Setting things up
For a fresh start, you'll need the following things:
- An updated, clean, unmodded, legit copy of Grand Theft Auto V (both Steam/Social Club are fine) that works normally
- An internet connection
- An archive manager. I recommend 7-Zip
- Enable showing file extensions in Explorer
- Patience. Read the manuals!
It's best to start out with a clean, unmodded game, to prevent conflicts and instabilities. If you've tampered with the files, it's best to either re-install the game or to let Steam or Social Club verify your files before continuing. If you also had script mods installed and don't remember what to delete, just start out clean.
For reference, the following files enable loading and running mods from the normal launcher:
- dinput8.dll - ASI loader
- ScriptHookV.dll - Script hook
- OpenIV.asi - OpenIV archive loader
If you recognize any of these and don't exactly know why these are there, start out from scratch.
Essentials
GTA V mods roughly exist in two distinct categories: resource mods and scripts. You'll need a couple of things to get this to work!
- ScriptHookV enabled scripts for GTA V.
- OpenIV enables modifying archives and adding archives.
- Optional: ScriptHookVDotNet enables scripts written in .NET languages. It relies on ScriptHookV.
- Optional: RAGE Plugin Hook is like ScriptHookVDotNet, but works standalone and uses a custom launcher for the game.
Download the archives or installers from the websites.
Installation: Follow the READMEs!
- ScriptHookV: Open the archive, extract the files inside the bin folder to your GTA V root.
- ScriptHookVDotNet: Open the archive, extract
ScriptHookVDotNet.asiandScriptHookVDotNet2.dllto your GTA V root. - OpenIV: Run the installer.
ScriptHookVDotNet has its scripts inside a separate folder inside the GTA V root folder, so create a
scripts folder in there. .dll and .cs scripts you download will go in here.
OpenIV needs some additional setup. Run the program and point it to your GTA V directory if necessary. Go to Tools -> ASI Manager and install
ASI Loader and OpenIV.ASI if they aren't installed already. You'll also want to set up a mods folder. This keeps your original game files clean! As a start, put your update.rpf in the mods folder. You'll need to edit it anyway.Downloading mods
It's a good idea to only download mods from trusted websites, especially script mods. Remember that scripts are just libraries and can execute any code. Mods that change textures, vehicles and the like are less risky, but always do your research before downloading mods from random websites.
