# Questions about simple modding

**URL:** <https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/questions-about-simple-modding/28313>\
**Category:** Modding\
**Created:** [January 30, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/questions-about-simple-modding/28313 "2017-01-30T17:44:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SpagBolChomper](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/spagbolchomper/32/48677_2.png) [@SpagBolChomper](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/SpagBolChomper)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/questions-about-simple-modding/28313/1 "2017-01-30T17:44:19Z")

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Firstly, hello to all of the stonehearth community! I haven’t visited or played stonehearth properly for MONTHS! Anyways, I am glad to be back!

But getting into the actual topic of this thread, I am here to asking how to go about making a simple “extra useless furniture mod”. Essentially a load of UN functional pieces of furniture purely for aesthetics and decoration! I would like to know…

…1 what modelling software (preferably free) should I use to make the models?

…2 what programming software should I use to program the models to be a basic decoration object?

…3 are there any sample scripts I can use?

…4 how do I make it a mod?

…5 is there a place I can find the answers to these 4 questions and more?

Just as a side note : In case any of you know about a similar thread I made about a similar topic to do with this, I made this thread to ask about the MODERN methods of modding, as I assume that it has changed!

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**Author:** ![MelOzone](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/melozone/32/50318_2.png) [@MelOzone](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/MelOzone)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 5:54pm UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/questions-about-simple-modding/28313/2 "2017-01-30T17:54:27Z")

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1. MagicaVoxel. Ideal for furniture.
2. You need to edit JSONs. It’s not exactly programming since JSON is a formatted text file, not a script, so any text editor will do. I recommend Notepad++.
3. Yes. I suggest to search the forums. Scripts in SH are written in Lua. My own mod “More chests” includes a (rather simple) script to make a model animate when someone is nearby (it causes a chest to open - like doors in vanilla SH).  
Note that you mostly don’t need scripts for static decorations (fences, chairs etc).

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**Author:** ![SpagBolChomper](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/spagbolchomper/32/48677_2.png) [@SpagBolChomper](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/SpagBolChomper)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 5:55pm UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/questions-about-simple-modding/28313/3 "2017-01-30T17:55:16Z")

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Thank you , I will definitively look into it!

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**Author:** ![Raze](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/raze/32/53623_2.png) [@Raze](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/Raze)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/questions-about-simple-modding/28313/4 "2017-01-30T18:35:24Z")

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- **1.** I prefer VoxelShop, because it’s easier to use (all the features are similar to the ones of Photoshop etc. and I could start without having to read a manual or such, whilst it was hard figuring some out in magica) and has more features from what I’ve seen, but I prefer Magica Voxel for Renders.;  
- **2.** I think Mel did a good job at answering this question…;  
- **3.-5.** [GitHub - stonehearth/startermod\_basic: A most basic starter mod to get you going!](https://github.com/stonehearth/startermod_basic)

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**Author:** ![coasterspaul](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/coasterspaul/32/47876_2.png) [@coasterspaul](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/coasterspaul)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:05am UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/questions-about-simple-modding/28313/5 "2017-02-01T01:05:36Z")

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Does the starter mod still work in A20?