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In the in-game mod list, loading proceeds from bottom to top, so the mod nearest the top has priority when two mods change the same definition. A dedicated server is displayed differently: its GUI and sandbox_config.sbc show the effective order from top to bottom. That display reversal is why a list can look “backwards” when you move from a world to a dedicated server.

There is no universal best sequence for every Workshop or mod.io collection. The correct order depends on which definition IDs each mod replaces, its dependencies, and whether it uses a simple definition edit or a whole-file replacement. Use a written list, change one variable at a time, restart, and keep a backup of the world before experimenting.

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Which mod loads first?

Space Engineers resolves many mod conflicts through definition precedence. If two mods provide a definition with the same ID, the definition from the higher-priority position is the one the world uses. The confusing part is that the position means different things depending on where you are looking.

Where you edit or inspect the list How the list is interpreted Which entry wins a conflict?
In-game world mod screen Mods load from bottom to top The entry nearer the top
Dedicated-server GUI Displayed from top to bottom as the effective load order The entry nearer the top of that displayed order
sandbox_config.sbc Shown from top to bottom as the effective load order The entry nearer the top

In practical terms, decide which mod should win, then place it at the top of the effective order. For a local game list, that means moving it toward the top of the visible list. For a dedicated server, the top-to-bottom order already represents precedence.

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Why the dedicated-server list looks reversed

The dedicated-server interface and the save configuration file do not use the same visual convention as the in-game selection screen. Keen Software House describes the difference this way: “The mod order is flipped for the dedicated server GUI and the save files (sandbox_config.sbc), which show the mods in the real load order from top to bottom.”

Suppose a local world shows Mod A at the top and Mod B at the bottom. The local screen means Mod B is loaded first and Mod A has the later, higher-priority definition. When you inspect the dedicated-server configuration, the entries are presented in the real effective sequence, so the apparent direction changes. Do not reverse a list simply because it differs from the in-game screen; first identify which format you are reading.

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How precedence affects definition conflicts

Simple definition overrides

Most load-order disputes involve both mods changing the same definition: a block, component, weapon, conveyor, character, or other XML-defined object. The higher-priority definition supplies the values that survive when IDs collide. A mod that only adds a new ID generally coexists with another mod, while two mods editing one ID require an intentional winner.

Whole-file replacements

Some packages replace an entire definition file rather than merging a few properties. In that case, placing a mod later may remove unrelated edits made by an earlier package in the same file. If moving entries does not produce the expected behavior, treat a full-file replacement as a likely explanation and inspect the server log for loading errors or warnings.

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No universal “best order”

A sequence that works for one collection can be wrong for another because the affected IDs and dependencies differ. Do not copy a ranking from a different server without checking what each package changes. Write down the intended winner for every known conflict and build the order around those decisions.

Dependencies: automatic does not mean risk-free

Required items are normally added automatically when the game detects that a mod depends on them. The dependency can appear after the requesting mod, and that is often harmless when the requesting package merely references definitions supplied by the dependency.

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An edge case occurs when the dependent package also attempts to override a definition that the dependency supplies. The resulting precedence may not match the author’s intention. If a feature appears inactive, verify that the required package downloaded correctly, then test the requesting mod in alternate positions relative to the dependency and any other package editing the same definition.

What to record for a dependency

  • The requesting mod and every package it requires.
  • Whether the dependency is an addition-only package or changes existing IDs.
  • The position of both packages in the effective dedicated-server order.
  • The first log warning or error produced when the world starts.

Keep the original list before changing it. That gives you a known-good rollback point if a dependency change creates missing blocks or prevents the save from loading.

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Dedicated-server load-order workflow

Use this procedure for a new collection or when two existing mods overwrite one another.

  1. Export or copy the active list. Record every mod ID and its current position. If your host provides an export function, save that file; otherwise take a screenshot and make a text copy.
  2. Back up the world. Stop the server and copy the save before editing the configuration. Preserve the backup outside the server’s live save directory so an automated cleanup cannot remove it.
  3. Let required items be added. Load the collection once so the game can add declared dependencies, then inspect the resulting list instead of assuming they occupy a particular position.
  4. Read the correct direction. In the dedicated-server GUI and sandbox_config.sbc, read from top to bottom as the effective precedence order. Do not apply the local in-game bottom-to-top interpretation to this file.
  5. Choose the winner. For each collision, put the mod whose definition should be active above the competing mod in that effective order.
  6. Change one variable. Move one entry or remove one suspected conflict at a time. Changing a dozen positions at once makes the result impossible to attribute.
  7. Restart completely. Stop and start the server rather than relying on a partial world reload. Watch the startup log until all mods have finished loading.
  8. Verify in two places. Check the log for download, parsing, and dependency errors, then test the affected block or feature in-game. A list that saves successfully can still have an overridden feature.
  9. Document the working state. Save the final order with the world backup and note the server build, platform mode, and date. This makes a later update or rollback reproducible.

