Satisfactory Mod Loader vs Ultimate ASI Loader

Satisfactory Mod Loader is an unofficial tool for loading mods in Satisfactory. It provides a framework to help mods work with game systems and with one another, along with helper features for mod developers. Mods can be written in Unreal Blueprint or C++, and community libraries also support JSON files. The Satisfactory Mod Manager installs the loader, mods, and dependencies, and connects to the Satisfactory Mod Repository; the project recommends using the manager rather than installing SML manually. The repository says uploaded content is checked for malware before approval for download. SML is designed with multiplayer support in mind, and its developer says it makes no connections to external networks. The project also says uninstalling the loader will not cause loss of items or progression. No required dependencies are listed. The project includes source code, an ExampleMod demonstrating utilities, editor utilities, and the Unreal project used for mod development. Windows clients and servers are supported; Linux support is listed for servers, while Linux client support is marked N/A. Controller support is untested. The project displays a GPL-3.0 license and directs users to Discord for discussion.

Ultimate ASI Loader is a free Windows proxy DLL that loads custom .asi libraries into a game process. It supports games using Win32 or Win64 libraries such as Direct3D, DirectInput, audio, and XInput. Installation usually means placing the DLL in the game directory as dinput8.dll, or renaming it to another supported DLL name. ASI files can be stored in the game root, scripts, plugins, or update folder. When needed, global.ini belongs in scripts or plugins, and the selected DLL name can also serve as the INI filename. The update folder can hold replacement game files while originals remain untouched; removing that folder reverses the change. The loader can forward many original DLLs after renaming them Hooked.dll, and d3d8to9 support is available when it is named d3d8.dll. Crash minidumps and logs are created when a CrashDumps folder exists beside the loader. Win32 and Win64 builds are available, including smaller NoPDB archives. The repository lists an MIT license.