Taming

Tame companions. Build their lineage. Ride your own way.

Taming extends LetMeTameYou and MountUpRestored with custom Bjorn and Lox saddles, independent rider adjustments, companion tracking and persistent bear genetics.

TEST release · Server and clients · French / English

🐻 Your companions, at a glance

Give your animals a name, identify their sex and follow their pregnancy or growth. Keep your tamed companions nearby with Follow / Stay orders and locate adult Bjorn and Lox on the map.

Mounted movement uses your configured Valheim actions. Bjorn and Lox retain their native attacks, with a forward rush available through a double press of Jump.

🛠️ Saddles and rider settings

• 19 Bjorn styles, including Classic, Bastion, Épure, Tressée, Nacelle, Ossature, Nomade and Caravane.
• 5 Lox styles.
• Adjust saddle position, rotation and scale independently from the rider.
• Save personal presets, select favourites and import or export presets.
• Server presets provide shared defaults, with editing reserved for administrators.

Press F9 and open the Saddle submenu to choose a model. The Saddle / Rider tabs contain the placement controls.

Panniers and travel equipment are decorative; they do not add inventory space.

🧬 Four bear variants, three generations

A bear's coat and eyes are assigned from birth and retained through adulthood.

Bjorn inheritance uses three generations of ancestors: parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. The default contributions are 50% / 30% / 20%. View the connected family tree in F9, inspect known ancestors and preview the chances of a future offspring with a selected partner.

Other species show unknown ancestry rather than an invented family tree.

⚖️ Male and female traits

Adult males are 30% larger for Bjorn, hares, Lox, wolves and boars with a recorded sex. The extra size develops progressively during growth.

For Bjorn and Lox only:

• Males receive 10% extra maximum health.
• Females receive 10% extra mount stamina.

These traits remain separate from the size difference.

🎮 Main controls

Use, Jump and combat actions follow your Valheim bindings. F9 and the saddle-removal modifier can be configured.

📦 Installation

Install Taming by Zephyrfit through Gale or another compatible Thunderstore mod manager. Install the same version of Taming and its dependencies on the server and every client.

Required dependencies:

• BepInExPack_Valheim
• Jotunn
• Valheim10Compatibility
• LetMeTameYou
• MountUpRestored

The mod manager installs the versions declared in the package manifest.

For manual installation, extract the package into your BepInEx-equipped game or server directory. The plugin belongs at:

BepInEx/plugins/Zephyrfit-Taming/ZephyrfitTaming.dll

Keep one copy of the plugin and preserve your existing configuration and presets when updating. Dedicated-server and DatHost instructions are included in SERVER_INSTALL.md.

🧪 Release status

This is a TEST release. Full in-world and two-client validation is still in progress. Release history and validation notes are available in the dedicated Changelog.

🇫🇷 En français

Apprivoisez vos compagnons, développez leur lignée et personnalisez vos montures.

Taming complète LetMeTameYou et MountUpRestored avec :

• 19 styles de selles Bjorn et 5 styles Lox, avec réglages indépendants de la selle et du cavalier.
• Une bibliothèque de presets personnels, des favoris, l'import/export et des modèles communs au serveur.
• Le suivi des compagnons, leur nom, leur sexe, leur gestation et leur croissance.
• Quatre variantes Bjorn : Grizzly aux yeux marron foncé, Brun aux yeux vert noisette, Noir aux yeux rouge sang et Gris ardoise à trois tons aux yeux bleus.
• Une généalogie Bjorn sur trois générations, avec contributions par défaut de 50 % pour les parents, 30 % pour les grands-parents et 20 % pour les arrière-grands-parents.
• Des mâles adultes 30 % plus grands pour les espèces concernées. Pour Bjorn/Lox, les mâles ont 10 % de PV maximaux supplémentaires et les femelles 10 % d'endurance de monture supplémentaire.

F9 ouvre les réglages et la généalogie. Visez la selle et utilisez votre touche Utiliser pour monter ; utilisez-la de nouveau pour descendre. À pied, Alt gauche + Utiliser retire une selle inoccupée.

Installez la même version et les mêmes dépendances sur le serveur et chez tous les joueurs. Les sacoches et paquetages restent décoratifs. Version TEST ; les essais complets en monde et à deux clients restent en cours.

