Loose File Loader allows Nioh 3 to load loose files directly from the disk, so you can replace in‑game assets without rebuilding or repacking archives.

It lets you swap out files that are normally stored inside the game’s archives with your own modded versions. It also enables the game to read unpacked, standalone files that live outside the main archives. This means players can install asset mods by simply copying files, and mod creators can test and update models, textures, and gameplay data much faster.

What This Plugin Does

Loads asset overrides from <Nioh3>/mods.
Supports any asset type the game can normally read, including models, textures, animations, and data files.
Keeps the original game behavior when no override exists for a given file.
Handles conflicts deterministically when multiple mods change the same file.

Why It Is Useful

For Players

Install or remove mods with a simple file copy or delete.
No need to pack or repack archives at any step.

For Modders

Swap assets quickly to preview and test them in the game.
Iterate on the same file path and validate in‑game behavior without extensive setup.
Avoid full package rebuilds and full game restarts for every small change.
Use archive extraction and runtime logging together to find target resource IDs more easily.
Shorten the entire development loop (locate target → edit → test → adjust) while creating mods.

Installation

Make sure the Nioh 3 plugin loader is already installed.
Copy LooseFileLoader.dll into <Nioh3>/plugins/.
Create <Nioh3>/mods/ if it does not already exist.
Launch the game once to confirm the plugin initializes.

Usage (Players)

Place your modded files inside <Nioh3>/mods/ or in a subfolder such as <Nioh3>/mods/<ModName>.
Start the game.

Example structure:

text

/mods/0xA1B2C3D4.g1m
/mods/MyModPack1/0x11A34982.g1t

/mods/MyModPack1/0x7DC6EBD9.g1t

/mods/MyModPack2/0x6E7A0710.g1t /mods/MyModPack2/0x695BBBFB.g1t /mods/MyModPack2/0xA0B0DD1D.g1m

Conflict And Load Order

When multiple mods modify the same file, the plugin uses a fixed order to choose which one takes effect:

First, files located directly in the mods root.
Then, files inside first‑level subfolders, sorted alphabetically in a case‑insensitive way.

Usage (Mod Authors)

For Nioh 3 g1m ↔ g1t mapping, you can use the database at:
https://github.com/kassent/Nioh3-Model-Texture-Mapping-Database
For Resource ID discovery (RDB Explorer + logs):
- Use RDB Explorer (https://www.nexusmods.com/nioh3/mods/83?tab=description) to browse and extract assets from the game’s archives.
- You can also use the g1t_tool script at:
  https://github.com/kassent/Nioh3-Model-Texture-Mapping-Database/blob/main/g1t_tool_usage.md
  to convert g1t or g1ts files into DDS files.
- While the game runs, LooseFileLoader writes runtime asset‑loading information into the plugin log.
- Modders can use these log entries to identify which resource IDs (fileId) the current scene uses, then export those assets from the archives and replace them with loose files.
- Workflow: find the ID in the logs → extract the file from the archive → edit it → drop it into mods → test the changes in the game.

Log File Location

Main log file: C:\Users\<YourUserName>\Documents\LooseFileLoader.log
The logger uses file rotation, so you may also see rotated copies such as .1 files.
Asset loading logs are disabled by default. To enable them, set EnableAssetLoadingLog=1 in <Nioh3>/plugins/LooseFileLoader.ini.

Iteration Workflow

Keep the same filename and path, and simply overwrite the file contents while testing.
Trigger an in‑game reload (scene reload, map change, equipment or menu refresh, etc.) to see the updated version.
If you add completely new override files (with new hashes), restart the game so the startup indexing process includes them.

Uninstall

Remove LooseFileLoader.dll from <Nioh3>/plugins/.
Optionally delete any files you have added under <Nioh3>/mods/.
After uninstalling, the game will fall back to its original packaged assets.

Troubleshooting

Override not loading
- Check that the filename stem is exactly 8 hexadecimal characters (the 0x prefix is optional).
- Confirm the file sits in the mods root or a first‑level subfolder.
- Make sure another mod with a higher load‑order priority is not taking precedence for that hash.
Crashes or broken visuals
- The replacement file’s format may not match the type the game expects for that asset.
Added file not detected during the current session
- Restart the game so the startup index rebuilds and includes the new file.
No asset loading logs in LooseFileLoader.log
- Ensure <Nioh3>/plugins/LooseFileLoader.ini has EnableAssetLoadingLog=1 under the [LooseFileLoader] section.

Notes

This plugin does not repack archive files; it only redirects reads to loose files on disk whenever the hashes match the original archive entries.