Swarm - DayZ Mod Collection

A comprehensive collection of DayZ Standalone mods designed for server administration, gameplay enhancement, and quality-of-life improvements. Features modular design with automated build, validation, and publishing workflows.

📦 Included Mods

SwarmTweaks

Gameplay modifications and quality-of-life improvements focused on item usability and reduced annoyances:

Shouldered Fishing Rod & Tripod - Adds custom fishing rod (Swarm_FishingRod) and tripod (Swarm_Tripod) that can be carried in shoulder slot alongside other items
No Bury Large Bags - Prevents burying large bags (like the Lantia suit) in the ground for gameplay balance
Less Laugh - Reduces laughing frequency from BrainDisease to be less annoying
Less Sneeze - Reduces sneezing frequency from Influenza to be less disruptive
Improvised Suppressor Crafting - Requires a full duct tape (instead of partial) to craft improvised suppressors for balancing

Dependencies: DZ_Data, DZ_Scripts, DZ_Gear_Tools, DZ_Gear_Cooking

SwarmAnimals

Modular animal drop modifications with clean, expandable architecture. Modifies harvesting/skinning drops for:

Wolf (Canis Lupus)
Goat (Capra Hircus - Male & Female variants)
Sheep (Ovis Aries - Male & Female variants)
Reindeer (Rangifer Tarandus - Male & Female variants)
Wild Boar (Sus Scrofa)
Brown Bear (Ursus Arctos)
Polar Bear (Ursus Maritimus)

Each animal has its own dedicated config for easy customization and future expansion.

Dependencies: DZ_Animals

SwarmEarplugs

Repack of the original EarPlugs mod by DaemonF0rge with Swarm branding. Client-side volume control system:

Volume Levels - Cycle through Full, Mid, Low, and Off volume levels
In-Game Widget - Visual indicator showing current volume state
Custom Keybind - Configurable hotkey via inputs.xml
Game Audio Control - Reduces master volume for immersive RP scenarios or hearing protection

Credits: Original mod by DaemonF0rge. Thanks for allowing community repacks!

Dependencies: Mission module only (client-side)

SwarmSpectator

Enhanced spectator camera system for filming and content creation. Extends Community Online Tools (COT) spectator functionality:

Delete Marker - Remove camera markers from spectator view
Delete Light - Remove light sources for cleaner filming
Lock-On Target - Enhanced camera locking on entities
Custom Inputs - Additional keybinds for camera control via inputs.xml

Purpose: Provides server admins and content creators with advanced camera controls for filming cinematic footage, events, and documentation.

Dependencies: JM_COT_Scripts (Community Online Tools), CF (Community Framework)
Note: This is NOT a repack - it requires COT to be installed and only overrides/extends the spectator camera functionality.

SwarmObserver

Server-side moderation and player activity tracking tool:

Restricted Area Logout Menu - Custom logout interface for designated zones
Combat Logout Tracking - Silent monitoring of combat logging behavior (provides evidence for admin action)
Player Activity Monitoring - Tools for server administrators to observe player behavior

Purpose: Moderation tool for server admins to track and prevent rule violations without disrupting gameplay.

Dependencies: DZ_Data, DZ_Scripts (Game, World, Mission modules)

🏗️ Project Structure

Swarm/
├── src/                          # Source code for all mods
│   ├── meta.cpp                  # Mod metadata template
│   ├── SwarmTweaks/              # Gameplay tweaks
│   │   ├── config.cpp
│   │   └── scripts/4_World/      # World module overrides
│   ├── SwarmAnimals/             # Animal drops (modular structure)
│   │   ├── config.cpp
│   │   ├── canis_lupus/config.cpp
│   │   ├── capra_hircus/config.cpp
│   │   ├── ovis_aries/config.cpp
│   │   └── ...
│   ├── SwarmEarplugs/            # Volume control
│   │   ├── config.cpp
│   │   ├── data/inputs.xml
│   │   └── scripts/5_Mission/
│   ├── SwarmSpectator/           # Enhanced spectator
│   │   ├── config.cpp
│   │   ├── data/inputs.xml
│   │   └── scripts/3_Game, 4_World, 5_Mission/
│   └── SwarmObserver/            # Moderation tools
│       ├── config.cpp
│       └── scripts/3_Game, 4_World, 5_Mission/
├── dist/@Swarm/                  # Build output (gitignored)
│   ├── Addons/                   # Compiled PBO files
│   ├── Keys/                     # Public signing key (.bikey)
│   ├── meta.cpp                  # Processed metadata
│   └── mod.cpp                   # Workshop metadata
├── keys/                         # Signing keys directory
│   ├── Swarm.bikey               # Public key (committed)
│   └── Swarm.biprivatekey        # Private key (gitignored)
├── scripts/                      # Build tools and utilities
│   ├── load_env.ps1              # PowerShell .env parser
│   ├── update_version.ps1        # Version preprocessor
│   └── steamcmd.exe              # SteamCMD for Workshop publishing
├── validate/                     # Script validation environment
│   ├── mods/                     # Dependency mods (CF, COT, etc.)
│   │   ├── @CF/
│   │   └── @Community-Online-Tools/
│   ├── serverDZ.cfg              # Custom server config (gitignored)
│   └── serverDZ.default.cfg      # Default validation config
├── build.bat                     # Build all mods
├── validate.bat                  # Script validation
├── publish.bat                   # Full publish workflow
├── launch.bat                    # Local dev environment launcher
└── .env                          # Environment configuration (gitignored)