💬 Help, bug reports and suggestions / Aide et suggestions

Discord: zephyrfit
User ID: 251341133085540352

I can help in English and French with installation, bug reports and suggestions. Contributions are welcome. For a bug report, include the game and mod versions, reproduction steps and BepInEx/LogOutput.log. Screenshots or a short video are useful for visual issues.

Besoin d'aide, un bug ou une idée ? Contactez-moi sur Discord. Je suis disponible en français et en anglais ; les propositions d'amélioration et contributions sont les bienvenues.

Created by Zephyrfit · Independent community mod for Valheim.

Built on LetMeTameYou and MountUpRestored. New logo created with AI assistance.

Project: Zephyrfit / ValheimMods.

0.1.23 — 2026-10-10

• Kept the public presentation focused on gameplay features, controls and installation. Removed version-specific upgrade explanations, implementation details and test reports from the README and short description; release history and incident findings remain in this changelog and the validation documentation.
• Added the presentation rule to the project instructions and a packaging check against release headings and technical incident reports in the public README.
• Documentation-only release. Advanced plugin/package version metadata together, with no gameplay, dependency, asset, preset or configuration changes. The 0.1.22 placement correction remains included. The initial cause of the AI failure and the resolution of Paul's reported movement blockage remain unproven. No additional gameplay tests or production deployment were performed for this presentation update.

0.1.22 — 2026-10-10

• Added ancient seeds (AncientSeed) to the existing Greyling and Greydwarf diets, alongside dandelions and resin. Feeding and taming use the existing native rules and durations; no new tameable species or breeding is introduced.
• Aligned the build archive, project references, runtime minimum and package dependencies with LetMeTameYou 0.1.0, which was already running on both peers in the supplied incident. Preserved the original 0.0.1 files and earlier archives. The new dependency has no unresolved native references in the inspected API set; the previous obsolete Character.Message reference is absent. Dependency alignment alone does not prove the incident's cause.
• Fixed a reproducible RiderPlacement.Applied() null network reference after Unity clones a mount with inherited runtime components. Rider placement now resolves instance references independently; missing or destroyed network views, saddles and geometry are valid waiting/cleanup states.
• Stopped attaching live mount controllers to inactive registered prefabs. Adult Bjorn and native Lox initialize their controllers after character startup; other native species and offspring keep their existing scope.
• Restored owned saddle/seat transforms, seat parenting, private skin bones and renderer visibility on disable, death, network loss, destruction and session shutdown. Removed hover targets and temporary rider/equip/control callbacks promptly, with idempotent cleanup and no repeated empty-lease writes. Persistent presets, saddle receipts, escrow, genetics and breeding data are retained.
• Added rate-limited AI incident diagnostics (at most six reports per session, at least 60 seconds apart) with actual patch inventories and reference/network state. Original AI exceptions are preserved. The native AI update buffer can retain a failed instance after an exception; controlled tests reproduce this independently of Taming. The initial cause of the AI failure and the resolution of the reported player blockage remain unproven.
• Found the exact Invalid swim direction warning in native Fish.SwimDirection; the warning alone is not evidence of a player swimming failure. No player-swimming behavior changed.
• Added isolated Unity lifecycle regressions, an original 0.1.21 cloning control and a controlled with/without-mod AI matrix. Existing automated tests, clock and all-species pregnancy regressions are retained. These checks do not establish actual in-world riding, Mistlands traversal, dedicated-server or two-client results. This remains a TEST release.

0.1.21 — 2026-10-10

• Extended zf_pregnancy_advance <target|ZDO-ID> <duration> to every species with native Procreation, including Bjorn, hares, Lox, wolves, boars, hens and compatible modded breeders. A connected server administrator can advance an existing pregnancy, up to 168 hours per request, clamped at due time. Birth remains the next native breeding update; conception, growth and egg hatching are separate.
• Kept server-side admin checks, owner routing, exact pregnancy/ownership rechecks and duplicate-request protection. Bjorn/hares retain their real-time clock. Other species receive persistent extra elapsed age bound to the current native pregnancy, without changing world time or creating an invalid negative DateTime. Native reset clears the credit; it cannot carry into the next pregnancy.
• Updated pregnancy displays and zf_breeding reports to include native advancement and other breeding species. Native egg offspring are no longer incorrectly diagnosed as an incompatible cub.
• Added administrator command syntax, examples and limits to the presentation. The Thunderstore presentation, complete changelog and server installation guide are now in English. Removed duplicate historical changelog entries.
• 1,593 automated assertions and 103 isolated native pregnancy checks cover partial/due advancement, seven species, request replay, unauthorized requests, changed ownership/pregnancy and ZDO persistence. No live dedicated-server admin session, actual birth or two-client validation is claimed. Existing saddles, genetics, configurations, world data and third-party DLLs are preserved.

