Modpacks Let You Install Hundreds of Mods at Once, But Should You?

Everyone has a favorite game or two that they just can’t get enough of. Even after playing through the main story and all the side quests, you just don’t want the game to end. Yearning for more, you turn to the modding scene, where modpacks promise a transformative experience in just a few clicks.

What Are Modpacks?

Modpacks (or “collections”) are relatively large collections of mods consolidated into a single package that makes it easy for players to install whole lists of mods at once. Modpacks often aim to overhaul an entire game by introducing collections of mods that drastically change important gameplay elements and graphics.

The appeal of modpacks is that they’re very easy to install, as you can install everything at once. You can download and install them from popular modding websites, such as Nexus Mods.

Modding games is now easier than ever thanks to mod managers like Vortex and games being pre-configured by the developer to be moddable. Installing five or even 20 mods is relatively straightforward, and there’s a very low possibility that you’ll run into any issues whatsoever. However, installing 50+ mods can cause a lot of file conflicts and errors. Those are the exact types of issues where modpacks can help.

A good modpack designer adds mods one-by-one and tests the game extensively, fixing file conflicts along the way. If they’re unable to fix the issue, they’ll remove the mod and potentially notify the mod creator about the issue so that it can be integrated once it’s fixed.

In addition to ease of use, modpacks can provide an overall superior experience. This is because some mods are designed to enhance each other. For instance, a Grand Theft Auto V modpack could have a mod that adds new cars, one that adds custom car liveries that you can put on the new cars, a car handling mod, and a couple of texture and shader mods that significantly enhance the graphics of cars and streets.

Note that modpacks are not the same as overhauls and conversion mods, which are DLC-sized mods that essentially act as whole new games. A good example is the recent Fallout London conversion mod. That being said, modpacks and conversion mods can go hand in hand, as some conversion mods are best enjoyed when enhanced with a light modpack that, for instance, fixes issues with the core game and adds new features.

Modpacks Can Breathe New Life Into Your Favorite Game

Some modpacks are relatively lightweight and aim to enhance the “vanilla” game with a bunch of minor tweaks, additions, bug fixes, graphical enhancements, interface overhauls, and so on. These are often referred to as “Vanilla+” and “Essentials.”

The other, and arguably more fun, type of modpacks are those that significantly overhaul or expand the base game. Some are so intricate that the base game merely serves as the core platform on which the game is built.

No example is better than Minecraft, the game that has popularized the very concept of modpacks. I used to play these Minecraft modpacks through Feed the Beast, and they were fantastic. A single modpack can contain changes like portal guns from the Portal game series, engineering mods that add whole new concepts and materials, new gear enhancements, vehicles, biomes, achievements, and hundreds of new monsters and animals.

There are countless modpacks tailored for every type of gamer. Whether you’re a casual player looking for a relaxing mod-enhanced walking simulator, or you’re a hardcore player who finds Factorio too simple and wants to add even more complexity.

Moreover, some games that have multiplayer allow whole servers to run modpacks, giving you the opportunity to enjoy the new content with your friends.

Installing Mods Manually vs. Modpacks

There are some good reasons why you’d want to opt to install game mods manually, even when the game you’re playing has a healthy selection of modpacks. The biggest benefit is that you can pick exactly which mods you wish to install. You can read the description of what the mod does and understand how it works.

With a modpack, you’re probably getting at least a few mods that you don’t know how to use, especially if the mods require you to switch them on manually in-game.

Also, while mod packs promise a one-stop shop that makes it easy for newcomers to mod their games, it doesn’t always work out that way in practice. A mod pack that might work on one PC won’t necessarily work on another. This can happen for a number of reasons, such as having an incompatible game version, specific hardware, custom configuration files, or an unrelated mod that is causing issues. That’s why Nexus Mods has a success rating for modpacks.

While you could go through the troubleshooting of disabling mods manually in a modpack, it’s much easier to solve issues if you’re installing mods manually in the first place. Add a couple of mods, test the game, and if something doesn’t work, disable the mod and try again until you find the culprit.

Modpacks that contain a bunch of multi-piece mods and mods that need each other to work are significantly harder to troubleshoot, even with the community’s help.

That being said, when a modpack works as intended, it makes for a quick and seamless modding experience. Modpacks provide an effortless solution for those who wish to try out a new experience in a familiar game. The best part is, if you don’t like one modpack or it doesn’t work on your PC, you can always try a different one.

Note that you can sometimes avoid modpack issues by sticking to an older version of the game. Minecraft is a great example. Older versions of the game have given modders and modpack creators more time to test and tweak each mod to ensure it works correctly.

Whenever a new Minecraft update drops, it breaks half the mods in a modpack. The unpaid community needs months to fix the modpack, by which time a new major update to the game gets released.

If you’re the type who likes to tinker around with mods, there’s always the option of creating your own modpacks. You can use an existing modpack as a base and disable the mods you don’t like before adding new ones, or you could do each mod manually until you have a custom modpack that you like. Just remember to share it with the community so that others get to enjoy your new modpack!

It’s Best to Play the Vanilla Game First

I have a great appreciation for the hard work that goes into creating and compiling mods to create a functional modpack. However, I can’t fully appreciate a modpack if I don’t even know what the base game is like. Not to mention that heavy modpacks can be extremely overwhelming, an unwelcome addition if the game is overwhelming in and of itself. That’s why I strongly suggest sticking to the vanilla game for your first playthrough, as it allows you to experience the game how the developers intended it.

You can opt for a vanilla+ modpack, but hold off on installing it until you’ve played at least 5–10 hours of the unmodded game. This provides a benchmark against which you can gauge the changes. You’ll be able to appreciate the mods more and have a better understanding of what the mods do. It gives you the opportunity to uninstall a particular mod if you like the unmodded version better. This is especially relevant for mods that affect shaders, interfaces, NPC dialogue, and other minor elements.

Modpacks provide you with an amazing and relatively straightforward solution to overhaul a game you love. You can add anywhere from 20 to over 200 mods at once to add a bunch of new content to experience, far beyond what the base game offers. If you’ve never tried a heavily modded game, you’re seriously missing out, so head over to your favorite modding website right away!