Test your mod before release: a checklist for BeamNG, the SCS truck games and Farming Simulator 25

24 Oct 2026 · 3 min read · ModsDrop

Pictured: Mazda RX-7 FD3S – Amemiya & Mazdaspeed Tuning, from the ModsDrop library.

Most bug reports a mod author receives in the first week could have been caught in an hour of testing before release. Not deep testing, just a routine: a clean game, the exact file you are about to upload, and a list. Here is that list, applicable to BeamNG.drive, the SCS truck games and Farming Simulator 25, with the game-specific items marked.

Test the file, not the folder

Package the mod exactly as you will publish it, then install that archive into a clean setup. Testing from your working folder hides the most common release mistakes: an extra folder level inside the zip, a file left out of the archive, a path that only works on your machine. If the zip you test is not the zip you upload, you have not tested the release.

A clean game

BeamNG: Safe Mode or a separate user folder, with only your mod active.
ETS2 / ATS: a new profile with only your mod, plus any dependencies you list.
FS25: a new savegame with only your mod ticked.
The current game version, written down. It goes into your description.

The log must be clean

Load the mod and read the game’s log (beamng.log, game.log.txt or log.txt). Search for your mod’s folder and file names. Every error and warning that mentions your files is something a user will paste into a comment. Fix them before release, or at least know why they are there.

Everything spawns and works

Every configuration, every skin, every variant loads without missing parts or textures.
Lights: headlights, brake lights, indicators, reversing lights, interior lights, at night.
Moving parts: doors, bonnet, boot, mirrors, wipers, steering wheel, gauges.
Sounds: start, idle, rev, load, shifts, horn; interior and exterior.
Damage (BeamNG): a few crashes at different speeds. No exploding JBeam, no parts flying off at walking pace.
Dealer, store or selector entry (truck games and FS25): the item appears where your description says it does, at a sensible price.

Look at it from far away

Drive away from the vehicle or zoom the camera out. Missing level-of-detail models, textures without mipmaps that shimmer, and parts that vanish at a distance are invisible in a close-up test and obvious in play.

Performance

Compare the frame rate and frame time with a similar stock vehicle in the same spot. A large difference points at oversized textures, too many lights, an overly dense mesh or a script running every frame. Check video memory if your tools show it; a single car should not need gigabytes.

Multiplayer, if you claim it

If your description says the mod works in multiplayer (Convoy, BeamMP, FS25 multiplayer), test it with a second player. FS25 mods declare multiplayer support in modDesc.xml; make sure the declaration matches reality.

The archive itself

No leftover working files: .blend, .psd, .xcf, backup copies, thumbnails, empty folders. They inflate the download and sometimes break loading.
File names without spaces or special characters, especially for FS25.
Your name and version inside the files: the JBeam information block, modDesc.xml, or manifest.sii.
No password, no executables, no installer.

A second pair of eyes

One tester who did not make the mod finds what you no longer see: a typo in a configuration name, a control you assume everyone knows, a dependency you forgot to list. Credit them in the description; good testers are worth keeping.

Release

Write the description with the tested game version and date (how).
Keep a copy of the exact released archive and note its SHA-256. When a user reports a problem, you can be certain which file they have.
Write the first changelog entry. Versioning and changelogs covers the format.