When reordering does not fix the problem

The mod never downloaded

A missing or incomplete download can look like a precedence failure. Confirm that the server obtained every package and that the local or host cache is not holding a damaged copy. Re-download the package, restart, and compare the startup log before changing more positions.

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The definition is being replaced wholesale

If a higher-priority package contains a complete replacement file, moving a small patch above it may still remove the patch’s other changes. Test with only the two relevant mods enabled. If the feature works in isolation but not together, the packages need a compatible merged definition or an update from their authors; ordering alone cannot merge incompatible full-file replacements.

The conflict is outside the mod list

Scripts, plugins, server settings, and client-side limitations can produce symptoms that look like an XML override. Disable unrelated scripts or plugins in a test copy, then reproduce the issue with the smallest collection that still fails. Keep the failing launch log so you can distinguish a definition conflict from a runtime exception.

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The save has already been damaged

An incompatible package can leave missing blocks, prevent a save from opening, or crash the game. Do not overwrite the only copy by repeatedly launching the live world. Restore the pre-change backup, test the suspect package in a duplicate save, and reintroduce the remaining mods in small groups.

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Platform and distribution constraints

Steam Workshop and mod.io

Steam Workshop is primarily aimed at PC users, while mod.io supports multiple platforms. A collection that is valid for a PC-only server may not be available to console players, even if its entries appear in a shared world configuration. Check the distribution service and the target clients before publishing an order.

Scripts and crossplay

Console hosts cannot execute user code locally, so script-heavy packages have platform limits. In supported crossplay configurations, a PC dedicated server can provide server-side scripts to console clients. Definition-only, or SBC-only, packages are the safer choice when the same world must run across platforms. This is a compatibility constraint, not a load-order trick; moving a script mod up or down will not make unsupported client code run.

Plugins are a separate security decision

Keen Software House says plugins are not permitted on Steam Workshop or mod.io and will be removed if posted: “Plugins are not permitted on the Steam Workshop or Mod.io and will be removed if posted.” The company also warns that plugins can affect systems outside the game and are used at the user’s own risk. Treat plugin installation separately from ordinary world mods, review the loader and its permissions, and never assume that a plugin follows the same definition precedence rules.

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Native administration versus Torch

Torch can provide administration and plugin features for a dedicated server, but it does not replace the game’s own world-definition precedence. Mods that alter blocks and other SBC definitions still follow the effective order represented by the game’s server configuration.

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Aspect Native dedicated server Torch-managed server
Definition precedence Determined by the game’s mod order Still determined by the game’s mod order
Administration Uses the game’s/server host controls Adds administration and plugin capabilities
Conflict diagnosis Inspect the game startup log and world behavior Inspect those logs plus Torch’s administration or plugin output
Security scope World mods and server settings World mods plus any installed third-party plugins

When troubleshooting a Torch server, first reproduce the issue with only the world mods enabled. Add administrative plugins back after the definition conflict is understood.

Change-management checklist

  • Keep a dated copy of sandbox_config.sbc or the host’s exported mod list.
  • Back up the world before adding, removing, or reordering a large collection.
  • Identify the two packages that edit the same definition before choosing a winner.
  • Use the dedicated-server top-to-bottom interpretation when editing the server list.
  • Change one position or package at a time and restart fully.
  • Read the first relevant log error, not only the final crash message.
  • Test a suspected conflict in a duplicate save.
  • Record the working order, game version, server platform, and crossplay setting.

Practical examples

Two block-balance mods

Mod A changes the power requirement of a reactor, and Mod B changes the same reactor definition’s capacity. If both use the same ID, the higher-priority definition may supply both values, depending on how the files are authored. Decide whether the server wants A’s power value or B’s capacity, then test the resulting reactor in a copy of the world. If you need both edits, the packages require a compatible merged definition rather than an arbitrary list position.

A dependency that also edits a block

Mod C requires a framework package and is added automatically. The framework supplies a block definition that Mod C also edits. Place the intended winner above the other entry in the effective dedicated-server order, restart, and verify that both the framework-dependent feature and the edited block remain available. If one disappears, isolate the pair and inspect whether one package replaces the entire file.

A PC collection opened by console players

A PC server may load a script package that console clients cannot execute locally. Replacing it with an SBC-only equivalent can restore crossplay compatibility; changing its order cannot overcome the platform restriction. Validate the collection on the actual server and client combination before inviting players.

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Final takeaway

Read the screen you are using before moving anything: local in-game lists load bottom to top, while the dedicated-server GUI and sandbox_config.sbc expose the effective order from top to bottom. Put the definition you want to win at the top of that effective sequence, account for dependencies, and verify every change with a backup, a clean restart, logs, and an in-game test. If that process does not resolve the symptom, investigate failed downloads, whole-file replacements, scripts, plugins, or platform limits instead of endlessly reversing the list.

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