Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Game Recon for Modding agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
Game Recon is an agent skill, a set of instructions and scripts that an AI agent loads when a task matches it. This one investigates a specific installed game before any mod code is written: where it is installed, what engine it uses, whether anti-cheat is present, which mod loaders already exist, where saves and configs live, and how the modding community usually does it. It is for players and developers checking whether a game is worth modding, modders starting a project, and people running Windows games on macOS or Linux. By the end you will know how to install the skill, trigger it with a plain request, and read the MODDING_PLAN.md file it produces.
Game Recon for Moddingrehan-remade/universal-modder · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download and install the skill. Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps.
- 2Install the um tool. Install the universal-modder um command-line tool from its GitHub repository or via uv, using uv tool install git+https://github.com/rehan-remade/universal-modder.
- 3Ask a natural question. Ask something like "can I mod <game>?" and include the folder path if the game is not in a store library.
- 4Let the agent scan the game. The agent runs um scan to find the install, engine, version, anti-cheat, loaders and save folders.
- 5Check compatibility if needed. For a Windows game on macOS or Linux, or a game that won't start, the agent checks host and layer details using the compatibility reference.
- 6Review MODDING_PLAN.md. Read the generated plan, resolve the listed unknowns and confirm the chosen route before changing any files.
What the game-recon skill makes the agent do
When you ask about modding a game, the skill tells the agent to investigate the game on your computer first. It runs the universal-modder um scan tool to locate the install, fingerprint the engine and version, look for anti-cheat and existing loaders, and find save and config folders. It also checks whether this machine can run the game at all, for example a Windows game on macOS or Linux, or an x64 game on an ARM CPU.
Next it searches online modding communities such as wikis, Nexus Mods, Thunderstore and GitHub for the current recommended route. The findings are written to a MODDING_PLAN.md file, which later steps rely on. The skill aims to take about five minutes.
Install the game-recon skill
You can install the skill in one of three ways. Download the ZIP from the skill's page on this site and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ to make it available to all your projects, or unzip it into a project's .claude/skills/ folder to limit it to that project. You can also upload the ZIP in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
The skill also needs the universal-modder um command-line tool. The source says it is installed from its GitHub repository or via uv, and gives this command for installing from GitHub: uv tool install git+https://github.com/rehan-remade/universal-modder. Plugins and clones of the repo put um on your PATH, and the skill points to bin/um in that repo.
- Skill files: SKILL.md and references/compatibility.md
- Tool requirements: the um command-line tool, Python tooling via uv, and internet access for community research
uv tool install git+https://github.com/rehan-remade/universal-modderTrigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need special syntax. The skill is meant to load when you ask questions such as "can I mod <game>?", "what engine is <game>", or "how do people mod <game>", and at the start of any modding task. Name the game as you would to a friend. If the game is installed outside a store library, such as a standalone folder, include the folder path in your request so the agent can scan it.
- "Can I mod Stardew Valley?" (replace with your game)
- "What engine is this game and does it have anti-cheat?"
- "How do people mod this game? Write the plan to MODDING_PLAN.md."
Read the output: MODDING_PLAN.md
The plan lists the install path, engine and version, code type (managed .NET, IL2CPP or native), anti-cheat or online status, host compatibility, save, config and log locations, the community route with its loader, and the chosen route for your idea. It also lists the backups and lab setup to do first, and any unknowns to resolve. Later modding steps use this file, so read it before you change any game files.
- Install and version
- Engine and code type
- Anti-cheat and online status
- Saves, config and logs
- Community route and chosen route
- Unknowns to resolve first
Safety notes: scripts and network access
This skill runs scripts and uses the network. The um scan command reads files only: it indexes the install, reads file headers and maps known games to their community loader. The community research step searches the internet, including wikis, Nexus Mods, GitHub, Thunderstore and Discord or Reddit announcements.
Treat online-only and live-service games as protected even if the scan detects nothing. Anti-cheat kernel drivers and launcher protection often live outside the game folder, so the scan can miss them. Search for "<game> anti-cheat" yourself. The skill also points to a safety reference that covers EULAs, mod policies and ownership checks.
- um scan reads files only
- Network is used for community research
- Anti-cheat outside the game folder is not visible to the scan
Tips for better results
If the game is not in a store library, pass its folder path. If the scan reports several engines, read the "also" line, because launchers and web helpers can create false signals. For a Windows-only game on macOS or Linux, the skill sends the agent to its compatibility reference, which covers host checks, per-game reports, compatibility layers, anti-cheat and probes.
Check the knowledge base before you start. The skill searches the shared notes with um kb search, using the game name, the engine, or exact error text, since another agent may already have recorded working versions and gotchas.
- Pass the folder path for games outside a store library
- Read the "also" line when several engines are detected
- Search um kb search with the game, engine or error text first
- Use the compatibility reference for Windows games on macOS or Linux
um kb search "<game>"What people use it for
- Deciding whether a single-player Unity or Godot game is worth modding before you start
- Finding the community mod loader and its install steps for a game you want to change
- Checking whether a Windows game will run on a Mac or Linux machine before buying or installing it
- Documenting save, config and log locations before experimenting with a game
- Spotting anti-cheat or online-only restrictions early so you avoid risking an account
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the game-recon skill?
Download the ZIP from the skill's page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload the ZIP in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
What does the game-recon skill require?
It requires the universal-modder um command-line tool, which is installed from its GitHub repository or via uv, plus Python tooling via uv and internet access for community research. The skill runs scripts and uses the network.
Is the game-recon skill free?
The skill is licensed under MIT, as stated on its listing. The source does not mention pricing for it or for the universal-modder tool.
Can game-recon tell me if a game has anti-cheat?
It can detect some anti-cheat from the game folder, but it cannot see kernel drivers or launcher-level protection that live elsewhere. The skill tells you to search "<game> anti-cheat" manually and to treat online-only games as protected.
Can I use game-recon to check if a Windows game runs on macOS or Linux?
Yes. The skill checks whether the machine can run the game, such as a Windows game on macOS or Linux, or an x64 game on an ARM CPU, and uses a compatibility reference for host checks, layers and probes.
What is the difference between game-recon and a manual check?
The skill automates the first look: it scans the install, reads engine signals and searches communities, then writes the results to MODDING_PLAN.md. It does not guarantee an answer, so manual checks for anti-cheat and launcher protection are still needed.
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Our verdict
Use game-recon if you want a documented, file-based picture of a game before you invest time in modding it, especially if you are running a Windows game on macOS or Linux. Skip it, or treat the result as a starting point only, for online-only or live-service games with anti-cheat, because the scan cannot see everything and modding those can get accounts banned.
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