🔧 Prerequisites

Required

DayZ Tools - Install via Steam (free with DayZ ownership)
Windows - Build scripts are Windows batch files (PowerShell 5.1+)

Optional

DayZ Server - Required for validate.bat and launch.bat
DayZ Client - Required for launch.bat only
SteamCMD - Required for automated publish.bat workflow

Dependency Mods (for validation/testing)

If your mods depend on other mods, place them in validate/mods/:

validate/mods/@CF/
validate/mods/@Community-Online-Tools/

⚙️ Environment Setup

Configuration File (.env)

Create a .env file in the project root with your paths:

# ============================================
# DayZ Tools (REQUIRED for build/publish)
# ============================================
DAYZ_TOOLS=G:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\DayZ Tools

# ============================================
# DayZ Server (REQUIRED for validate/launch)
# ============================================
DAYZ_SERVER=G:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\DayZServer

# ============================================
# DayZ Client (REQUIRED for launch.bat only)
# ============================================
DAYZ_CLIENT=G:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\DayZ

# ============================================
# Steam Workshop Publishing
# ============================================
# Steam account username for SteamCMD
STEAM_USERNAME=your_steam_username

# Workshop item ID (get this after first manual publish)
WORKSHOP_ID=1234567890

# ============================================
# Development Options
# ============================================
# Dependency mods to load (semicolon-separated)
MODS=@CF;@Community-Online-Tools

# Client profile directory (optional, for launch.bat)
DAYZ_PROFILE=C:\Users\YourName\Documents\DayZ

Environment Variable Details

Variable	Required For	Description
`DAYZ_TOOLS`	build, publish	Path to DayZ Tools installation. Used for AddonBuilder.exe, DSSignFile.exe, and DSCreateKey.exe
`DAYZ_SERVER`	validate, launch	Path to DayZ Server. Required to run script validation and local test server
`DAYZ_CLIENT`	launch	Path to DayZ client installation for local testing
`STEAM_USERNAME`	publish	Your Steam account username for SteamCMD authentication
`WORKSHOP_ID`	publish	Steam Workshop item ID (obtained after first publish)
`MODS`	validate, launch	List of dependency mods to load, separated by semicolons (e.g., `@CF;@COT`)
`DAYZ_PROFILE`	launch	Optional: Path to DayZ profile directory to copy settings from

Alternative: System Environment Variables

Instead of using .env, you can set system environment variables:

setx DAYZ_TOOLS "G:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\DayZ Tools"
setx DAYZ_SERVER "G:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\DayZServer"
setx DAYZ_CLIENT "G:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\DayZ"

Note: System variables take precedence over .env file values.

🔨 Build Workflow (build.bat)

Compiles all source packages into PBO files using DayZ Tools AddonBuilder.

How It Works

Environment Loading - Loads DAYZ_TOOLS from .env or environment variables
Version Management - Uses --version flag or reads from .version file
Preprocessing - Runs update_version.ps1 to replace %VERSION% placeholders in all source files
Compilation - Invokes AddonBuilder for each folder in src/ directory
Metadata Processing - Copies and processes meta.cpp with version, timestamp, and Workshop ID
Optional Signing - Signs PBOs with private key if --sign flag is specified
Optional Validation - Runs validate.bat if --validate flag is specified

Usage

# Basic build with version number
build.bat --version 1.2.3

# Build with signing
build.bat --version 1.2.3 --sign

# Build with validation (requires DayZ Server)
build.bat --version 1.2.3 --validate

# Build with custom validation timeout
build.bat --version 1.2.3 --validate --timeout 30

# Build without specifying version (uses .version file)
build.bat

Command-Line Options

Option	Description
`--version X.X.X`	Version number for this build (updates `.version` file)
`--sign`	Sign all PBO files with private key after building
`--validate`	Run script validation after successful build
`--timeout N`	Validation timeout in seconds (default: 15)

