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Guide · Agent skill

How to use the Publish a Mod agent skill: lint, package and release

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

The publish-mod skill is a set of instructions that teaches an AI agent how to get a finished game mod ready for public release. It runs a pre-release check, packages the mod for the platform you choose, writes a README with credits and AI disclosure, sets up versioning and drafts the launch post. After this guide you will know how to install the skill, ask for it in plain language and check what it does before anything goes public.

Publish a Modrehan-remade/universal-modder · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Install the skill. Unzip the downloaded publish-mod folder into ~/.claude/skills/ or your project's .claude/skills/, or upload it under Settings, Capabilities, Skills in the Claude apps.
  2. 2Prepare the tools. Make sure the um command-line tool is available and that you know the path to your game install folder.
  3. 3Run the lint. Ask the agent to run um publish check on your mod folder with your game folder. Read every FAIL and WARN.
  4. 4Fix FAILs and resolve WARNs. Remove copied game files, decompiled code, leaked keys and .env files. Decide deliberately on each remaining WARN.
  5. 5Package for your platform. Have the agent build the zip in the layout your platform expects, such as manifest.json and icon.png for Thunderstore or the install layout for Nexus Mods.
  6. 6Write README, credits and version. Add requirements, install steps, credits with AI disclosure, a license, semver version and a changelog.
  7. 7Review the draft post and upload yourself. Check the video and post text the agent drafts, then upload and publish the mod with your own account.

What the publish-mod skill makes the agent do

An agent skill is a folder of instructions (here, a single SKILL.md file) that an AI agent reads when your request matches the skill's description. This one covers the path from a finished mod to a public post. It is designed for game mods only.

The skill works in five stages: a lint check of your mod folder, packaging for the platform's expected layout, a README with credits and AI disclosure, versioning and a changelog, and a draft of the release post with a video.

  • Lint: flags copied game files, decompiled code, leaked keys (fal, Anthropic, OpenAI, GitHub, AWS) and .env files as FAILs, and warns about things like decompiler fingerprints or a missing README.
  • Package: follows the layout for the platform, such as a Thunderstore zip with manifest.json and icon.png, or a Nexus Mods zip laid out as it installs.
  • README: what the mod adds, requirements, install and uninstall steps, compatibility and credits.
  • Versioning: semver in the manifest or build file, the supported game version named, and a changelog.
  • Post: leads with the video and includes a hook, a description and a link.

Install the publish-mod skill

Download the ZIP for the skill from our page. Unzip it so that the publish-mod folder, containing SKILL.md, ends up in one of these locations:

For all your projects, unzip into ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, unzip into that project's .claude/skills/ folder.

If you use the Claude apps instead, open Settings, go to Capabilities, then Skills, and upload the skill there.

  • Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/publish-mod/
  • Project install: .claude/skills/publish-mod/ inside your project
~/.claude/skills/publish-mod/SKILL.md

Install the um command-line tool and game folder access

The lint step runs the um command-line tool. The skill's requirements list the um command (um publish check) as necessary for the pre-release lint. Make sure the tool is installed and can run in the environment where your agent works.

The lint also needs your game install folder so it can compare files byte-for-byte against your mod. You will pass this path when you run the check. The skill also needs platform accounts (Nexus Mods, Steam, Thunderstore, mod.io or GitHub) for you to upload to yourself.

  • um command-line tool (for um publish check)
  • The game install folder
  • A platform account you control for uploading

Trigger the skill with natural requests

You do not need a special command. The skill loads when your request matches its purpose: wanting to ship, share, upload, release or post a mod. Say what you want in ordinary words and point the agent at your mod folder.

Good requests name the mod, the platform and the goal, for example: check my mod for release issues before I upload it to Nexus Mods. The agent will then run the lint and report results before packaging.

  • "Get MyMod ready to ship to Thunderstore."
  • "Run the pre-release check on ./MyMod against my Skyrim install."
  • "Write the README and credits for my mod, including the AI disclosure."
  • "Draft a release post for my mod with the video."
um publish check ./MyMod --game "<game install folder>"

Understand the lint results

The lint sorts findings into two levels. The skill says to fix every FAIL before release and to resolve each WARN deliberately, meaning you decide whether it is acceptable for your mod.