0.1.20 — 2026-10-10

• Fixed the server loop warning ZDO not used when creating object Zephyrfit_ServerRunningClock. Instantiated clock prefabs are active while their registered template remains dormant in Jotunn's prefab container, allowing native ZNetView.Awake to consume the existing ZDO.
• Preserved the prefab name/hash, zf_clock_ms_v1, ZDO identity, recorded running time and growth/pregnancy timers. No offline catch-up or world deletion.
• Added an explicitly enabled, isolated native batch regression: reproduced the old failure, tested creation/re-instantiation, 1,000 creation passes and clock restart. This does not establish a prolonged DatHost or two-client result.
• Preserved all 19 Bjorn and 19 Lox styles, stats, configurations and calibrations.

0.1.19 — 2026-10-10

• Made all 19 Bjorn styles available for Lox through the native workbench Style submenu and F9.
• Added 14 Lox-specific models and icons, with blankets, skirts and straps adapted to its proportions.
• Preserved existing Classic/Nordic/Hunter/Runic/Forest indices, presets and calibrations; Bjorn models remain unchanged. Luggage stays decorative, with recipes, stats, genetics and commands retained.
• TEST release; full in-world and two-client validation remains necessary.

0.1.18 — 2026-10-10

• Added a Nordic bear emblem and 256 x 256 Thunderstore icon, an English/French feature overview and Discord support details.
• Presentation-only package: retained the 0.1.17 DLL byte-for-byte (assembly 0.1.17.0). No gameplay, dependency, style, genetics, timer, preset or configuration changes.
• Kept detailed release history in this changelog. Prepared locally without automatic publication.

0.1.17 — 2026-10-09

• Darkened Gray Bjorn using three slate/dusty/dirty gray tones, retaining native fur detail, blue irises and lit materials without emission.
• Added 10% maximum health for male Bjorn/Lox and 10% mount stamina for females, separate from the 1.30 size factor. Native/star bases and proportional pools are preserved without stacking; other species, unknown sex and hermaphrodites remain neutral.
• Applied variant, coat and eyes at birth and retained the same identity through growth, including delayed renderer initialization without a new draw.
• Recorded 1,530 automated assertions and isolated Unity stat/birth/growth helper checks using the installed MiniBjorn prefab. No actual pregnancy, terrain or two-client test was claimed. Saddles, calibrations, timers and user data were preserved.

0.1.16 — 2026-10-09

• Added dark wood for the F9 Saddle tab and light wood/dark text for Rider, retaining the collapsed model submenu, both Save buttons and draft protection.
• Added a large three-generation genealogy view with connected 1/2/4/8 cards, IDs and scrolling. Known ancestry is Bjorn-only; other species show unknown ancestry. Returning preserves the editing draft.
• Added synchronized, configurable 1.30 adult male sizing for Bjorn, Hare, Lox, Wolf and Boar, developing progressively during growth. Unknown sex/hermaphrodites retain native size. Native bases, private navigation agents and rider size are preserved without repeated multiplication.
• Added four persistent Bjorn variants with distinct coats, eyes and subtle head shapes. Individual material/mesh copies preserve topology, rig and weights, without emission. Unbjorn and Bjorn_spiritcaller are excluded.
• Added bounded G1/G2/G3 ancestry snapshots (2/4/8), weighted 50/30/20, captured from the actual authorized pair. Offspring identity/seed/result are persisted once at conception and transferred through native birth/growth; parental G3 is not inherited.
• Added configurable 25% founder probabilities and a one-time migration for older pregnancies with unknown parents. Invalid saved genetics are retained and blocked rather than redrawn. F9 previews use no random draw; zf_genetics_trace on|off provides local diagnostics.
• Recorded 1,360 assertions, 140 isolated rendering/rig checks and 73 component/navigation checks. No in-world F9, foot contact, combat or two-client result was claimed.