Output

PBO files: dist/@Swarm/Addons/*.pbo
Meta file: dist/@Swarm/meta.cpp (processed with version/timestamp/Workshop ID)
Version file: .version (stores last used version)

Build Process Details

Folder Discovery - Scans src/ for subdirectories (each becomes a PBO)
Version Injection - PowerShell preprocessor finds all %VERSION% placeholders and replaces them
AddonBuilder Execution - Each folder is compiled with -clear -packonly flags
Meta.cpp Processing - Replaces %VERSION%, %TIMESTAMP%, and %PUBLISHEDID% in meta.cpp
Timestamp Format - Uses .NET DateTime.UtcNow.Ticks format for Workshop compatibility

✅ Validation Workflow (validate.bat)

Tests compiled scripts by launching a DayZ Server instance and checking logs for errors.

How It Works

Environment Loading - Loads DAYZ_SERVER and MODS from .env
Build Verification - Checks if dist/@Swarm/Addons exists
Config Selection - Uses validate/serverDZ.cfg (custom) or validate/serverDZ.default.cfg (default Chernarus)
Mod List Building - Loads dependency mods from validate/mods/ or MODS env variable, then adds @Swarm last
Server Launch - Starts DayZServer_x64.exe in background with all mods loaded
Timeout Wait - Waits specified seconds for server to load and initialize scripts
Log Analysis - Scans RPT and crash logs for script errors, compile errors, and fatal errors
Process Termination - Kills server process and analyzes final logs
Error Reporting - Displays crash logs, script logs, and error lines from RPT files if errors found

Usage

# Run validation with default timeout (15 seconds)
validate.bat

# Run validation with longer timeout
validate.bat --timeout 30

# Skip build check (assume mods are already built)
validate.bat --skip-build

# Show help
validate.bat --help

Command-Line Options

Option	Description
`--timeout N`	Server run duration in seconds (default: 15)
`--skip-build`	Skip checking if mod is built
`--help`	Display detailed help information

Server Configuration

The script looks for configs in this order:

validate/serverDZ.cfg - Custom config (your specific map, mods, settings)
validate/serverDZ.default.cfg - Default config (vanilla Chernarus offline)

To validate on a different map, copy serverDZ.default.cfg to serverDZ.cfg and modify the Missions class:

Missions = {
    class MyCustomMap {
        template = "dayzOffline.enoch";  // or .namalsk, .takistanplus, etc.
    };
};

Dependency Mods

Place dependency mods in validate/mods/:

validate/mods/@CF/
validate/mods/@Community-Online-Tools/
validate/mods/@DeerIsle/

Or specify in .env:

MODS=@CF;@Community-Online-Tools;@DeerIsle

The script automatically loads dependencies BEFORE @Swarm to ensure proper load order.

Error Detection

The validation script detects:

Crash Logs - crash_*.log files
Crash Dumps - *.mdmp minidump files
Script Errors - RPT entries containing "SCRIPT ERROR", "SCRIPT (E)", "Compile error"
Fatal Errors - "Fatal error", "ErrorModule", "Cannot compile"

If errors are found, logs are preserved at .validate_temp/ for inspection.

Exit Codes

0 - Validation passed, no errors detected
1 - Validation failed, script errors or crashes detected

📤 Publish Workflow (publish.bat)

Complete pipeline for building, validating, signing, and publishing to Steam Workshop.

How It Works

This is a 4-step automated pipeline:

Step 1: Build

Runs build.bat --version X.X.X to compile all mods
Preprocesses version placeholders
Generates PBO files in dist/@Swarm/Addons/
Skip with --skip-build if already built

Step 2: Validate

Runs validate.bat --skip-build to check for script errors
Launches DayZ Server with all mods loaded
Analyzes RPT logs for compile errors
Skip with --skip-validate (not recommended)

Step 3: Sign

Creates signing keys if they don't exist (using DSCreateKey.exe)
Signs all PBO files with private key (using DSSignFile.exe)
Generates .bisign signature files
Copies public .bikey to dist/@Swarm/Keys/
Skip with --skip-sign

Step 4: Publish

Creates mod.cpp with version and metadata
Generates Workshop VDF configuration file
Logs into Steam via SteamCMD
Uploads mod files to Workshop item
Skip with --skip-publish (useful for build+sign only)

Prerequisites for Publishing

Before first publish, you MUST:

