How to Build a Custom Ship in Valheim (ValheimRAFT mod)

Sailing is a major part of exploration and mobility in Valheim, but so far, there are only three available boats for Vikings to unlock and build. Players can gain access to the Raft, Karve, and Longship to use when sailing across the vast Ocean in Valheim. Unfortunately, none of these vessels can be customized. A recent mod changes that and allows Vikings to build any seafaring vessel they can imagine, complete with all the furniture available for a homestead. The ValheimRAFT mod, created by Sarcen and inspired by the game RAFT, introduces a new buildable raft that includes construction tiles so Vikings can customize their own ship.

The ValheimRAFT mod turns the sails and wheels from all three standard boats as placeable items so the ship players design still functions as transportation. It will be possible for players to construct other objects on board and make the ship look any way they want. For this mod to work, players must download and install not only the ValheimRAFT mod, but also the Jotunn: The Valheim Library mod, MMHookGen, and BepInExPack Valheim. Though it can be a lengthy process, the end result is well worth the amount of effort. Here’s how to install and use the ValheimRAFT mod in Valheim.

How to Install the ValheimRAFT mod in Valheim

To install the ValheimRAFT mod for Valheim, players will first need to make sure they do some required prep work. First, they should always make sure to back up their game and save files. Modding can cause games to behave in unexpected ways and can corrupt save or game files. It is best to have a backup to avoid losing all progress. Players will also need to download and install the BepInExPack Valheim framework, Jotunn Valheim Library mod, and MMHookGen. The steps to install these appear below:

BepInExPack Valheim

1. Download the BepInExPack framework from Thunderstore
2. Open the zipped folder and Extract All contents into a folder. Do not extract them into the game folder.
3. Move the contents of the extracted BepInExPack_Valheim folder into the Valheim root folder. The file path is usually Steamlibrary > steamapps > common > Valheim. This is the folder where valheim.exe is stored.
4. Launch Valheim and make sure the console pops up. This will automatically create a new plugins folder within the BepInEx folder.

Jotunn, the Valheim Library

1. Download Jotunn from either Nexus Mods or Thunderstore.
2. Open the Valheim BepInEx directory. The file location is typically along the lines of SteamteamappscommonValheimBepInEx.
3. Open the plugins folder.
4. Extract the contents of the Jotunn zipped folder and place the Jotunn.dll file into the plugins folder.

MMHookGen

1. Download the HookGenPatcher from either Nexus Mods or Thunderstore.
2. Open the Valheim BepInEx directory. The file location is typically along the lines of SteamteamappscommonValheimBepInEx.
3. Extract the contents of the HookGenPatcher zipped folder.
4. Place the patchers and config folders in the BepInEx folder.
5. Launch Valheim.

Once all three of these have been installed, players should see Jotunn Vx.x.x in the top-right corner of the launch main menu screen. Players should note it is possible to download the BepInExPack framework and Jotunn using the Thunderstore or Nexus mod managers for automatic installation. This is particularly useful if players intend to add several mods from one place and want to keep track of them or simply want to ensure everything installs properly.

Finally, players will need to install the ValheimRAFT mod. The steps to do this appear below:

1. Download the ValheimRAFT mod from Nexus Mods.
2. Open the Valheim BepInEx directory. The file location is typically along the lines of SteamteamappscommonValheimBepInEx.
3. Open the plugins folder.
4. Extract the contents of the ValheimRAFT zipped folder.
5. Place the extracted ValheimRAFT folder into the plugins folder.
6. Launch Valheim.

Once players place the new raft in the water, they should be able to use it as a building platform, adding as many construction objects as they prefer to get the ship looking exactly as they want. They can place objects, including crafting tables, beds, and even portals on the boat. Most of the same rules for building in Valheim will apply, so players will need to think strategically when designing and ensure they have an interior for their crafting tables and bed.

Players should note the Valheim ValheimRAFT mod can behave strangely when playing with friends on a server. Many commenters have noted about 20% of their raft disappears, though some have found those pieces still waiting at the last location they docked. There have been a few proposed fixes to mitigate this issue now, and the mod is still receiving updates that may address the problem more directly later. Players should make sure to report any bugs they encounter to the developer so they can be addressed in future updates.

Valheimis in Early Access and is available for PC.

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