How do you install mods?

[Kristian Kerman]

So I tried installing scatterer recently,  put it in game data and it didn't work, I also tried installing ksp interstellar but it didn't work too.
Anyone know how to fix this, Do I need to reload the game or something?

[jimmymcgoochie]

 

Edited July 8, 2021 by jimmymcgoochie

[Zhetaan]

3 hours ago, Kristian Kerman said:

Do I need to reload the game or something?

You actually do need to install the mod before you run the game.  If you try to install the mod on the fly, then you'll be disappointed.  That's because the game loads its assets (including mod stuff) at the beginning when it starts up.

Other issues that crop up with this kind of thing include forgetting to unzip a compressed mod download, failing to install a dependency (that's when the mod that you want needs another supporting mod to function--usually, mod makers are pretty good about including them in the download), or installing the mod in the wrong folder.  For example, a lot of mods come packed in a folder called GameData, and sometimes, people install them in such a way that they get a KSP\GameData\Gamedata (or more, I once saw someone who nested it five times).  When a mod comes in a GameData folder, the intent is that whatever is in the mod's GameData is what goes into your GameData--you need to copy the contents, not the folder.

Otherwise, @jimmymcgoochie's link is to an excellent tutorial, and if you can't get it to work after reviewing that, then I'd say you've got a bug and should re-install.