Install SteamCMD
- Download from: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamCMD
- Extract steamcmd.exe to scripts/steamcmd.exe
Initialize SteamCMD and Cache Credentials
```
cd scripts
steamcmd.exe +login your_steam_username +quit
```
- Enter your password
- Enter Steam Guard code if prompted
- Credentials are cached for future automated runs
- Important: You only need to do this once, or when changing passwords
Create Workshop Item Manually
- Open DayZ Tools → Publisher
- Click "New" and fill in mod details
- Upload initial version manually
- Note the Workshop ID from the URL (e.g., https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1234567890)
- Add WORKSHOP_ID=1234567890 to your .env file

Configure .env File

DAYZ_TOOLS=G:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\DayZ Tools
DAYZ_SERVER=G:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\DayZServer
STEAM_USERNAME=your_steam_username
WORKSHOP_ID=1234567890

Usage

# Full publish pipeline (build → validate → sign → publish)
publish.bat --version 1.2.3

# Publish with changelog
publish.bat --version 1.2.3 --changelog "Fixed bug with fishing rod shouldering"

# Publish with custom signing key
publish.bat --version 1.2.3 --key MyCustomKey

# Dry run (show what would happen without doing it)
publish.bat --version 1.2.3 --dry-run

# Skip validation (faster, but risky)
publish.bat --version 1.2.3 --skip-validate

# Build and sign only, don't publish
publish.bat --version 1.2.3 --skip-publish

# Use existing build, just sign and publish
publish.bat --version 1.2.3 --skip-build

Command-Line Options

Option	Description
`--version X.X.X`	Required - Version number to build and publish
`--key KeyName`	Key name for signing (default: "Swarm")
`--changelog "text"`	Change note displayed on Workshop (default: "Version X.X.X")
`--workshop-id ID`	Override Workshop ID from .env
`--skip-build`	Skip build step (use existing PBOs)
`--skip-validate`	Skip script validation (not recommended)
`--skip-sign`	Skip signing step
`--skip-publish`	Build and sign only, don't upload to Workshop
`--dry-run`	Show what would be done without executing

Signing Keys

First-Time Setup

On first run, publish.bat automatically creates a key pair:

Private Key: keys/Swarm.biprivatekey - Keep this SECRET (gitignored)
Public Key: keys/Swarm.bikey - Share with server owners (committed to repo)

Key Management

Never share your .biprivatekey file - It's used to prove authenticity
Always share your .bikey file - Server owners need this to verify your mods
The public key is automatically copied to dist/@Swarm/Keys/ for Workshop distribution
Custom key names: Use --key CustomName to create/use different key pairs

SteamCMD Authentication

Initial Login

cd scripts
steamcmd.exe +login your_steam_username +quit

This caches your credentials in scripts/config/loginusers.vdf.

Steam Guard

If Steam Guard is enabled, you'll be prompted for a code during first login
The code is sent to your email or mobile app
After successful authentication, credentials are cached
Future publish.bat runs will use cached credentials automatically

Troubleshooting

Wrong password? - Run the manual login command again to update cached credentials
Steam Guard timeout? - Re-run the login command and enter code faster
Two-Factor Required? - Use the Steam Mobile Authenticator app for instant codes

Exit Codes

0 - Published successfully
Non-zero - Error occurred (build failed, validation failed, signing failed, or upload failed)

Output

After successful publish:

Workshop URL - https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=YOUR_ID
Signed PBOs - dist/@Swarm/Addons/*.pbo and *.bisign
Public Key - dist/@Swarm/Keys/Swarm.bikey
Mod Metadata - dist/@Swarm/mod.cpp and meta.cpp

🚀 Launch Workflow (launch.bat)

Launches local DayZ Server and Client for development testing with automatic configuration.

How It Works

Environment Loading - Loads paths from .env (DAYZ_SERVER, DAYZ_CLIENT, DAYZ_TOOLS, MODS, DAYZ_PROFILE)
Process Cleanup - Kills existing DayZ processes to free up files and ports
Optional Build - Runs build.bat and signs PBOs if --build flag specified
Config Selection - Uses validate/serverDZ.cfg or validate/serverDZ.default.cfg
Temp Directory Setup - Creates .launch_temp/ for server profiles and client profiles
BattleEye Configuration - Automatically enables BattleEye in server config for stability
Profile Copying - Copies existing DayZ profiles from DAYZ_PROFILE to temp client directory (preserves settings)
Mod List Building - Loads dependencies from validate/mods/ or MODS env variable, adds @Swarm last
COT Permission Setup - If Community Online Tools is detected, creates full admin permissions for "everyone" role
Server Launch - Starts DayZServer_x64.exe in new window with full logging
Client Launch - After 10-second wait, starts DayZ_BE.exe with auto-connect to local server

Usage

# Launch server and client (default port 2302)
launch.bat

# Launch with custom port
launch.bat --port 2303

# Build, sign, and launch
launch.bat --build

# Build with custom port
launch.bat --build --port 2303

# Show help
launch.bat --help

Command-Line Options

Option	Description
`--port N`	Server port (default: 2302)
`--build`	Build and sign mod before launching
`--help`	Display help information

Server Configuration

Same as validate.bat - uses validate/serverDZ.cfg or validate/serverDZ.default.cfg.

