Mod conflict detection via assembly scan

BepInEx's BepInIncompatibility attribute covers conflicts detectable at plugin-load time, but StationeersLaunchPad loads mods progressively, so a conflicting assembly may not exist yet when the current plugin's Awake() runs. The documented pattern is a deferred scan of AppDomain.CurrentDomain.GetAssemblies() after StationeersLaunchPad finishes loading.

Problem

F0007 (Mods/SprayPaintPlus/RESEARCH.md:15-17, primary):

The mod replaces Color Cycler and Network Painter. It cannot coexist with them because they patch the same methods. BepInIncompatibility attributes cover load-time detection, but StationeersLaunchPad loads mods progressively, so those assemblies may not exist when Awake() runs. A second check runs on Prefab.OnPrefabsLoaded, scanning AppDomain.CurrentDomain.GetAssemblies() for the conflicting assembly names. If found, the mod logs a fatal error and starts a coroutine that repeats the warning every 5 seconds. No Harmony patches are applied.

F0368 (Mods/SprayPaintPlus/SprayPaintPlus/Plugin.cs:50-53) restates the same timing requirement:

StationeersLaunchPad loads mods progressively; conflicting assemblies may not exist yet when our Awake() fires. Prefab.OnPrefabsLoaded fires after StationeersLaunchPad finishes loading all mods. No patches are applied until the check passes.

Solution / recipe

Two-tier detection:

Tier 1: BepInEx attributes

[BepInIncompatibility("<guid>")] on the plugin class catches conflicts between mods whose plugin GUIDs are known at build time and whose assemblies are loaded before the current plugin's Awake(). Use for well-known legacy conflicts; free of charge.

Tier 2: deferred assembly scan

Register an OnPrefabsLoaded handler (or equivalent post-StationeersLaunchPad hook) that walks AppDomain.CurrentDomain.GetAssemblies() and matches by assembly name. If a conflict is found:

1. Log a fatal error identifying both mods.
2. Do NOT apply Harmony patches; leave the game unmodified.
3. Start a coroutine that repeats the warning every few seconds so the player sees the message even if they missed the initial log line.

Skeleton:

private void Awake()
{
    Prefab.OnPrefabsLoaded += CheckConflicts;
}

private void CheckConflicts()
{
    var conflicts = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.GetAssemblies()
        .Select(a => a.GetName().Name)
        .Intersect(ConflictingAssemblyNames)
        .ToList();

    if (conflicts.Any())
    {
        Logger.LogError($"[SprayPaintPlus] Conflicting mods: {string.Join(", ", conflicts)}");
        StartCoroutine(RepeatWarning(conflicts));
        return;  // no patches applied
    }

    harmony.PatchAll();
}

Cited verifications

• F0007: primary source covering the full pattern (BepInEx attribute insufficient, OnPrefabsLoaded scan, repeat-warning coroutine, patches withheld).
• F0368: plugin code comment on progressive loading + deferred detection, confirming that OnPrefabsLoaded is the correct deferred hook.

Verification history

• 2026-04-20: page created from the Research migration; F0007 primary, F0368 confirms timing.

Open questions

None at creation.