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Useful Tools

This chapter lists external tools that can help with ArcheAge addon development, debugging, texture work, database inspection, and game file analysis.

X2

To develop ArcheAge addons effectively and with modern developer ergonomics, it is strongly recommended to use X2, a toolkit created specifically for ArcheAge addon developers.

Repository: https://github.com/Noviern/x2

Key features:

  • Detailed documentation of ArcheAge’s Lua API
  • Type annotations and definitions for most game objects and functions
  • Full IntelliSense support (auto-completion, signatures, hover documentation)
  • Seamless integration with the Lua Language Server (LuaLS)

Next steps:

  1. Download the latest version from the repository (or clone it).
  2. Follow the setup instructions in the project’s README.

Properly setting up X2 dramatically improves code navigation, reduces errors, and accelerates learning of the addon API.

Addon Manager

In addition to development tools like X2, it is strongly recommended to install Addon Manager — a lightweight in-game utility addon.

Addon Manager

Repository: https://github.com/Noviern/manager

Key features:

  • Centralized list of all installed addons with enable/disable toggles
  • One-click Reload Addon button
  • Quick access to addon settings windows (fires the UI_ADDON event)

Installation:

  1. Download the latest version from the repository (or clone it).
  2. Place the folder in C:\ArcheRage\Documents\Addon\.
  3. Enable it at the character selection screen.

Addon Manager saves significant time during development and testing.

Game File Dumps & References

These tools are optional for basic addon writing but become extremely valuable when working with textures, locale, or deeper game file analysis.

Last ArcheAge Patch Dump (Kakao)

Dump of game files from the last official Kakao patch, including UI scripts and a unencrypted database.

Repository: https://github.com/Noviern/aagamedump

ArcheRage scriptsbin Dump

Contents of ArcheRage’s scriptsbin.

Repository: https://github.com/Noviern/scriptsbin

Image and Texture Viewing/Editing

XnView Fast, free image viewer and batch processor that supports game texture formats (.tga, .dds, .blp, etc.). Ideal for inspecting UI atlases and texture regions.

Download: https://www.xnview.com/en/xnview/

VS Code extension: Magick Image Reader Enables preview of .dds and other game texture formats directly in Visual Studio Code. Very helpful when browsing UI files.

Marketplace: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=elypia.magick-image-reader

Database Tools

DBeaver Universal database tool (free community edition) supporting SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and more. Useful for inspecting any database files related to addons or game dumps.

Download: https://dbeaver.io/

DB Browser for SQLite Free graphical tool (or use sqlite3 CLI) for opening, querying, and editing SQLite database files.

Download: https://sqlitebrowser.org/