Automatic Features

BattleEye Auto-Enable

The script automatically adds BattlEye = 1; to the server config for proper client connection.

COT Admin Auto-Setup

If Community Online Tools is detected in the mod list, the script creates:

PermissionsFramework/Roles/everyone.txt with full admin permissions
All COT permissions granted to "everyone" role (no need to manually set up admins)
Includes camera, ESP, teleport, weather, vehicle, loadout, and Namalsk event controls

Profile Preservation

If DAYZ_PROFILE is set, the script copies your existing:

Client settings (*.DayZProfile)
Graphics settings (*.cfg)
Input settings (*.xml)

Logs and Profiles

Everything is stored in .launch_temp/:

Server Logs - .launch_temp/*.RPT, .launch_temp/*.ADM, .launch_temp/*.log
Client Logs - .launch_temp/client/Users/DevClient/*.RPT
Server Profiles - .launch_temp/PermissionsFramework/, etc.

Auto-Connect

Client automatically connects to 127.0.0.1:PORT using -connect and -port parameters.

Stopping

Close the server and client windows manually
Or use Task Manager to kill DayZServer_x64.exe and DayZ_x64.exe
Or run launch.bat again (it kills existing processes first)

🛠️ Development Tips

Quick Development Cycle

# 1. Build with validation
build.bat --version 1.0.0 --validate

# 2. Launch for testing
launch.bat

# 3. Make changes to src/ files

# 4. Quick rebuild and relaunch
launch.bat --build

Testing Without Validation

# Faster builds (skips validation)
build.bat --version 1.0.0

# Launch directly
launch.bat

Version Management

The .version file stores the last used version:

# First build creates .version file
build.bat --version 1.0.0

# Subsequent builds can omit version
build.bat

# Update version explicitly
build.bat --version 1.1.0

Debugging Script Errors

If validation fails:

Check preserved logs - .validate_temp/ directory contains:
- *.RPT - Full server logs
- crash_*.log - Crash details
- script_*.log - Script-specific logs
Run with longer timeout - Give server more time to load:
```
validate.bat --timeout 60
```

Test manually - Launch server yourself:

launch.bat
# Check logs in .launch_temp/

Testing Different Maps

Create validate/serverDZ.cfg with your custom map:

hostname = "Dev Test Server";
Missions = {
    class Namalsk {
        template = "dayzOffline.namalsk";
    };
};

Then run validation or launch as normal.

📝 Scripting Details

Environment Variable Loading (load_env.ps1)

PowerShell script that parses .env files:

# Usage from batch files
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "scripts\load_env.ps1" -EnvFile ".env" -VarName DAYZ_TOOLS

Features:

Skips empty lines and comments (lines starting with #)
Removes surrounding quotes from values
Returns single variable value or all variables as KEY=VALUE lines
Silent failure (returns nothing if file or variable not found)

Version Preprocessing (update_version.ps1)

Copies source files to temporary directory and replaces %VERSION% placeholders:

# Usage from build.bat
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "scripts\update_version.ps1" -SourceDir "src\SwarmTweaks" -TempDir ".build_temp\SwarmTweaks" -Version "1.2.3"

Replacements:

%VERSION% → Actual version string (e.g., "1.2.3")
Used in config.cpp files for mod version display

Meta.cpp Placeholders

The src/meta.cpp file uses these placeholders:

version = "%VERSION%";         // Replaced with --version value
timeStamp = %TIMESTAMP%;       // Replaced with DateTime.UtcNow.Ticks
publishedid = %PUBLISHEDID%;   // Replaced with WORKSHOP_ID env variable

Processing:

build.bat replaces all placeholders when copying to dist/@Swarm/meta.cpp
Timestamp format is .NET ticks for Steam Workshop compatibility
Published ID defaults to 0 if WORKSHOP_ID not set

🔐 Security Best Practices

Private Key Protection

Critical: Never share or commit your .biprivatekey file!

