Packaging your Mod

During development you work in res_mods/<version>/ because the file-drop workflow is fast. When you distribute a mod to players, the standard format is a .wotmod file. It installs with a single copy, keeps the game directory clean, and survives most updates without breaking.

What is a .wotmod

A .wotmod file is a ZIP archive with two things inside:

meta.xml
res/
  scripts/client/gui/mods/mod_yourmod.pyc

The res/ folder mirrors the game's own res/ folder exactly. Any path that works under res_mods/<version>/ works the same way under res/ inside the package. The file goes in mods/<version>/, not res_mods/.

meta.xml

meta.xml is optional but expected by mod managers and the game's mod list UI. It sits at the root of the ZIP:

<root>
    <id>com.yourname.modname</id>
    <version>1.0.0</version>
    <name>Your Mod Name</name>
    <description>One line description of what the mod does.</description>
</root>

Use reverse-domain notation for <id> (com.yourname.modname). It must be unique across all mods on the player's machine. The <version> field is a free string.

File naming and location

Name the file <id>_<version>.wotmod and place it in mods/<version>/:

mods/
└── 2.2.1.3/
    └── com.yourname.modname_1.0.0.wotmod

The filename itself is not read by the game. The <id> inside meta.xml is the canonical identifier.

Python files: .pyc only

Ship only the compiled .pyc file inside the package, not the .py source. The game's script loader only picks up .pyc files from inside .wotmod packages.

Compile with Python 2.7 before packing:

python -m py_compile mod_yourmod.py

Try it yourself

This script packages the config mod built in the Configuration Files page into a distributable .wotmod. Save it as pack.py anywhere and run it once.

import os
import zipfile

MOD_ID = 'dev.wgmods.mod_config_example'
VERSION = '1.0.0'
PYC_PATH = r'C:\Games\World_of_Tanks_EU\res_mods\2.2.1.3\scripts\client\gui\mods\mod_wgmods_dev_config.pyc'
OUT_DIR = r'C:\Games\World_of_Tanks_EU\mods\2.2.1.3'

meta = '''<root>
    <id>{id}</id>
    <version>{version}</version>
    <name>Config Example</name>
    <description>Shows vehicle info on tank select. Example mod from wgmods.dev.</description>
</root>'''.format(id=MOD_ID, version=VERSION)

out_path = os.path.join(OUT_DIR, '%s_%s.wotmod' % (MOD_ID, VERSION))

with zipfile.ZipFile(out_path, 'w', zipfile.ZIP_STORED) as z:
    z.writestr('meta.xml', meta)
    z.write(PYC_PATH, 'res/scripts/client/gui/mods/mod_wgmods_dev_config.pyc')

print('Written: ' + out_path)

Run it:

python pack.py

Then remove mod_wgmods_dev_config.pyc from res_mods/ so the two copies do not conflict, and launch the game. The mod loads from the package identically to before.