Quickstart

Get up and running with PZ Packs in minutes

This guide will walk you through creating your first modpack and exporting a server configuration file for Project Zomboid.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• A Discord account (for authentication)
• A Project Zomboid dedicated server (or planning to set one up)
• Access to Steam Workshop for Project Zomboid mods

Getting started

1. Create your account

   Navigate to PZ Packs and sign in with Discord.

   1. Click Sign in with Discord on the homepage
   2. Authorize PZ Packs to access your Discord profile
   3. You’ll be redirected back to PZ Packs, now authenticated

   PZ Packs uses Discord OAuth for authentication. Your Discord email and profile information are used to create your account.

2. Create your first modpack

   Once authenticated, create a modpack to organize your server mods.

   1. Click Create Modpack from your dashboard
   2. Fill in the modpack details:
      • Name: Give your modpack a descriptive name
      • Description: Explain what your modpack is for
      • Avatar URL (optional): Add an image for your modpack
      • Steam URL (optional): Link to a related Steam collection
   3. Set visibility:
      • Public: Anyone can view and use your modpack
      • Private: Only you and invited members can access it
   4. Click Create

   Your modpack is now created and you’ll be taken to its detail page.

3. Add mods to your modpack

   Add Project Zomboid mods to your modpack. You have three options:

   Import from Steam

   The fastest way to add multiple mods at once.

   1. Find or create a Steam Workshop Collection with your desired mods
   2. Copy the collection URL (e.g., https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=123456789)
   3. In your modpack, click Import from Steam
   4. Paste the collection URL
   5. Click Import

   The import runs in the background. You can check the status on your modpack page.

   Steam collections are a great way to organize and share mod lists. Create one on Steam Workshop first, then import it into PZ Packs.

   Search and add

   Browse the PZ Packs mod catalog to find specific mods.

   1. Go to the Mods tab
   2. Search by name, tag, or Workshop ID
   3. Click on a mod to view details
   4. Click Add to Modpack and select your modpack

   The mod will be added to your modpack immediately.

   Add by Workshop ID

   If you know the Steam Workshop ID of a mod:

   1. In your modpack, click Add Mod
   2. Enter the Workshop ID (e.g., 2169435993)
   3. Click Add

   The mod details will be fetched from Steam Workshop and added to your modpack.

   Some mods have dependencies (required mods). PZ Packs will show these in the mod details, but you need to manually add them to your modpack.

4. Configure mod order

   Mod load order can be important for compatibility.

   1. On your modpack page, view the list of mods
   2. Drag and drop mods to reorder them
   3. Place core/framework mods first, content mods later
   4. Save the order

   The mod order determines the load order in Project Zomboid. Some mods require specific ordering to work correctly.

5. Configure export settings

   Before exporting, configure your server version and mod settings.

   1. Click Export Configuration on your modpack page
   2. Select your Project Zomboid version:
      • Build 41.x: Uses ModID=Workshop_ID format
      • Build 42.x: Uses WorkshopID format
   3. For mods with multiple Steam Mod IDs, select which ones to include
   4. Click Save Configuration

   Some mods have multiple Steam Mod IDs for different components (e.g., separate map and mod IDs). You can choose which ones to include in your export.

6. Export server configuration

   Generate your server configuration file.

   1. Click Request Server File
   2. Choose your version (41.x or 42.x)
   3. Click Generate

   The file generation runs in the background (usually takes 5-10 seconds).

   4. Once complete, click Download to get your configuration file

   The downloaded file will be named something like modpack_name_41x.txt or modpack_name_42x.txt.

7. Install on your server

   Use the exported configuration file on your Project Zomboid dedicated server.

   Windows Server

   1. Navigate to your server directory (e.g., C:\Users\YourUser\Zomboid\Server\)
   2. Open the server config file (e.g., servertest.ini)
   3. Find the Mods= and WorkshopItems= lines
   4. Replace them with the content from your downloaded file
   5. If there’s a Map= line in the export, update that too
   6. Save the file
   7. Restart your server

   Linux Server

   1. Navigate to your server directory (e.g., /home/user/Zomboid/Server/)
   2. Open the server config file (e.g., servertest.ini)
   3. Find the Mods= and WorkshopItems= lines
   4. Replace them with the content from your downloaded file
   5. If there’s a Map= line in the export, update that too
   6. Save the file
   7. Restart your server

   Always backup your server configuration before making changes. If something goes wrong, you can restore the backup.

What’s next?

Now that you have your first modpack set up, explore these features:

Team Collaboration

Invite team members to help manage your modpack

Server Configuration

Learn more about export options and configurations

Importing from Steam

Deep dive into Steam Workshop import features

API Reference

Automate modpack management with the API

Troubleshooting

Mods not loading on server

If your mods aren’t loading after updating the server config:

• Verify the server has internet access to download from Steam Workshop
• Check the server logs for mod loading errors
• Ensure the Workshop IDs are correct in your config
• Make sure you restarted the server after updating the config
• For Build 42.x servers, use the 42.x export format (not 41.x)

Import from Steam failing

If Steam Collection import fails:

• Verify the collection URL is correct and public
• Check if the collection contains Project Zomboid mods (not other games)
• Wait a few moments and check the import status again
• Some collections with many mods (50+) may take longer to import

Can't find a specific mod

If you can’t find a mod in the PZ Packs catalog:

• Try adding it by Workshop ID directly
• The mod may be too new - PZ Packs updates its catalog regularly
• Verify the mod exists on Steam Workshop and is for Project Zomboid

Need help?

• Join our Discord community for support
• Check the detailed guides for more information
• Report issues on GitHub