# .gitignore already includes
keys/*.biprivatekey

If your private key is compromised:

Generate a new key pair: publish.bat --version X.X.X --key NewKeyName
Re-sign all PBOs with the new key
Distribute the new .bikey to server owners
Update your Workshop item with newly signed PBOs

.env File Security

The .env file is gitignored but contains sensitive paths:

# .gitignore already includes
.env

Never commit:

Steam usernames
Workshop IDs (if you want to keep them private)
Local file paths (they're specific to your machine)

🤝 Contributing

Adding New Mods

Create new folder in src/ (e.g., src/SwarmNewMod/)
Add config.cpp with comments explaining features
Add scripts in appropriate module folders (3_Game, 4_World, 5_Mission)

Build and test:

build.bat --version 1.0.0 --validate
launch.bat

Modifying Animal Drops

Each animal has its own config.cpp in src/SwarmAnimals/:

canis_lupus/config.cpp - Wolf
capra_hircus/config.cpp - Goat (male)
capra_hircus_fem/config.cpp - Goat (female)
etc.

Edit the appropriate file and rebuild.

Testing Changes

Always validate before publishing:

# Build with validation
build.bat --version X.X.X --validate

# Or use the full publish pipeline
publish.bat --version X.X.X --dry-run

📄 License

See individual mod directories for licensing information. SwarmEarplugs is a repack of the original EarPlugs mod by DaemonF0rge.

🙏 Credits

SwarmEarplugs - Original EarPlugs mod by DaemonF0rge
SwarmSpectator - Extends Community Online Tools by Jacob-Mango
Swarm Team - Kize and contributors

📞 Support

For issues, questions, or suggestions:

Check the logs in .validate_temp/ or .launch_temp/ for errors
Review this README for workflow details
Check each mod's config.cpp for feature documentation

Last Updated: February 2026
Current Version: See .version file
Workshop: Check your WORKSHOP_ID in .env

Create Workshop Item Manually
- Open DayZ Tools → Publisher
- Click "New" and fill in mod details
- Upload initial version manually
- Note the Workshop ID from the URL (e.g., https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1234567890)
- Add WORKSHOP_ID=1234567890 to your .env file

Configure .env File

DAYZ_TOOLS=G:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\DayZ Tools
DAYZ_SERVER=G:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\DayZServer
STEAM_USERNAME=your_steam_username
WORKSHOP_ID=1234567890

Usage

# Full publish pipeline (build → validate → sign → publish)
publish.bat --version 1.2.3

# Publish with changelog
publish.bat --version 1.2.3 --changelog "Fixed bug with fishing rod shouldering"

# Publish with custom signing key
publish.bat --version 1.2.3 --key MyCustomKey

# Dry run (show what would happen without doing it)
publish.bat --version 1.2.3 --dry-run

# Skip validation (faster, but risky)
publish.bat --version 1.2.3 --skip-validate

# Build and sign only, don't publish
publish.bat --version 1.2.3 --skip-publish

# Use existing build, just sign and publish
publish.bat --version 1.2.3 --skip-build

Command-Line Options

Option	Description
`--version X.X.X`	Required - Version number to build and publish
`--key KeyName`	Key name for signing (default: "Swarm")
`--changelog "text"`	Change note displayed on Workshop (default: "Version X.X.X")
`--workshop-id ID`	Override Workshop ID from .env
`--skip-build`	Skip build step (use existing PBOs)
`--skip-validate`	Skip script validation (not recommended)
`--skip-sign`	Skip signing step
`--skip-publish`	Build and sign only, don't upload to Workshop
`--dry-run`	Show what would be done without executing

Signing Keys

First-Time Setup

On first run, publish.bat automatically creates a key pair:

Private Key: keys/Swarm.biprivatekey - Keep this SECRET (gitignored)
Public Key: keys/Swarm.bikey - Share with server owners (committed to repo)

Key Management

Never share your .biprivatekey file - It's used to prove authenticity
Always share your .bikey file - Server owners need this to verify your mods
The public key is automatically copied to dist/@Swarm/Keys/ for Workshop distribution
Custom key names: Use --key CustomName to create/use different key pairs

SteamCMD Authentication

Initial Login

cd scripts
steamcmd.exe +login your_steam_username +quit

This caches your credentials in scripts/config/loginusers.vdf.

Steam Guard

If Steam Guard is enabled, you'll be prompted for a code during first login
The code is sent to your email or mobile app
After successful authentication, credentials are cached
Future publish.bat runs will use cached credentials automatically

Troubleshooting

Wrong password? - Run the manual login command again to update cached credentials
Steam Guard timeout? - Re-run the login command and enter code faster
Two-Factor Required? - Use the Steam Mobile Authenticator app for instant codes

Exit Codes

0 - Published successfully
Non-zero - Error occurred (build failed, validation failed, signing failed, or upload failed)

Output

After successful publish:

Workshop URL - https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=YOUR_ID
Signed PBOs - dist/@Swarm/Addons/*.pbo and *.bisign
Public Key - dist/@Swarm/Keys/Swarm.bikey
Mod Metadata - dist/@Swarm/mod.cpp and meta.cpp

🚀 Launch Workflow (launch.bat)

Launches local DayZ Server and Client for development testing with automatic configuration.

