Assets and Localization

This chapter covers two client-side systems: assets and localization. Assets let mods use files provided by an Anomaly server or placed in local override folders. Localization lets mods register translated strings under their own namespace.

Assets

The model

• The server advertises available assets when a client connects.
• Anomaly downloads missing assets into a shared cache and verifies them.
• Mods load assets through AnomalyResources, not by reading cache files directly.
• Treat asset IDs as opaque values supplied by the server or your server companion plugin.

Loading a texture

using Anomaly.Client.Api.Assets;

if (AnomalyResources.TryGetTexture(textureHash, out Texture2D tex))
{
    myMaterial.mainTexture = tex;
}

TryGetTexture is lazy: the texture is created on first request and cached in memory afterward. It returns false if the asset is not available locally.

Loading from an asset bundle

if (AnomalyResources.TryLoadFromBundle<GameObject>(bundleHash, "Prefabs/MySpawn", out var prefab))
{
    Instantiate(prefab, parent);
}

Specify the type of asset inside the bundle, such as GameObject, Material, or AudioClip.

Reacting to asset lifecycle

using Anomaly.Client.Api.Events.Handlers;

AssetEvents.Spawned += ev => HandleSpawn(ev.SpawnId, ev.Hash);
AssetEvents.Despawned += ev => HandleDespawn(ev.SpawnId);
AssetEvents.OverrideApplied += ev => ReapplyTexture(ev.NetId, ev.Hash);
AssetEvents.OverrideCleared += ev => ClearOverride(ev.NetId);
AssetEvents.Reloaded += ev => RebindTexture(ev.OldHash, ev.NewHash);

Reloaded fires when the server replaces an asset during a session. If your mod caches Unity object references, handle this event and rebind as needed.

File transfer progress

Hook FileTransferEvents only if your mod needs custom progress UI:

FileTransferEvents.Progress += ev => Hud.SetProgress(ev.Ratio);
FileTransferEvents.Complete += ev => Hud.Hide();

Anomaly already provides default transfer feedback during join.

How asset IDs get to you

Common patterns:

• Use a server companion plugin to announce which asset ID represents each feature.
• Use Anomaly’s server asset registry to resolve a configured file path, then send that result to clients.
• For fixed private servers, keep a shared config file or constants assembly in sync across client and server releases.

Prefer server-announced IDs for anything a server operator may customize.

Local overrides

Players can place supported local replacement files under:

<MelonLoader UserData>/Anomaly/Overrides/
├── AudioClip/
├── Texture2D/
├── Sprite/
└── Mesh/

Audio overrides are supported today. Texture and mesh override catalogs may include reserved paths for future support.

Local overrides are a player preference. Server-provided assets can still take priority when the server needs a consistent experience.

See the asset catalog pages for supported paths:

• Audio catalog.
• Texture catalog.
• Mesh catalog.

Localization

The model

• Every mod picks a namespace such as mymod or acme.wargames.
• Reserved prefixes are anomaly. and launcher..
• Translation keys start with your namespace, such as mymod.greeting.
• Per-locale YAML files live under <MelonLoader UserData>/i18n/<namespace>/.
• en.yaml is the required fallback source.

Anomaly’s own translations live under <MelonLoader UserData>/i18n/anomaly/. Mod translations live beside them under i18n/<namespace>/.

File format

Use a flat YAML mapping. Quote keys so dots are treated as literal key text rather than nesting. Placeholders use string.Format positional syntax.

# {0} = username
"mymod.greeting": "Hello, {0}!"
"mymod.button.open_settings": "Open Settings"
# {0} = server name
"mymod.error.connection_lost": "Lost connection to server ({0})"

TextMeshPro rich text tags are allowed when your UI expects them.

Registering

using Anomaly.Client.Api.Localization;

public override void OnInitializeMelon()
{
    // Loads <MelonLoader UserData>/i18n/mymod/
    Tr.RegisterMod("mymod");
}

Use Tr.RegisterMod("mymod", customDirectory) only when your translations intentionally live outside the conventional UserData/i18n/<namespace>/ path.

Declare [assembly: MelonAdditionalDependencies("Anomaly")] so Anomaly’s localization service is ready before registration.

Looking up a string

string greeting = Tr.Get("mymod.greeting", "Player1");
string btn = Tr.Get("mymod.button.open_settings");

Missing keys return the key itself and log a warning. Never ship with placeholder keys visible to players.

Locale resolution

Anomaly chooses the active locale from:

1. SCP:SL’s registry language setting.
2. MelonPreferences category anomaly, entry locale.
3. The system culture.
4. English fallback.

The SCP:SL registry language is authoritative when present. Regional locale variants fall back to language-only files and then English. For example, pt_BR tries pt_BR.yaml, then pt.yaml, then en.yaml.

Namespace rules

• Lowercase letters, digits, underscores, and dots.
• Must start with a letter.
• Must not be anomaly / launcher or start with anomaly. / launcher..
• One namespace per mod.
• Cross-namespace reads are allowed, but only the namespace owner should write files for that prefix.

Anomaly validates loaded keys against the registered namespace. A file under i18n/mymod/ that contains othermod.key is rejected. Duplicate or colliding translations log warnings before overwrite.

Troubleshooting

• Missing-key warnings: add the key to en.yaml.
• Key renders as literal text: registration failed or the file was not found.
• Wrong language: confirm SCP:SL’s in-game language and any Anomaly MelonPreferences locale override.
• Placeholders render incorrectly: match Tr.Get(...) arguments to the placeholders in the string.

Next

Packaging and MelonGameVersion.