Mods, plugins, and customization

Every game handles mods a little differently. This is the general pattern — for game-specific paths, see /knowledgebase/games.

The shape of "adding a mod"

Most games follow this loop:

1. Stop the server from the panel.
2. Drop the mod files in the right folder via the file manager or SFTP.
3. Edit a config file if the mod needs it.
4. Start the server and watch the console for load errors.

Where the "right folder" is depends on the game.

Server type vs mod system

Some games support multiple modding systems. Minecraft Java, for example, has Paper (server plugins), Forge (client+server mods), and Fabric (lighter client+server mods). Picking the right server type is half the battle.

When you're on a server type that doesn't support the mods you want, switch it — the file manager has the option, and the restart pulls down the new server files.

Workshop / official mod sources

Several games (ARK, Project Zomboid, Garry's Mod) pull mods from Steam Workshop automatically when you list the IDs in the right config. You don't upload files — you list IDs, restart, the server downloads them.

Modpacks

For modpack ecosystems (CurseForge, Modrinth, FTB on Minecraft):

1. Download the server pack version (not the client pack).
2. Upload the zip to your server.
3. Extract via the file manager.
4. The pack usually includes a startup script — point your panel's startup command at it if needed (chat us if you're not sure).

What lives in the config

After installing a mod, you usually have to enable it in a config file. Common patterns:

• A new entry in server.properties / server.cfg / ServerSettings.ini
• A line in a mod-specific config file the mod created on first run
• Players also need the mod client-side (for client+server mods like Forge/Fabric in Minecraft)

Resource packs (Minecraft)

Drop the pack zip somewhere publicly accessible (a Suzko Cloud Storage bucket works). Then in server.properties:

resource-pack=https://your.bucket/pack.zip
resource-pack-sha1=<sha1 of the zip>
require-resource-pack=true

Players auto-download on join.

Performance tips

• Pre-generate the world on big-map games. Runtime chunk generation is the #1 cause of lag spikes.
• Don't overload plugins. Each one is overhead. Audit quarterly — disable what you don't use.
• Match RAM to your tier. Don't give the JVM 2GB on a 6GB tier; you're paying for headroom that's not being used.
• Restart nightly. Even well-behaved mods leak memory over days. A 5-minute downtime overnight is cheap insurance.