How It Works

Environment Loading - Loads paths from .env (DAYZ_SERVER, DAYZ_CLIENT, DAYZ_TOOLS, MODS, DAYZ_PROFILE)
Process Cleanup - Kills existing DayZ processes to free up files and ports
Optional Build - Runs build.bat and signs PBOs if --build flag specified
Config Selection - Uses validate/serverDZ.cfg or validate/serverDZ.default.cfg
Temp Directory Setup - Creates .launch_temp/ for server profiles and client profiles
BattleEye Configuration - Automatically enables BattleEye in server config for stability
Profile Copying - Copies existing DayZ profiles from DAYZ_PROFILE to temp client directory (preserves settings)
Mod List Building - Loads dependencies from validate/mods/ or MODS env variable, adds @Swarm last
COT Permission Setup - If Community Online Tools is detected, creates full admin permissions for "everyone" role
Server Launch - Starts DayZServer_x64.exe in new window with full logging
Client Launch - After 10-second wait, starts DayZ_BE.exe with auto-connect to local server

Usage

# Launch server and client (default port 2302)
launch.bat

# Launch with custom port
launch.bat --port 2303

# Build, sign, and launch
launch.bat --build

# Build with custom port
launch.bat --build --port 2303

# Show help
launch.bat --help

Command-Line Options

Option	Description
`--port N`	Server port (default: 2302)
`--build`	Build and sign mod before launching
`--help`	Display help information

Server Configuration

Same as validate.bat - uses validate/serverDZ.cfg or validate/serverDZ.default.cfg.

Automatic Features

BattleEye Auto-Enable

The script automatically adds BattlEye = 1; to the server config for proper client connection.

COT Admin Auto-Setup

If Community Online Tools is detected in the mod list, the script creates:

PermissionsFramework/Roles/everyone.txt with full admin permissions
All COT permissions granted to "everyone" role (no need to manually set up admins)
Includes camera, ESP, teleport, weather, vehicle, loadout, and Namalsk event controls

Profile Preservation

If DAYZ_PROFILE is set, the script copies your existing:

Client settings (*.DayZProfile)
Graphics settings (*.cfg)
Input settings (*.xml)

Logs and Profiles

Everything is stored in .launch_temp/:

Server Logs - .launch_temp/*.RPT, .launch_temp/*.ADM, .launch_temp/*.log
Client Logs - .launch_temp/client/Users/DevClient/*.RPT
Server Profiles - .launch_temp/PermissionsFramework/, etc.

Auto-Connect

Client automatically connects to 127.0.0.1:PORT using -connect and -port parameters.

Stopping

Close the server and client windows manually
Or use Task Manager to kill DayZServer_x64.exe and DayZ_x64.exe
Or run launch.bat again (it kills existing processes first)

🛠️ Development Tips

Quick Development Cycle

# 1. Build with validation
build.bat --version 1.0.0 --validate

# 2. Launch for testing
launch.bat

# 3. Make changes to src/ files

# 4. Quick rebuild and relaunch
launch.bat --build

Testing Without Validation

# Faster builds (skips validation)
build.bat --version 1.0.0

# Launch directly
launch.bat

Version Management

The .version file stores the last used version:

# First build creates .version file
build.bat --version 1.0.0

# Subsequent builds can omit version
build.bat

# Update version explicitly
build.bat --version 1.1.0

Debugging Script Errors

If validation fails:

Check preserved logs - .validate_temp/ directory contains:
- *.RPT - Full server logs
- crash_*.log - Crash details
- script_*.log - Script-specific logs
Run with longer timeout - Give server more time to load:
```
validate.bat --timeout 60
```

Test manually - Launch server yourself:

launch.bat
# Check logs in .launch_temp/

Testing Different Maps

Create validate/serverDZ.cfg with your custom map:

hostname = "Dev Test Server";
Missions = {
    class Namalsk {
        template = "dayzOffline.namalsk";
    };
};

Then run validation or launch as normal.

