setup is considered complete.

Rushing through the standalone configuration without verifying each step is the primary reason standalone setups fail to launch or fail to load mods correctly.

Identifying the Correct Executable and Directory for Standalone Games

Before configuring R2ModMan Plus for a standalone game, identify the game’s primary executable file and the folder that contains it. This information is required during the manual path configuration process.

How to locate the correct game directory for standalone versions:

• Navigate to the folder where the standalone game was installed
• Look for the primary game executable, typically a .exe file on Windows with the game’s name
• Confirm this is the actual game executable and not a launcher, updater, or configuration tool by checking the file size and name
• Note the full path to the folder containing this executable, not the path to the executable itself
• On Linux, identify the primary game binary file and its containing directory using the same logic

Some standalone games use a two-level directory structure where a launcher executable sits in the top-level folder and the actual game executable is in a subdirectory. R2ModMan Plus requires the path to the folder containing the actual game executable, not the launcher.

Configuring R2ModMan Plus to Use the Standalone Game Path

With the correct directory path identified, configuring R2ModMan Plus for the standalone game follows a defined sequence.

Step by step standalone game configuration:

• Launch R2ModMan Plus and select the correct game from the game selection screen
• The game must have Thunderstore mod support to appear in the list regardless of installation source
• Create a new profile for the standalone game version
• Open Settings within the newly created profile
• Navigate to the game directory configuration field
• Enter or browse to the directory path containing the standalone game’s primary executable
• Save the path and verify it displays correctly in the settings field after saving
• Return to the profile screen and check that no path error warnings are displayed
• Install the required mod framework such as BepInEx through the mod browser within R2ModMan Plus
• Test the full setup by clicking Start Modded and confirming both the game launches and mods load correctly

After confirming the standalone setup works, avoid moving the game’s installation folder. Relocating the game directory after R2ModMan Plus is configured breaks the stored path and requires reconfiguration.

Launch Method Differences Between Steam and Standalone Versions

Steam and standalone game versions require different launch configurations within R2ModMan Plus. Using the wrong launch method causes the game to open without mod injection even when everything else is configured correctly.

Steam game launch behavior in R2ModMan Plus:

• R2ModMan Plus launches Steam games through the Steam client by default
• The game appears in the Steam overlay and counts playtime in Steam’s activity tracking
• Steam must be running before clicking Start Modded for Steam game launches to succeed
• Some games require Steam to be running even for mod-injected launches due to Steam authentication requirements

Standalone game launch behavior in R2ModMan Plus:

• R2ModMan Plus launches standalone games by directly executing the game binary
• Steam is not required to be running for standalone game launches
• The Steam overlay will not appear during standalone game sessions launched through R2ModMan Plus
• Playtime is not tracked in Steam for standalone versions launched directly through R2ModMan Plus

If a Steam game is also registered as a non-Steam game in your Steam library, R2ModMan Plus will still use the Steam launch method rather than the direct executable method. Do not configure Steam game paths using the standalone method as this bypasses Steam authentication and causes launch failures for games with Steam DRM.

Linux-Specific Configuration for Steam and Standalone Games

Linux users face additional configuration considerations due to the Proton compatibility layer used for Windows games on Steam, and the different directory structures used by Linux game distributions compared to Windows.

Steam Proton Games on Linux

Steam games running through Proton on Linux are stored in a different directory structure than native Linux games. The game files are located within the Steam library’s steamapps/common/ directory, but the Proton prefix where the game’s Windows environment runs is located separately.

Key paths for Proton games on Linux:

• Game files: ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/[GameName]/
• Proton prefix: ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/[AppID]/pfx/
• R2ModMan Plus requires the game files path, not the Proton prefix path, for game directory configuration

R2ModMan Plus on Linux handles Proton game launches through Steam in most configurations. If automatic detection fails for a Proton game, manually specify the steamapps/common/[GameName]/ path in the game directory settings.

For standalone game versions on Linux, the configuration process mirrors the Windows standalone setup with the difference that the target executable is a Linux binary rather than a .exe file. 

Set the game directory path to the folder containing the Linux executable and confirm executable permissions are set correctly on both the game binary and the R2ModManager Plus AppImage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Latest Post:

• Installing R2ModManPlus With Steam & Standalone Versions
• R2ModManager Plus Release Installer Errors & Fixes
• How to Install R2ModManagePlus (Step‑by‑Step With Screenshots)
• R2ModManPlus vs Alternatives (Comparison of Mod Managers)
• Why Risk of Rain 2 Players Use R2ModManPlus