0.1.15 — 2026-10-09

• Completed one pair of stirrups for Bastion, Épure, Nacelle, Ossature and Caravane. Tressée and Nomade remain without stirrups; historical models already had a pair. Other artwork and settings were preserved.
• Moved the editor from F7 to F9, migrating only the old default binding and backing up the CFG. Other custom bindings remain unchanged.
• Hid the model grid in the collapsed Saddle submenu, protected unsaved edits and added a second fixed Save button at the bottom using the same validation and permissions.
• Recorded 1,331 assertions, 22 mesh checks, symmetric pairs and native menu checks. TEST loading/F9 configuration was verified; in-world interactions, feet and multiplayer remained pending.

0.1.14 — 2026-10-09

• Replaced inherited variant materials with the lit vanilla Custom/Creature shader, muted aged ivory/cream albedos, matte fabrics and no emission. Shared materials and third-party DLLs remain unchanged.
• Refined Épure's oval profile, Bastion's four tusks, Tressée's braided blanket edges, Nacelle's rolled/pleated jute and Ossature's bone cage/crest. Added tied travel equipment to Nomade and Caravane.
• Added individual details to the eleven historical Bjorn variants while retaining their seats, geometry, IDs and calibrations. Luggage remains decorative, with unchanged stats.
• Recorded 1,331 assertions, 58 actual Direct3D11 material-render checks and 22 mesh checks in menu fixtures. No interactive world or second-client test was claimed; TEST loading and exact packages were verified.

0.1.13 — 2026-10-09

• Added seven original Bjorn concepts: Bastion, Épure, Tressée, Nacelle, Ossature, Nomade and Caravane, with modeled shells, open frames, basketry, bones, quilted textiles and luggage, using original UVs/materials.
• At this release, five concepts had one side-A foot assembly; Tressée/Nomade had none. Nacelle used a triangle/slatted platform. Opposite-side pairs were completed in 0.1.15.
• Appended indices 12–18 only, retaining historical styles 0–11, the five then-existing Lox styles and saved presets/favourites. F7 gained a larger scrollable grid and loaded-version display.
• Made new mesh metadata optional so older assets remained readable. Recorded 1,331 assertions, 22 mesh/UV/topology checks and isolated native item persistence checks; interactive world and two-client validation remained pending.

0.1.12 — 2026-10-09

• Replaced broad saddle bounding-box selection with CPU BVH triangle picking on rigid seats/pommels/cantles. Blankets, girths, bags, empty spaces and hidden renderers no longer enlarge the saddle target.
• Added opaque body occlusion tests, excluding alpha fur cards. Obstacles and other bodies retain existing native/physics occlusion. Classic uses the visible native upper mesh.
• Preserved transformed/nonuniform F7 scale and world-space ray distance. Local cosmetic pose sampling runs only near a potential target, about every 0.12 seconds, without changing creature bones, colliders, layers or rigidbodies.
• Preserved interactions, permissions, RPCs, models and calibrations. Actual in-world aiming remained a manual verification task.

0.1.11 — 2026-10-09

• Fixed editor position/rotation being canceled by the current model's inverse transform. Tracking now uses a frozen author/rest frame without stacking or double bone following.
• Selected the aimed mount when opening F7 and added a no-target message and multiple style rows, retaining precise inputs and sliders.
• Added Bjorn styles 5–11: Dorée, Épine noire, Sang, Royale, Expédition, Sportive and Toison blanche. Historical indices 0–4 and saved items were preserved.
• Extended catalogs to 15 independent defaults (11 Bjorn and four non-Classic Lox), adding only missing server defaults. Additional Lox styles were unavailable until 0.1.19.
• Checked geometry, UVs, topology, serialization and independent axes on real renderers with inactive native animation clips. No new in-world visual or second-client test was claimed.

