Installing WildStar addons Guide

The purpose of this guide is to show WildStar fans a simple way to install player made addons in WildStar. I will show you two methods. The preferred method is to install addons using the Curse Client but I will also show you how to install them manually should you prefer to do so.

ADDONS 101

WildStar fully supports player-made addons to add useful tools and other quality-of-life elements to the game. For example, if you're trying to figure out which build gives you more DPS, you might use an addon called "Galaxy Meter" to compare specs. Perhaps you're not happy with the current in-game nameplates, you could download an addon called "Bijiplates" that may display them to your liking. Some players consider experimenting with addons an important part of their gaming experience. It's up to each player whether or not they want to use addons, but the WildStar developers fully support the community's creativity and ingenuity in making them.

METHOD 1: CURSE CLIENT (PREFERRED)

HOW TO DOWNLOAD THE CURSE CLIENT (instructions via Curse)

1.Installation file for the client is at at www.curse.com/client

2.Run the downloaded setup file, which will begin the installation process after you have accepted the EULA. The Client installer may have to update your .NET framework – it will do so automatically.

3.The client may need to undergo an update when logging in for the first time. It will automatically restart and install the latest update for you.

4.Shortcuts will place a Curse Client shortcut on your desktop

5.Please note that you will need a Curse.com account in order to use the Curse Client. You can register for a free account on Curse.com or on the Client login page.

There are some convenience features of the Client such as faster download and automatic updating that are available to those who pay for a Curse account, however this is entirely optional and not critical to using the Client. I personally use the free option and find the addons are easy to update and download is quite fast regardless.

HOW TO SEARCH ADDONS AND INSTALL THEM

To install addons, just make sure you have WildStar selected in the far left "My Games" column. In the image above, you can see other games (Skyrim and The Secret World) that I have installed that I could also download addons for. You can see that WildStar is highlighted in orange since I've selected it.

Once you've made sure you have WildStar selected in left column, simply hit the "Get More Addons" tab and the Client will load a list of available addons to try. When you click on an addon, you'll get a basic description, the author's name and a link to the website that offers screenshots and more details.

Once you're ready to install, simply click "Install" and the client will do the rest. It's that simple! Keep in mind, each addon will have it's own instructions on how to use it, so be sure to educate yourself on how each addon works.

It's also important to understand that these addons are made by players, and may or may not be stable. If an addon crashes, simply uninstall

HOW TO UPDATE ADDONS

If you're using the free version of the client (like I do) you simply select the "My Addons" tab and look for addons with the "update" button. Simply click update and it will update automatically. The "Update All" button is, again, only enabled for paid Curse subscribers.

HOW TO UNINSTALL AN ADDON

To remove an addon you no longer need or one that is perhaps causing your client to be unstable, you simply go to the "My Addons" tab and right click the addon you want to remove. A menu will appear and you need to simply click "uninstall" and it will remove the addon from his list.

METHOD 2: MANUAL INSTALLATION

I'll again say that using the Curse Client will be a much easier solution, but if you don't want to sign up for a Curse account or just like doing things on your own, you can install addons manually. Also keep in mind you will need to manually update all of your addons should you choose this method.

The process of manual installation begins by downloading the the addon's .zip file and extract to the following location: %APPDATA%\NCSOFT\WildStar\Addons\

Note: If the Addons folder does not exist within the WildStar folder, you will need to create it by hand. (right click the WildStar folder and select "new" and choose "folder". You'll need to rename the folder, "Addons"

HOW TO FIND %APPDATA% (via the official forums)

WildStar looks in a specific folder on your computer for installed Addons. The location of this folder is determined by the APPDATA environment variable. That means it can be different for every person. Here are a couple of ways to find your APPDATA folder:

1.  Open Windows Explorer. This is the Windows file browser (no, not Internet Explorer...). To open it, click the Start button, then click on any one of "Computer", "My Computer", "Documents", etc etc etc. Next, locate the text field at the top of the window that contains the current folder path. In that text box, type "%APPDATA%" without the quotes and press Enter.

2.  Type "cmd" into the Start menu search box (Windows 7), or go to Start -> Run... and type "cmd" (Windows XP). When the command prompt appears, type "echo %APPDATA%" without the quotes and press Enter. The path to APPDATA should be printed to the terminal window. 

Note: that your computer may not have the APPDATA environment variable set, or it could be pointing to the wrong place (although that would be weird and you should probably get that checked out). If both of the above steps don't work for you, here is the typical location of APPDATA:

C:\Users\Your Username Here\AppData\Roaming

Replace "C" with your system drive if you installed Windows on a drive other than C. Replace "Your Username Here" with the name you use to log in to Windows. 

Lastly, the AppData folder is hidden by default. To see it, from Windows Explorer, go to Organize -> Folder and Search Options -> View and click on the radio button labeled "Show hidden files, folders, and drives" (Windows 7).

As you can see, the manual installation method is quite involved!

CONCLUSION

I hope this basic guide has been helpful and that these addons will help enhance your journey around Nexus. Stay tuned for our list of "must have" addons before launch!