3Step 3 of 4

Put RaveM into BepInEx\plugins

RaveM is eleven DLL files, and they all go in one folder: BepInEx\plugins inside your Ravenfield folder. Then you start the game and look for the ONLINE tile.

Before you start

BepInEx is installed and the game has been started once, so BepInEx\plugins exists. No plugins folder? Go back to Step 1.
RaveM_v1.7.1.rar is extracted to its own folder (Step 2).
Ravenfield is closed.

Copy the eleven DLLs into BepInEx\plugins

Open the folder you extracted the archive to.
Select the eleven .dll files and leave README.md out: press Ctrl + A, then hold Ctrl and click README.md to unselect it. Copy with Ctrl + C.
Open BepInEx\plugins in your game folder. On a default Steam install that's:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Ravenfield\BepInEx\plugins

Paste the path into File Explorer's address bar and press Enter to jump straight there.
Paste with Ctrl + V. Updating from an older RaveM? Choose Replace the files in the destination.

Your plugins folder should now look exactly like this: eleven files and nothing else.

File Explorer showing BepInEx\plugins with ten DLL files: ACTk.Runtime.dll, FishNet.CodeAnalysis.dll, FishNet.Runtime.dll, MagicPigGames.ProjectileFactory.dll, MagicPigGames.Shared.dll, MEC.Pro.dll, Micosmo.SensorToolkit.dll, MultiplayerEngine.Steam.dll, RaveM.dll and UltimateChatBox.dll. — BepInEx\plugins with RaveM installed: only the DLLs, no subfolders, no README.

BepInEx\
- plugins\
  - ACTk.Runtime.dllRaveM archive226 KB
  - FishNet.CodeAnalysis.dllRaveM archive5 KB
  - FishNet.Runtime.dllRaveM archive803 KB
  - MagicPigGames.ProjectileFactory.dllRaveM archive205 KB
  - MagicPigGames.Shared.dllRaveM archive36 KB
  - MEC.Pro.dllRaveM archive98 KB
  - Micosmo.SensorToolkit.dllRaveM archive206 KB
  - MultiplayerEngine.Steam.dllRaveM archive120 KB
  - RaveM.dllRaveM archive765 KB
  - UltimateChatBox.dllRaveM archive57 KB
  - UltimateReplay.dllRaveM archive239 KB

Sizes as File Explorer shows them for RaveM 1.7.1. The screenshot was taken with RaveM 1.5.2, so File Explorer shows RaveM.dll as 674 KB there; in 1.7.1 it is 765 KB. 1.7.1 also adds UltimateReplay.dll (239 KB), which the screenshot doesn't show. The other nine DLLs are byte-for-byte the same in both versions.

Start Ravenfield and find ONLINE

Start Steam and sign in, then start Ravenfield from Steam. RaveM needs Steam for lobbies, networking and voice.
In the main menu, open PLAY. A third tile, ONLINE, now sits beside INSTANT ACTION and CAMPAIGNS.
Open ONLINE. The top right reads RaveM 1.7.1 - by StixsworldHD (StixsmasterHD4k).

Ravenfield PLAY screen, Early Access Build 39, with three tiles: INSTANT ACTION, CAMPAIGNS and ONLINE. The ONLINE tile shows a low-poly globe with map pins and routes. — The finish line: PLAY shows a third tile, ONLINE.

RaveM SERVER BROWSER tab: search box, IN PROGRESS: SHOW, FULL: SHOW and LOCKED: SHOW filters, REFRESH button, columns LOBBY, HOST, MAP, MODE, PLAYERS, BOTS and STATUS, and a JOIN button. Version label at top right reads RaveM 1.5.2 by StixsworldHD (StixsmasterHD4k). — SERVER BROWSER. The version label at the top right confirms which RaveM build is loaded.

These screenshots were taken with RaveM 1.5.2. In 1.7.1 the version label in the top-right corner reads RaveM 1.7.1. SERVER BROWSER has a DIRECT CONNECT button at the bottom for LAN games, MODE OPTIONS now also lists RaveM's own killcam, spawning, match and ballistics options after the game mode's, and PREFERENCES has a fourth page, KILLCAM & SPAWNING.

Confirm it in the log

For a second confirmation, quit the game and open BepInEx\LogOutput.log again. With RaveM installed you'll find these lines, with RaveM's own lines in between:

From LogOutput.log with RaveM as the only plugin. The count goes up with every other plugin you have.

[Info   :   BepInEx] 1 plugin to load
[Info   :   BepInEx] Loading [RaveM 1.7.1]
[Message:   BepInEx] Chainloader startup complete

RaveM's plugin details, read from RaveM.dll: ID com.stixsworldhd.ravem, name RaveM, version 1.7.1, and it only loads inside ravenfield.exe.

See Error loading [RaveM 1.7.1] instead, or no RaveM line at all? Go to BepInEx works, but there's no ONLINE tile.

The settings file RaveM creates

That first start with RaveM also created BepInEx\config\com.stixsworldhd.ravem.cfg. It holds all 157 RaveM settings, each with its allowed range, its default and a short gamer tip, grouped into sections such as General, Network, Chat, Interface, Voting and Voice. Every setting is listed on the Features page.

File Explorer showing BepInEx\config with two files: BepInEx.cfg and com.stixsworldhd.ravem.cfg. — BepInEx\config after launching with RaveM: BepInEx.cfg plus com.stixsworldhd.ravem.cfg, which holds every RaveM setting.

Changes in PREFERENCES are saved to it instantly, and your HOST GAME settings are remembered for next time.
To edit it by hand, close the game first: RaveM rewrites the file whenever a setting changes in game.

As you use more features, RaveM adds these next to it:

In BepInEx\config	What it keeps
`RaveM_MapCycles\`	Map cycles you saved on HOST GAME > MAP CYCLE
`RaveM_VoteStats.txt`	The host's play history (plays per map and the last 12 maps), used for fair map votes
`RaveM_VoiceVolumes.txt`	Your voice volume for each player, remembered by Steam account
`RaveM_VoiceMutes.txt`	The players you muted, remembered by Steam account
`RaveM_bans.txt`	SteamIDs your anti-cheat banned, only when its `Action` is set to Ban

The fresh install in the screenshot doesn't have them yet. They appear once you use those features.

Playing with friends

Everyone in a lobby needs a RaveM that speaks the same network protocol. 1.7.1 uses protocol 8, so everyone needs RaveM 1.7.1. The server browser marks lobbies on another protocol with a red VERSION status, and they can't be joined.
Players also need the lobby's map and game mode, plus any weapon or vehicle mods the host runs. When something's missing, RaveM's Workshop window lists it with a one-click GET.
Send your friends this guide: everything they need is on these pages.