0.1.10 — 2026-10-09

• Added owner-authoritative defense for adult tamed Bjorn: short-lived threats, authenticated victim-owner notifications, ally exclusions, a bounded 20 m guard range and close native-range retaliation for displaced Stay bears. Native combat/pathfinding and rider priority remain in control; RPCs do not directly attack or damage. Added zf_defense and rate-limited local zf_ai traces.
• Inspected native hostility, AI and dependency patches; a native 6 m range or distant saved Stay point could explain blocked defense, without establishing actual combat success.
• Added original female/male/hermaphrodite symbols through a private TMP atlas, preserving names/fonts and sex-only colors. Pregnancy HUD clones an initialized native text label.
• Migrated default Bjorn pregnancy/growth to 8 h/4 h and Hare to 3 h/1 h 30 with CFG backup. Existing timestamps and targeted admin advancement were retained; food coefficients do not affect reproduction.
• Refined map silhouettes, sizes and scrolling tooltips. Eight saddle revision-3 meshes gained thicker seats, rounded layered skirts and species-specific girths, with private weighted saddle bones following the native back rig.
• Automated/native fixtures were documented; no interactive world or two-client test was claimed. PROD, third-party DLLs and the original world were hash-checked.

0.1.9 — 2026-10-08

• Removed unresolved sex sprite tags and added per-label supported glyphs or localized word fallback, preserving saved names and name/sex/status order.
• Added zf_pregnancy_advance <target|ZDO-ID> <11h21m> for existing Bjorn/Hare real-time pregnancies, with server authentication, owner/pregnancy rechecks, replay receipts, before/after reporting and signed persistent timestamps. Native birth remained responsible; it was not executed on Winnie or used to alter world/growth time.
• Added eight original revision-2 closed curved saddle meshes with seats, pommels, cantles, leather layers, blankets, skirts, straps, buckles, stirrups and ornament, using UVs/normals and material groups. Nordic Bjorn/Lox construction preceded Hunter/Runic/Forest variants.
• Removed AABB deformation and adopted a frozen construction frame with additive/reversible catalog migration. Existing styles, favourites, presets and calibrations were retained. In-world rendering, animation contact and multiplayer remained pending.

0.1.8 — 2026-10-08

• Added pregnancy HUD/hover text from existing timers, with pink text and contrast.
• Added synchronized male/female, hermaphrodite or disabled sex modes for Bjorn, hares, Lox, wolves and boars. Pair reservations and owner rechecks preserve native pregnancy gates.
• Fixed breeding RPC packet handling with protocol v2. Added three editor areas, Classic plus four styles per species, persistent item variants and native saddle return handling.
• Added preset format 3. Build and isolated fixtures were verified separately from in-world visual or two-client behavior.

0.1.7 — 2026-10-07

• Preserved user-approved 0.1.6 movement and clarified F7 layout with deferred GUI changes.
• Added transparent procedural bear/Lox map icons, named hover tooltips and grouped nearby entries.
• Added admin zf_breeding owner reports within 50 m for progress, timing, partners, population and offspring validation. Bjorn prefab repair preserves existing pregnancy. At this release, defaults included a 10 m partner/population radius, four local creatures, 43,200 s pregnancy and 28,800 s growth.
• Added food weighting: whole fish qualities 1–12 ×4, raw serpent meat ×5 and raw Lox meat ×2, independent of pregnancy/growth durations.
• Recorded 370 pure and 186 isolated native fixture checks; no new world or multiplayer result was claimed.

0.1.6 — 2026-10-07

• Added personal/server preset libraries, favourites, copying, JSON import/export, atomic backups and account-specific storage. Admin server edits use revision checks.
• Added temporary owner-validated rider placement leases, restored after dismount, and private IK curves on inactive native fixtures. Earlier visual claims based on global rotations were withdrawn.
• Added an opaque draggable gold F7 editor with fine/standard/coarse mouse adjustments and a forward offensive rush with native attack, obstacle and stamina gates.
• Recorded 290 automated checks and 960 pose samples per species with native JSON fixtures. These did not establish actual rush distance or in-world visuals. TEST installation preserved PROD and third-party DLLs.