📝 Scripting Details

Environment Variable Loading (load_env.ps1)

PowerShell script that parses .env files:

# Usage from batch files
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "scripts\load_env.ps1" -EnvFile ".env" -VarName DAYZ_TOOLS

Features:

Skips empty lines and comments (lines starting with #)
Removes surrounding quotes from values
Returns single variable value or all variables as KEY=VALUE lines
Silent failure (returns nothing if file or variable not found)

Version Preprocessing (update_version.ps1)

Copies source files to temporary directory and replaces %VERSION% placeholders:

# Usage from build.bat
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "scripts\update_version.ps1" -SourceDir "src\SwarmTweaks" -TempDir ".build_temp\SwarmTweaks" -Version "1.2.3"

Replacements:

%VERSION% → Actual version string (e.g., "1.2.3")
Used in config.cpp files for mod version display

Meta.cpp Placeholders

The src/meta.cpp file uses these placeholders:

version = "%VERSION%";         // Replaced with --version value
timeStamp = %TIMESTAMP%;       // Replaced with DateTime.UtcNow.Ticks
publishedid = %PUBLISHEDID%;   // Replaced with WORKSHOP_ID env variable

Processing:

build.bat replaces all placeholders when copying to dist/@Swarm/meta.cpp
Timestamp format is .NET ticks for Steam Workshop compatibility
Published ID defaults to 0 if WORKSHOP_ID not set

🔐 Security Best Practices

Private Key Protection

Critical: Never share or commit your .biprivatekey file!

# .gitignore already includes
keys/*.biprivatekey

If your private key is compromised:

Generate a new key pair: publish.bat --version X.X.X --key NewKeyName
Re-sign all PBOs with the new key
Distribute the new .bikey to server owners
Update your Workshop item with newly signed PBOs

.env File Security

The .env file is gitignored but contains sensitive paths:

# .gitignore already includes
.env

Never commit:

Steam usernames
Workshop IDs (if you want to keep them private)
Local file paths (they're specific to your machine)

🤝 Contributing

Adding New Mods

Create new folder in src/ (e.g., src/SwarmNewMod/)
Add config.cpp with comments explaining features
Add scripts in appropriate module folders (3_Game, 4_World, 5_Mission)

Build and test:

build.bat --version 1.0.0 --validate
launch.bat

Modifying Animal Drops

Each animal has its own config.cpp in src/SwarmAnimals/:

canis_lupus/config.cpp - Wolf
capra_hircus/config.cpp - Goat (male)
capra_hircus_fem/config.cpp - Goat (female)
etc.

Edit the appropriate file and rebuild.

Testing Changes

Always validate before publishing:

# Build with validation
build.bat --version X.X.X --validate

# Or use the full publish pipeline
publish.bat --version X.X.X --dry-run

📄 License

See license file. SwarmEarplugs is a repack of the original EarPlugs mod by DaemonF0rge.

🙏 Credits

SwarmEarplugs - Original EarPlugs mod by DaemonF0rge
SwarmSpectator - Extends Community Online Tools by Jacob-Mango
Swarm Team - Kize, Arky and contributors

Last Updated: February 2026
Current Version: See .version file
Workshop: Check your WORKSHOP_ID in .env

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 64 Commits
.github		.github
keys		keys
scripts		scripts
src		src
validate		validate
.env.example		.env.example
.gitignore		.gitignore
.version		.version
LICENSE		LICENSE
README.md		README.md
build.bat		build.bat
launch.bat		launch.bat
publish.bat		publish.bat
validate.bat		validate.bat

License

SWARMDayZ/Swarm

Folders and files

Latest commit

History

Repository files navigation

Swarm - DayZ Mod Collection

📦 Included Mods

SwarmTweaks

SwarmAnimals

SwarmEarplugs

SwarmSpectator

SwarmObserver

🏗️ Project Structure

🔧 Prerequisites

Required

Optional

Dependency Mods (for validation/testing)

⚙️ Environment Setup

Configuration File (.env)

Environment Variable Details

Alternative: System Environment Variables

🔨 Build Workflow (build.bat)

How It Works

Usage

Command-Line Options

Output

Build Process Details

✅ Validation Workflow (validate.bat)

How It Works

Usage

Command-Line Options

Server Configuration

Dependency Mods

Error Detection

Exit Codes

📤 Publish Workflow (publish.bat)

How It Works

Step 1: Build

Step 2: Validate

Step 3: Sign

Step 4: Publish

Prerequisites for Publishing

Usage

Command-Line Options

Signing Keys

First-Time Setup

Key Management

SteamCMD Authentication

Initial Login

Steam Guard

Troubleshooting

Exit Codes

Output

🚀 Launch Workflow (launch.bat)

How It Works

Usage

Command-Line Options

Server Configuration

Automatic Features

BattleEye Auto-Enable

COT Admin Auto-Setup

Profile Preservation

Logs and Profiles

Auto-Connect

Stopping

🛠️ Development Tips

Quick Development Cycle

Testing Without Validation

Version Management

Debugging Script Errors

Testing Different Maps

📝 Scripting Details

Environment Variable Loading (load_env.ps1)

Version Preprocessing (update_version.ps1)

Meta.cpp Placeholders

🔐 Security Best Practices

Private Key Protection

.env File Security

🤝 Contributing