For other uses, see Mod (disambiguation).
Modding is the act of providing feedback on another user's beatmap. A user who is modding is referred to as a modder, and their collective posts on a beatmap's discussion are referred to as a mod.
Mods are mainly used to improve beatmaps aiming for Ranked status. Because it is a detailed and analytical process, modding beatmaps is also a popular way for users to improve their understanding of beatmapping.
While there are countless ways to discover beatmaps to mod, the following are a few common methods:
The Modding Queues forum is the most actively utilised platform for finding beatmaps to mod and requesting mods. A user can create their own thread, referred to as a queue, for other users to post beatmaps that they want to be modded.
Each queue's creator dictates the queue's rules, controlling which beatmaps are viable for receiving mods. Queues are usually open for requests of two types of mods:
Well-known modders often note whether or not they are accepting mod requests on their user profiles.
Searching the pending beatmaps listing for beatmaps to mod is not recommended because most submissions are not aiming for Ranked status, so their creators will potentially not respond to mods.
To mod a beatmap, start by downloading the most up-to-date version and opening its discussion page. Play the difficulty you want to mod and keep any gameplay-related issues in mind. When completed, open the difficulty in the editor and analyse it for other issues.
When you come across an issue, select any relevant hit objects, then use the copy shortcut (Ctrl + C) to copy their timestamp information as text. On the beatmap's discussion, paste (Ctrl + V) any applicable timestamps and your feedback. The Timeline tab is used for issues regarding specific parts of a beatmap, the General (This difficulty) tab is used for feedback on larger sections of a beatmap, and the General (All difficulties) tab is used for issues applicable to all difficulties of a beatmap.
All mod posts should address what the issue is, why it is an issue, and how to fix it. See the Code of Conduct for Modding and Mapping for more details on how to format mod posts.
Beatmappers regularly provide kudosu to mod posts that they consider helpful by clicking the thumbs up vote button. This statistic is tracked on an individual's profile and is referenced when applying to join the Beatmap Nominators.
The goal of each Problem or Suggestion post on a beatmap discussion page is to explain anything concerning about a beatmap in the context of its design.
Many mod posts address mistakes in a beatmap. For example, a missing clap hitsound which would be expected by the beatmap's hitsounding pattern is likely a mistake.
Providing alternative ways of beatmapping is another common type of mod post. While part of a beatmap may be acceptable in its current form, a modder can explain how to improve it further by designing it differently.
In beatmaps aiming for Ranked status, ensuring that they abide by the ranking criteria is a must. A number of mod posts address issues cited directly from these criteria.