0.1.5 — 2026-10-07

• Made saddle scale relative to a captured reference (1.0), with a 0.001 minimum and logarithmic slider. Migrated older absolute Bjorn scale with backup while preserving placement.
• Added precise comma/dot numeric input, Escape handling and editor input blocking. Autofit uses Unity 6 scale-compensated BakeMesh in an inspected frame; approximate fallback stays a candidate and failure is atomic.
• Added virtual targeting of moved/scaled saddles without physical colliders, and scoped removal handling around MountUpRestored. Native access, occupancy and item return checks are retained; zf_saddle_trace on/off provides local traces.
• Corrected status spacing without altering custom names and localized native Lox Follow/Stay interaction.
• Preserved five movement files byte-for-byte from user-approved 0.1.4. Recorded 191 assertions and inactive scale/seat/stability checks; real TEST menu loading was verified, while interactive removal/re-equipping and multiplayer remained pending.

0.1.4 — 2026-10-07

• Verified the actual Gale TEST profile, plugin GUID, installed/build/package SHA256 and startup identity. Added loaded-version display and assembly/MVID/path/hash logging.
• Added common Bjorn/Lox Use-to-mount/dismount and Left Alt + Use-to-remove interactions, retaining body Follow/Stay and renaming. Occupied saddle removal is refused and native return happens once.
• Scoped conflicting MountUpRestored shortcuts/labels to supported mounts without modifying its DLL. Added localized controls, a native TrophyBjorn HUD icon and targeted None/BackQuote-to-F7 migration with backup.
• Sampled inactive native animation clips: Walk L/R is longitudinal, while Turn rotates the torso. Adapted lateral limb roots and reverse walk poses without allowing backward running.
• Recorded 152 assertions, clean build and menu loading. Visual, physical and multiplayer qualification remained pending.

0.1.3 — 2026-10-07

• Tied Bjorn/Lox locomotion to actual speed using reverse walk, lateral adaptations and walk/run blends, preserving native combat poses and global Animator speed.
• Disabled backward running, including diagonals, Run toggle and AutoRun. Added configurable reverse speed (50% of walk) and braking before direction changes; rush remains forward.
• Added persistent adult tamed mount map/minimap markers, last-known positions and authoritative death removal, including unsaddled mounts. Optional BetterMap 1.1.0 integration affects only automatic markers.
• Added the configurable F7 Saddle/Rider editor, precise controls, candidate autofit, preview, Save/Cancel/Restore and unsaved-change handling. Native Lox placement remains until customized; server editing requires admin access.
• Added local AI diagnostics and scoped stale unreachable-target history cleanup during riding, retaining real enemies and native fear display. Native Lox Follow/Stay gains collision-based spacing/hysteresis and rider priority.
• Added French/English client UI and native binding/controller labels. Recorded 138 assertions; visual and multiplayer results remained unqualified.

0.1.2 — 2026-10-07

• Added a common controller for ridden adult tamed Bjorn/Lox: camera-relative forward/reverse/lateral movement, Run/AutoRun and native stamina.
• Used configured Attack/Block/SecondaryAttack for native attacks: Bjorn bite/claws/left sweep and Lox bite/stomp. Unsupported crouch is ignored.
• Added double-Jump forward rush plus attack 1, with configurable timing, speed, cooldown and stamina. A single press requests native jump after the detection window.
• Separated movement/action RPC cadence, validating rider identity and sequences and canceling stale input after dismount or rider transfer.
• Recorded 109 assertions, clean build and menu loading. No interactive world/multiplayer or visually validated saddle placement was claimed.

0.1.1 — 2026-10-07

• Localized the bear saddle name while retaining saved item ID Zephyrfit_BjornSaddle.
• Added independent saddle/rider translation and rotation, model scale, starting geometry measurement, zf_mount, CFG saving and reapplication after reset/reconnect.
• Added tamed Bjorn following based on collision bounds, braking margin and hysteresis, retaining native pathfinding/collisions.
• Added Bjorn input control with reverse braking, rotation, native stamina, stale-input stop and rider/owner validation. Lox remained unchanged. Added zf_input and zf_follow; babies do not inherit mount components.
• Recorded 66 assertions and clean build/menu loading. Visual, physical and multiplayer behavior remained unqualified.

0.1.0 — 2026-10-07

• First local build for Valheim 1.0.17: four new tameable species, default mount filtering, dedicated bear saddle, consumed-meat progression, persistent server-running clock and zf_status / zf_reload diagnostics.
• Verified plugin/prefab loading in a headless menu run. Saddle calibration, actual pregnancy/growth and multiplayer tests remained necessary. No PROD deployment or publication.