Windrose mod — Host parity & multiplayer manifest

Every Windrose mod thread eventually becomes a multiplayer thread. Nexus tells you what the files change; this note is the host manifest we wish more captains pinned beside their invite codes. Open the listing with Download mod, read the sticky for “server only / everyone installs / optional client QoL”, then come back here for the logistics rehearsal.

Manifest line 0: quote the author, not the hype

Copy/paste beats paraphrase when five people install at different speeds:

• Exact archive name + version string from the Nexus Files tab.
• Any “host only” or “dedicated only” sentence — screenshot it so nobody “remembers differently” at 1am.
• Known conflicts — if the sticky mentions another Windrose mod by folder name, add that mod to the same manifest block.

Listen server captains: mirror both halves of the install

Bundled Windows builds often want the same .pak under …\R5\Content\Paks\~mods and under …\Builds\WindowsServer\R5\Content\Paks\~mods (or plain Paks if the readme says so). If Nexus only mentions one path, assume nothing—ask in the author’s posts before you drag friends into a broken session. Our play-online guide still covers vanilla connectivity; mods add a second checklist afterward.

Dedicated rental hosts: prove you can upload custom paks

Some providers block arbitrary .pak drops. Before you promise the crew a modded weekend, confirm you can write to Windrose Dedicated Server\R5\Content\Paks\~mods (or whatever the panel exposes) and restart cleanly. Keep a vanilla backup folder on disk so rollback is a file copy, not a panic reinstall.

Clients: parity is more than “I subscribed on Steam”

• Hash-check optional archives in Discord if your crew is nerdy enough—it beats arguing about who grabbed “the big zip”.
• If the mod touches combat drops, agree whether everyone runs identical loot mods before you compare weapons numbers mid-fight.
• If sailing routes change, share map pins so callouts still line up with what people see on screen.

When someone joins late

Send them the manifest block + link to Download mod—not a vague “get the mod”. Late joiners are how silent half-installs sneak in. If the session already feels cursed, wipe ~mods on every rig once, verify vanilla stability, then re-add paks in the author’s recommended order.

Elsewhere on Atlas

Need baseline numbers while you argue about loot tables? Hit resources or the broader wiki hub. Other Windrose mod spotlights live on the mods shelf.

Windrose Atlas is fan-made; binaries stay on the mod network—use Download mod. If URLs shift, search by author name and refresh bookmarks.