ZenConstruction

v1.4.1·Updated 2026-09-19

Craft from open chest; Build directly from attached cart; Carts/Ships/Stations auto-open container; Equip torch and hammer at the same time; Dedicated build button; Quick select repair; Adjust structu

Screenshots 2 screenshots

About this mod Author’s original text

ZenConstruction

Configurable enhancements to the construction system.

Containers

  • Crafting stations automatically open the closest chest.
  • Craft directly from opened chests.
  • Build directly from attached carts.
  • Auto-open attached containers such as carts or ships when you are the captain.

Structure Rules

  • Do not allow building on trees and steep rock walls
  • Remove structure support from selected pieces
  • prevent building near boss alters, etc.
  • Extend the range of the station extensions so that you can spread them out a bit more.
  • Paved roads do not deform the terrain. (optional)

Rotations

Change the number of segments in the piece rotation for smoother curves.

  • Equip Hammer
  • Keyboard: Hold Left Shift + Tap Right Direction Arrow
  • Gamepad: Hold Alternative-Function + Tap DPadRight

Hammer UI

  • Dedicated Hammer Button: Quickly toggle equip of the Hammer without having it in a 1-8 hot bar slot. Keep it anywhere in your inventory and free up space on your hot bar. Works with gamepad too.
  • Quick Select Repair: Press and hold the Hammer button to quickly switch to the repair tool.
  • Equip the Hammer and the Torch at the same time so that it's easier to work in the dark. (configurable)
  • Show the piece health bar as a color gradient when hovering over a piece with the repair tool.

Station Containers

Automatically open the closest container within a short range while interacting with crafting stations. This allows for placing a chest next to a crafting station and having it be accessible while using the station. Directly craft from containers.

Improve Your Experience

CORE MODS

The full collection of all Zen MODS:

  • Radically improved QoL
  • Incredible performance
  • Pre-configured
  • 100% Gamepad support
  • Spectacularly immersive

Enjoy!

Sample Config File

Settings file was created by plugin ZenConstruction v1.3.2

Plugin GUID: ZenDragon.ZenConstruction

[Containers]

[Admin] Rename open containers for vehicles in the inventory UI so that it matches the vehicle name, not "Storage"

For example the opened Cart storage would be "Cart", the Karve storage would be Karve.

This makes it easier to discern what you have opened when using automatic opening.

This does NOT change the hovertext, it still says "Storage" on the hovertext.

Only the inventory UI is changed to reflect the vehicle name of the accessed Storage.

Setting type: Boolean

Default value: true

Rename For Vechicles = true

[Admin] Craft directly from open containers.

[NOTE: Materials are consumed from the player's inventory before they are consumed from the container's inventory.]

(Vanilla: false)

Setting type: Boolean

Default value: true

Craft From Open Containers = true

[Admin] When opening the inventory UI automatically open attached vehicle containers such as carts or ships when captain.

Setting type: Boolean

Default value: true

Open Attached = true

[Admin] Any attached containers beyond this distance will not auto-open.

Examples:

  • Carts only, no ships: 3 (default)
  • Carts and Karve: 4
  • Carts, Karve, Longship: 12
  • Everything: 20

You can dial in the distance as needed for any custom requirements.

Setting type: Int32

Default value: 3

Acceptable value range: From 3 to 50

Open Attached - Max Distance = 3

[Admin] Containers in this list are not auto-opened.

Setting type: StringList

Default value:

Ignored Containers =

[Crafting Stations]

[Admin] When using a crafting station open the closest container.

Setting type: Boolean

Default value: true

Open Closest Container = true

When "Open Closest Container" is true:

Use the player's position to find the closest container.

If none are found, then use the station's position to look for a nearby container.

If this is false always uses the station's position, never the player's.

Setting type: Boolean

Default value: true

Open Closest To Player = true

[Admin] Search distance when finding the closest container.

Setting type: Single

Default value: 2.5

Acceptable value range: From 1 to 10

Station Container Range = 2.5

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Install & use Install: BepInEx plugin

  1. The archive from playbuff is the mod itself — usually a BepInEx plugin (a .dll or a plugin folder once unzipped).
  2. Recommended: use a community mod manager (such as r2modman) — pick this game, import the mod, and the manager sets up BepInEx and its dependencies for you.
  3. Manual route: install the BepInEx loader in the game folder, then drop the unzipped .dll or plugin folder into BepInEx/plugins/.
  4. Launch the game — the BepInEx console logs every plugin it loads; seeing this mod in the log means it is installed.

Mods with listed dependencies need those installed too, or they will not load. Options are usually changed in-game or in the plugin's config file. In multiplayer, the host and every client need the same mods installed.

Dependencies

Install these first, or the mod will not work:

ZenDragon-Zen_ModLib

File & checksum

Filename
ZenConstruction-1.4.1.zip
File size
48.6 KiB