# Development Setup

## Required Tools

- Fallout 4 on PC
- Fallout 4 Script Extender, F4SE
- Fallout 4 Creation Kit
- Visual Studio 2022 or newer
- Git
- CMake or another build system required by the selected plugin template
- Mod Organizer 2 or Vortex

## Recommended Fallout 4 Setup

Use a clean test profile.

Recommended:

```text
Fallout 4
F4SE
Commonwealth Online test plugin
No other gameplay mods
Dedicated test save
```

Avoid testing with a full modlist while developing the core systems.

## Main menu

Do **not** deploy a patched `Interface/MainMenu.swf`. Commonwealth Online injects the **Multiplayer** row at runtime via the F4SE plugin. Use vanilla `MainMenu.swf` or no loose override. See [`MainMenu_Button_Injection_Guide.md`](MainMenu_Button_Injection_Guide.md) (full how-to) and [`MainMenu_Injection.md`](MainMenu_Injection.md) (project-specific notes).

## Version Tracking

Record the exact versions used:

```text
Fallout 4 version:
F4SE version:
Creation Kit version:
CommonLibF4 template:
Windows version:
Compiler version:
```

## Git Submodules

After cloning, initialize vendored dependencies:

```bat
git submodule update --init --recursive
```

This includes:

* `ThirdParty/framework-F4-Conversion` — PrismaUI_F4 HTML overlay framework
* `ThirdParty/Ultralight-SDK` — Ultralight SDK (`Windows` branch) for PrismaUI_F4 builds
* `ThirdParty/GameNetworkingSockets-src` — networking library
* `ThirdParty/xbyak` — assembler dependency

`build-prismaui.bat` links the Ultralight SDK submodule into the PrismaUI build tree automatically. Override the SDK location with `ULTRALIGHT_SDK_PATH` if needed.

## Folder Notes

Do not copy Fallout 4 game files into this repository.

Do not copy F4SE binaries into this repository.

Use the `plugin/external/README.md` file to document where external dependencies should be installed.