Sandstorm Player Boot-Updates mods before game

This was specifically designed to make sure your Subscribed Mods are Up-To-Date before you join any modded server.  When you click on PLAY in Steam this program is started before the game is launched.  It will check your Mod.io Mod Subscriptions and compare to the mods on your computer.  Any newly added mods or updated mods will be downloaded and installed and then the game launched.  It only takes about a second to do the scan and you are loading the game.  This should reduce the problems with the black Downloading Server mods... screen.

This makes sure your mods are ALWAYS up-to-date before the game even starts.  It is simple and easy to install.  Watch the video above to see how to install and how it works when detecting new mods to download.

This will add a Download Progress Display and Network Activity graph display for any mods that need to be downloaded or updated before the game launch via Steam.  It guarantees mods are properly updated and installed from Mod.io for Insurgency Sandstorm.

If you join a server and seem to be stuck on the 'Downloading Server mods...' screen you can CANCEL and then EXIT the game completely.  Select 'Play' again and all of the mods/maps from the server you tried to join will now download.  You were automatically subscribed too all of that server's mods when you tried to join it.  When playing again all of those new mods will be downloaded before the game even launches.  Once they have all been downloaded the game will start.  If there are no mods to download or update the process will be finished in a second or two.

You can download from my Github Repository at https://github.com/JoannaWick/Sandstorm_Player_Boot

Direct download of the Zip file at https://github.com/JoannaWick/Sandstorm_Player_Boot/archive/refs/heads/main.zip

1.2.2 (2026-10-25)

    1. [REMOVED]  Removed the Network Activity GUI as there were too many issues with Windows 11 systems.

1.2.1 (2026-10-22)

    1. [CHANGED]  Reduced the size of the window display.  Now closer to the Sandstorm Splash Screen size.
    2. [ADDED] If updating a previous install run Run Me First on New Update.bat before launching Sandstorm with Steam
        If New Install run Get_PathTo_Batch File.bat and follow instruction to install in Steam

1.2.0 (2026-10-19)

    1. [CHANGED]  The Download Progress Code has been re-written.  Some people were experiencing 
                  red errors being displayed slowing down downloads.  This should fix those errors.

1.1.1 (2026-10-09)

    1. [CHANGED] There is now a unified ModList.json that is used by both Sandstorm Player Boot and Sandstorm Mod Manager
       This is stored in C:\Users\[ACCOUNTNAME]\appdata\local\JoannaWick\Sandstorm
       This way when either Sandstorm Player Boot or Mod Manager updates mods the other program will know what was updated.

1.1.0 (2026-10-07)

    1. [FIXED] Issues with Windows 11 window positioning and resize
    2. [FIXED] Code to add to Launch Options not being copied properly to clipboard
    3. [ADDED] When launching for the first time as Administrator all files should be unblocked
               You should only be asked ONCE if you would like to run this script.
    4. [ADDED] Network Activity Graph will open and display Download and Upload speeds
    5. [ADDED] When files are downloaded a Real Time Text Download Progress will display
               showing MB Downloaded, % Downloaded and ETA