BetterSigns

Bring your Valheim settlement to life. BetterSigns adds rich text formatting, glowing signs, animated rainbow text, background tints, and five craftable sign sizes — all typed directly into the sign's text field, no commands required.

Features

• Colored text — any hex code or named preset
• Board glow — sign mesh emits colored light, tunable per-sign
• Background tint — paint the sign board any color
• Rainbow animation — per-character animated hue cycling
• 5 sign sizes — Small, Standard, Large, Huge, Colossal, all craftable at the Hammer
• Named color presets — type gold instead of #FFD700
• Server-side config — admins cap glow intensity and toggle features; no client mod required for basic signs

Sign Sizes

All sizes are craftable under the Furniture tab of the Hammer.

Tag Reference

Type these directly into the sign's text field. Tags can be freely combined.

Text & Style

<color=#FFD700>golden text</color>
<color=gold>golden text</color>        ← named preset
<b>bold</b>
<i>italic</i>

Board Glow

<glow=#FF6600>text</glow>              ← default intensity (0.3×)
<glow=#FF6600,1.0>text</glow>          ← full server intensity
<glow=#FF6600,2.5>text</glow>          ← 2.5× server intensity (very bright)
<glow=fire,0.5>text</glow>             ← named preset + custom multiplier

The number after the comma multiplies the server's MaxGlowIntensity. Omitting it uses 0.3 (subtle ambient). Go above 1.0 for dramatic effect.

Background Tint

<bg=#1A0A00>text</bg>                  ← dark wood tint
<bg=dark>text</bg>                     ← named preset

Rainbow

<rainbow>WELCOME</rainbow>
<color=gold><rainbow>SHOP</rainbow></color>

Examples

Tavern entrance:

<bg=#1a0500><glow=fire,0.5><b>THE BURNED MEAD</b></glow>
<color=gold>Ale · Food · Lodging</color>
<rainbow>Open every night</rainbow>

Storage label (small sign):

<color=silver><b>IRON</b></color>

Grand hall banner (colossal sign):

<bg=#110022><rainbow><b>GRAND BAZAAR</b></rainbow>
<color=gold>Weapons · Armor · Supplies</color>
<glow=#FF6600,0.6>Open Dawn to Dusk</glow>

Danger warning:

<bg=#200000><glow=#FF0000,1.5><b>KEEP OUT</b></glow>
<color=danger>Trespassers will be fed to the drakes.</color>

Named Color Presets

A config file (BetterSigns.colors.cfg) is generated on first run with 40+ ready-to-use presets. Use any preset name wherever you'd normally type a hex code.

Built-in presets include:

Add your own by editing the file — changes take effect on next load.

Installation

Via r2modman / Thunderstore Mod Manager (recommended)

1. Search for BetterSigns and click Install.
2. Launch Valheim through the mod manager.

Manual

1. Install BepInExPack for Valheim.
2. Drop BetterSigns.dll into Valheim/BepInEx/plugins/.
3. Launch Valheim. Config files are generated automatically on first run.

Configuration

BepInEx/config/com.yourname.bettersigns.cfg

[Text]
# Override font size for all signs. 0 = leave TMP default.
DefaultFontSize  = 0
# Default text color (hex or named preset). Empty = TMP default.
DefaultTextColor =

[Glow]
# Server-wide intensity ceiling. 0 disables glow entirely.
MaxGlowIntensity         = 1.5
# Sine-wave pulsing glow effect.
GlowPulsate              = false
GlowPulsateSpeed         = 1.0
GlowPulsateMinMultiplier = 0.1

[Rainbow]
EnableRainbow     = true
RainbowSpeed      = 1.0
RainbowSaturation = 1.0
RainbowBrightness = 1.0

BepInEx/config/BetterSigns.colors.cfg

# Add your own named colors here — use them in any tag.
# Format:  name = #RRGGBB  or  name = #RRGGBBAA
campfire = #FF6622
royalblue = #4169E1

All settings reload without a server restart.

Compatibility

• Works in multiplayer — signs sync normally via ZDO.
• Clients do not need the mod installed to see placed signs (effects render on their machine if they have the mod; otherwise the raw text is shown).
• Server admins can disable glow or rainbow entirely via config.

Changelog

1.1.0

• Added five craftable sign sizes (Small, Large, Huge, Colossal)
• Added per-sign glow intensity: <glow=#color,multiplier>
• Added background tint tag: <bg=#color>content</bg>
• Named color preset system (BetterSigns.colors.cfg)
• Fixed rainbow animation not starting on load
• Fixed </bg> appearing literally on signs

1.0.0

• Initial release: <color>, <glow>, <rainbow> support

MIT License — free to use, credit appreciated.