Addons enhance and expand the functionality of Garry's Mod, offering additional features and content beyond the base game. These addons are developed by the community surrounding Garry's Mod and encompass a wide range of modifications, including new player models, maps, props, NPCs, and weapons. Creating addons typically involves utilizing the GLua programming language, although more advanced addons may incorporate executable code through dynamic-link libraries (DLLs) to add functions to Lua that don't exist by default and otherwise are impossible to implement. Addons in the Garry's Mod Workshop can't contain DLL files and the DLL files must be installed externally. Addons are distributed in the Steam Workshop. Garry's Mod popularity is built heavily on addons, hundreds of addons are uploaded every week in the Steam Workshop. There is about currently over 371 thousand addons as of October 2024 which are in the tens of terabytes!
History[]
In the early days of Garry's Mod, addons were distributed through garrysmod.org. This website allowed players to both upload and download addons. As the game gained traction and its player base expanded, garrysmod.org grew in popularity, serving as a central hub for players to discover, share, and collaborate on addons.
Garry's Mod updated, when Version 12 came about. The Toybox was introduced, now players were able to download addons instantly in game instead of going to a external website. A lot of addons were created and uploaded by the community.
Eventually in Version 13, the Toybox was discontinued and the Steam Workshop was the replacement, which is still the way we obtain addons to this day. The Steam Workshop was enhanced in UI and creators had more information to provide regarding their addons. Players can subscribe to addons and interact with the Workshop by plenty of ways.
Types of Addons[]
Gamemodes[]
Gamemodes addons offer diverse gameplay experiences and rule sets beyond the default modes provided by the game. These addons introduce new challenges, objectives, and mechanics.
Player Models[]
Player Models serve as addons that introduce a diverse array of 3D models into Garry's Mod, allowing players choose how they appear. While Garry's Mod includes a selection of default player models, notably sourced from the Valve Half-Life series, the community creates additional customization of unique player models. Players have the opportunity to craft their own custom player models using external tools such as Blender, a favored choice among the community due to its accessibility. Within the library of the Steam Workshop, there is plenty of custom player models. These range from iconic characters from other media, including movies, television, and video games, to original characters.
Maps[]
Map addons in Garry's Mod provide players with a vast array of environments to explore, build, and engage in gameplay. These addons offer unique landscapes, urban environments, or a fantasy land.
Weapons[]
Weapon addons in Garry's Mod add on to the arsenal available to players. These addons encompass a broad spectrum of weaponry, ranging from conventional firearms and melee implements to futuristic gadgets and fantastical tools.
Vehicles[]
Vehicle addons in Garry's Mod expand the means of transportation available to players. These addons encompass an extensive range of options, from land-based automobiles and motorcycles to airborne aircraft and waterborne vessels.
NPC[]
NPC (Non-Player Character) addons in Garry's Mod improve the interactive experience by introducing a diverse array of characters and entities to populate the game world. There are multiple NPC types. Friendly NPCs won't attack you but will aid you in battle. Enemy NPCs will attack you. While Neutral NPCs won't do anything and will simply walk around. Usually NPCs are reskins of the Half-Life NPCs. Using VJ Bases can change this vastly improving the way NPCs function and work.
Tools[]
Tool addons are addons which can add and improve the functions of the game. Changing aspects usually to benefit or disrupt the experience of the Player.
Entities[]
Entities addons are props in the game which the Player can interact with. Though there are more advanced entities in the game, which go over the general boundaries of entities.
Effects[]
These addons can change visual design of the game.
Server Content[]
These addons are advanced and can change the basics of Garry's Mod.
Steam Workshop[]
The Steam Workshop is where addons are distributed and downloaded. In the Steam Workshop. A player can search for the hundreds of thousands of addons. To ease the search, players can manipulate filter options or sorting options, by choosing type, tag, date, and popularity. You can view your and everyone else's favorite addons by appending "/myworkshopfiles?browsefilter=myfavorites&appid=4000&requiredtags%5B%5D=Addon" at the end of the profile's URL without the quote characters themselves. As well as seeing everyone's items in general unless those are friends only, unlisted, or private. Authors and their creations can be viewed, seeing the history of such authors.
When viewing an addon, a player can see the author of the addon, see when the addon was created and updated. Further more the player can see required items, description, visitors, subscribers, and comments.
How to Create[]
General Tutorial. For a more clear and concise tutorial, browse the web.
1. A Player must develop the content they desire to make.
2. Compile the content into a compatible file into Garry's Mod.
3. Use various tools to package the addon into a GMA file and upload it to the Steam Workshop.
Malicious Addons[]
Malicious addons pose a threat within the Garry's Mod community, as they contain harmful code that can wreak havoc on players' experiences. These modifications range from minor annoyances to severe security breaches, compromising the integrity of the game and potentially putting players' personal data at risk. There are various types of malicious addons, each causing distinct forms of harm. Some inject adware or cryptomining scripts, exploiting players' computing resources. Others subject players to jumpscares or inappropriate content, while some even grant unauthorized access to players' systems through backdoors or delete crucial data from their Garry's Mod folders.
Notable incidents involving malicious addons. In a June 2022 Workshop incident, several popular addons were tainted with malicious code, bombarding unsuspecting players with shocking images and deafening sounds. Similarly, the Male007 Pack + Playermodel addon, discovered in the same month, concealed adware within its seemingly harmless content. More recently, in December 2023, a new malicious addon surfaced.
To mitigate the risks posed by malicious addons, players should update Garry's Mod and be careful when downloading new content. By downloading addons exclusively from reputable authors and to beware for any signs of suspicious activity. Additionally, players should promptly report any addons suspected of containing harmful code to the Garry's Mod community, enabling swift action by moderators or admins to delete them. Garry's Mod also gets security updates once in a while. These updates appear to sometimes make the game less tolerant to GLua programming errors, breaking addons until they are fixed.