FAIL items include files byte-identical to game files, leaked keys for the services listed, and .env files. WARN items include decompiler fingerprints in source (such as FUN_, DAT_ or sub_ names, or 'Decompiled with' headers), large engine archives, absolute user paths, a missing README and fal assets without credit. The skill notes that some games, such as AoE2 data mods, do ship a modified .dat file as the platform norm.

  • FAIL: fix before release, no exceptions
  • WARN: review and decide, document the decision if needed

Package and upload for your platform

Each platform expects a different package. The skill follows the layout for the loader or site you name. For Thunderstore and BepInEx, the zip holds manifest.json, icon.png at 256x256, README.md and plugins/<Mod>.dll. For Nexus Mods, the zip is laid out the way the files install, such as Data/ for Bethesda games or BepInEx/plugins/ for BepInEx. Steam Workshop uploads go through the game's own uploader or SDK tool.

ROM hacks and GameMaker mods should ship as patches only (BPS, IPS or xdelta), never as the modified game file. Mods with options on Nexus can use a FOMOD installer; the skill points to the FOMOD tutorial and STEP's FOMOD guide for that.

  • Thunderstore / BepInEx: manifest.json, icon.png, README.md, plugins/<Mod>.dll
  • Nexus Mods: zip laid out as it installs
  • Steam Workshop: the game's own uploader or SDK tool
  • ROM hacks / GameMaker: patch files only

Write the README and disclose AI use

The README goes in the zip and on the page. It should cover what the mod adds, requirements (game version, loader and dependencies), install, uninstall and troubleshooting including where the log is, and compatibility such as multiplayer or known conflicts.

The credits section should name the loader and libraries, the references you learned from, and an honest AI disclosure stating which agent and model built the mod. If you used fal to generate art or audio, the skill suggests the line 'Art/audio generated with fal (fal.ai) using <models>', with fal_manifest.jsonl listing the models. State the license for your code (MIT or Apache are common); asset terms follow the models' licenses.

Draft the post and keep publishing in your hands

The skill recommends leading with a 20 to 45 second video that shows gameplay within the first 2 to 3 seconds, made with the showcase-video skill. The post text includes a hook, what the mod is, how it was built and a link. If the video uses someone else's footage, credit them by handle and ask permission first.

The skill is explicit that publishing is always your decision. The agent drafts the post and shows it to you, and you press the upload button yourself.

What people use it for

  • Preparing a first Thunderstore upload of a BepInEx mod with a correct manifest.json and icon.png.
  • Checking a Nexus Mods data mod for copied game files before release.
  • Writing a README that lists requirements, install steps and an honest AI credit for a mod built with an agent.
  • Packaging a ROM hack as an IPS or BPS patch instead of shipping the modified game file.
  • Drafting a Steam Workshop launch post with a short gameplay video and a credit line.

Frequently asked questions

How do I install the publish-mod agent skill?

Download the ZIP from the skill page and unzip it so the publish-mod folder with SKILL.md is in ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one project. In the Claude apps you can instead upload it under Settings, Capabilities, Skills.

What does the publish-mod skill need to run?

It needs the um command-line tool for the um publish check lint, your game install folder so files can be compared byte-for-byte, and accounts on the platforms you upload to, such as Nexus Mods, Steam, Thunderstore, mod.io or GitHub. The skill runs scripts but does not use the network, according to its listing.

Is the publish-mod skill free?

The skill is released under the MIT licence. The source does not state any price, so check the directory page for current terms.

Can the skill publish my mod automatically?

No. The skill says publishing is always the user's decision. The agent drafts the package and post, then you upload it yourself, because uploads are public and hard to undo.

Does this skill work for non-game software?

No. The lint and packaging rules are specific to game mods and to ROM or GameMaker patches. Use a different workflow for apps or other non-game software.

What is the difference between a FAIL and a WARN in the lint?

A FAIL covers problems such as files identical to game files, leaked API keys and .env files, and must be fixed before release. A WARN covers things like decompiler fingerprints or a missing README, and you should review each one and decide whether it is acceptable.

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Our verdict

This skill suits game modders preparing a first public upload to Nexus Mods, Steam Workshop or Thunderstore, especially if they want a checklist that catches leaked keys and copied game files. It is not suited to non-game software, or to anyone who wants an agent to publish automatically, since the skill keeps the final upload in the user's hands.

Download the skill