Crowbar vs UAssetGUI
Crowbar
steamcommunity.comUAssetGUI
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Crowbar | UAssetGUI |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Game Modding Tools | 7.8 (#10) | 7.8 (#12) |
| Purpose | Crowbar is a modding tool for decompiling, compiling, and viewing GoldSource and Source models. | UAssetGUI is a tool for low-level examination and modification of Unreal Engine game assets by hand. |
| Support | The group directs users to its guides, tutorials, discussions, and Dead4Mods Discord for help with using the tool and discussing its development. | The project invites bug reports through its issues page and says reports for assets that fail binary equality need sample assets, game name, Unreal Engine version, and mappings file if needed. |
Plans
In their own words
Crowbar
Crowbar is a free modding tool for working with GoldSource and Source models and game packages. It can decompile MDL and related files into QC, SMD, and other related files, and can compile models when the game’s authoring tools or SDK and Crowbar’s studiomdl.exe are available. Viewing models likewise requires the game tools or SDK and Crowbar’s hlmv.exe. For archives, Crowbar can unpack, view, and search Valve VPK, Garry’s Mod GMA, Bloodlines VPK, Tactical Intervention FPX, and Fairy Tale Busters APK files. It can pack folders into VPK and GMA packages and supports batch extraction. Workshop functions allow downloading and publishing items for supported games. Game setups can link a game folder to its compiler, viewer, and package tools. On Windows, file associations and drag-and-drop can open VPK, QC, MDL, and folder inputs. The requirements page lists.NET Framework 4 and Windows XP or later, or Linux or Mac OS with a way to run a.NET Framework program. Crowbar is listed at free; donations are optional.
UAssetGUI
UAssetGUI is a desktop tool for examining and modifying Unreal Engine game assets by hand. It supports .uasset, .umap, .usmap, .utoc and .ucas files, as well as JSON. Windows is supported directly; Linux setup runs the Windows executable through Wine. Command-line arguments can export and import UAssetAPI JSON without opening the graphical interface, and custom C# scripts can extend the program. Portable mode, available in v1.1.0 or later, keeps configuration and saved mappings in a Data folder beside the executable. The v1.1.0 release added opening and saving .utoc and .ucas containers through built-in retoc integration. Pre-built binaries and an experimental build are available from the repository’s Releases page. Release notes report support for Unreal Engine 5.6 and 5.7, while earlier notes identify limits for some Unreal Engine asset support. UAssetGUI is free under the MIT License, which provides the software without warranty. The maintainer announced retirement from UAssetGUI development, though future contributors or releases might follow.