Cheats & Console Commands Guide: Safe Saves, Mods, Recovery

Cheats in Timberborn let you bypass normal progression, debug problems, share or restore game state, and extend functionality via mods. Use them to recover corrupted saves, test builds, or play with unlocked content; be aware mods and cheats can disable achievements or break saves if incompatible.

Methods of cheating and bypassing restrictions

Mods (primary cheat method)

Install from the in-game Mods browser (Main Menu → Mods) to subscribe to mods hosted on mod.io; they download the next time you start the game.
Alternatively, subscribe to Steam Workshop mods via Steam or a web browser; they will also download automatically on launch.
Manual installation: extract the mod archive into your Timberborn Mods folder (typically Documents/Timberborn/Mods on Windows). Follow any mod-specific requirements (for example BepInEx or other loaders) described by the mod author.
Practical notes:
- Quality-of-life and UI mods usually work safely with existing saves; mods that add new buildings, mechanics, or resources are safest to enable at new-game start.
- Mods can run code that changes gameplay; check the mod description and user count/rating for trustworthiness.
- Mods may disable achievements if they alter core balance; the Workshop page or mod description will usually state this.

Console, trainers, and dev tools

The game’s debug/console options and third‑party trainers (if available) provide typical cheats: spawning resources, toggling needs, or unlocking buildings. Use with caution—these can corrupt saves or create unstable game states.

Save files are stored as .timber files in your Saves folder. To share a save, send the .timber file; the recipient places it in their Saves directory and it will appear in the load menu.
Saves created with mods may fail to load if the recipient lacks the same mods; always match mod lists when sharing saves that use mods.
If a save refuses to load:
- Try an earlier autosave or backup; Timberborn creates periodic autosaves that are useful recovery points.
- The file may be corrupted or from an incompatible game version.
- Check for disk errors and ensure antivirus software is not interfering with the save process.
Keep manual backups before experimenting with cheats or mods to allow rollback.

Best practices and safety

Back up saves before enabling a new mod or running cheats. Keep at least one untouched backup copy.
If you want to test new buildings or mechanics without risk, create a separate experimental save rather than modifying your main colony.
When sharing saves that rely on mods, include a list of required mods (names and versions). Recipients should install identical mods before loading.
Prefer in-game mod browser or Steam Workshop for easier installation and automatic updates; manual installs are valid but require care with folder structure.

When cheats/ mods "break" the game

Symptoms: save fails to load, missing buildings/resources, disabled recipes, or crashes.
Remedies:
- Revert to an autosave or manual backup.
- Disable or remove recently added mods, then relaunch.
- If save corruption is recurrent, scan your disk and review antivirus logs for interference.
- For compatibility issues after an update, wait for mod updates or roll back to the game version that the save used.

Practical cheat scenarios

Quick testing: use a sandbox or developer mode (or a mod that provides one) to spawn resources and toggle needs, then recreate successful layouts in a normal save.
Content sharing: send a mod-enabled save to friends along with the exact mod list; otherwise expect missing-content errors.
Recovery: if a save became corrupted after using a cheat or mod, restore the most recent good autosave and re-apply only trusted changes.

Use cheats and mods to enhance play and experimentation, but treat save files and mod lists as important state—backup before you change anything.