diff --git a/loader/include/Geode/platform/platform.hpp b/loader/include/Geode/platform/platform.hpp
index aa0f0cbc..d22bf6a5 100644
--- a/loader/include/Geode/platform/platform.hpp
+++ b/loader/include/Geode/platform/platform.hpp
@@ -158,6 +158,20 @@ namespace geode {
             return "Undefined";
         }
 
+        static constexpr char const* toShortString(Type lp, bool ignoreArch = false) {
+            switch (lp) {
+                case Unknown: return "unknown";
+                case Windows: return "win";
+                case MacOS: return "mac";
+                case iOS: return "ios";
+                case Android32: return ignoreArch ? "android" : "android32";
+                case Android64: return ignoreArch ? "android" : "android64";
+                case Linux: return "linux";
+                default: break;
+            }
+            return "undefined";
+        }
+
         template <class T>
             requires requires(T t) {
                 static_cast<Type>(t);
diff --git a/loader/src/loader/LoaderImpl.cpp b/loader/src/loader/LoaderImpl.cpp
index d97b676e..727f68a3 100644
--- a/loader/src/loader/LoaderImpl.cpp
+++ b/loader/src/loader/LoaderImpl.cpp
@@ -403,9 +403,6 @@ void Loader::Impl::loadModGraph(Mod* node, bool early) {
                 return;
             }
 
-            if (node->getID() == "absolllute.megahack")
-                log::debug("megahack creepypasta");
-
             for (auto const& dep : node->m_impl->m_dependants) {
                 m_modsToLoad.push_front(dep);
             }
diff --git a/loader/src/loader/LoaderImpl.hpp b/loader/src/loader/LoaderImpl.hpp
index f3810aa4..2f6ab2d0 100644
--- a/loader/src/loader/LoaderImpl.hpp
+++ b/loader/src/loader/LoaderImpl.hpp
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ namespace geode {
 
         void updateModResources(Mod* mod);
         void addSearchPaths();
+        void addNativeBinariesPath(ghc::filesystem::path const& path);
 
         Result<> setup();
         void forceReset();
diff --git a/loader/src/loader/ModImpl.cpp b/loader/src/loader/ModImpl.cpp
index 9d5db133..5ad862ff 100644
--- a/loader/src/loader/ModImpl.cpp
+++ b/loader/src/loader/ModImpl.cpp
@@ -46,8 +46,13 @@ Result<> Mod::Impl::setup() {
     }
     if (!m_resourcesLoaded) {
         auto searchPathRoot = dirs::getModRuntimeDir() / m_metadata.getID() / "resources";
+        // TODO: why is this commented out
         // CCFileUtils::get()->addSearchPath(searchPathRoot.string().c_str());
 
+        const auto binariesDir = searchPathRoot / m_metadata.getID() / "binaries" / PlatformID::toShortString(GEODE_PLATFORM_TARGET);
+        if (ghc::filesystem::exists(binariesDir))
+            LoaderImpl::get()->addNativeBinariesPath(binariesDir);
+
         m_resourcesLoaded = true;
     }
 
diff --git a/loader/src/loader/ModMetadataImpl.cpp b/loader/src/loader/ModMetadataImpl.cpp
index c9eee2cd..b3e7c7e8 100644
--- a/loader/src/loader/ModMetadataImpl.cpp
+++ b/loader/src/loader/ModMetadataImpl.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <utility>
 
 #include "ModMetadataImpl.hpp"
+#include "LoaderImpl.hpp"
 
 using namespace geode::prelude;
 
@@ -181,18 +182,7 @@ Result<ModMetadata> ModMetadata::Impl::create(ModJson const& json) {
         if (json["gd"].is_string()) {
             ver = json["gd"].as_string();
         } else if (json["gd"].is_object()) {
-            std::string key;
-            switch (GEODE_PLATFORM_TARGET) {
-                case PlatformID::Android32: 
-                case PlatformID::Android64:
-                    key = "android"; break;
-                case PlatformID::MacOS:
-                    key = "mac"; break;
-                case PlatformID::Windows:
-                    key = "win"; break;
-                case PlatformID::iOS:
-                    key = "ios"; break;
-            }
+            auto key = PlatformID::toShortString(GEODE_PLATFORM_TARGET, true);
             if (json["gd"].contains(key))
                 ver = json["gd"][ver].as_string();
         } else {
@@ -201,8 +191,24 @@ Result<ModMetadata> ModMetadata::Impl::create(ModJson const& json) {
         if (ver.empty()) {
             return Err("[mod.json] could not find GD version for current platform");
         }
-        if (ver != "*" && ver != GEODE_STR(GEODE_GD_VERSION)) {
-            return Err(fmt::format("[mod.json] doesn't support this GD version ({} != {})", ver, GEODE_STR(GEODE_GD_VERSION)));
+        if (ver != "*") {
+            // probably a bad idea but oh well
+            double modTargetVer;
+            try {
+                // assume gd version is always a valid double
+                modTargetVer = std::stod(ver);
+            } catch (...) {
+                return Err("[mod.json] has invalid target GD version");
+            }
+            if (LoaderImpl::get()->isForwardCompatMode()) {
+                // this means current gd version is > GEODE_GD_VERSION
+                if (modTargetVer <= GEODE_GD_VERSION) {
+                    return Err(fmt::format("[mod.json] doesn't support this GD version ({} < current version)", ver));
+                }
+            } else if (ver != GEODE_STR(GEODE_GD_VERSION)) {
+                // we are not in forward compat mode, so GEODE_GD_VERSION is the current gd version
+                return Err(fmt::format("[mod.json] doesn't support this GD version ({} != {})", ver, GEODE_STR(GEODE_GD_VERSION)));
+            }
         }
     } else {
         return Err("[mod.json] is missing target GD version");
diff --git a/loader/src/platform/android/LoaderImpl.cpp b/loader/src/platform/android/LoaderImpl.cpp
index c4b08e84..25b111f1 100644
--- a/loader/src/platform/android/LoaderImpl.cpp
+++ b/loader/src/platform/android/LoaderImpl.cpp
@@ -32,3 +32,7 @@ std::string Loader::Impl::getGameVersion() {
 bool Loader::Impl::userTriedToLoadDLLs() const {
     return false;
 }
+
+void Loader::Impl::addNativeBinariesPath(ghc::filesystem::path const& path) {
+    log::warn("LoaderImpl::addNativeBinariesPath not implement on this platform, not adding path {}", path.string());
+}
diff --git a/loader/src/platform/mac/LoaderImpl.mm b/loader/src/platform/mac/LoaderImpl.mm
index 27e08b40..706134ab 100644
--- a/loader/src/platform/mac/LoaderImpl.mm
+++ b/loader/src/platform/mac/LoaderImpl.mm
@@ -135,3 +135,8 @@ void Loader::Impl::setupIPC() {
 bool Loader::Impl::userTriedToLoadDLLs() const {
     return false;
 }
+
+void Loader::Impl::addNativeBinariesPath(ghc::filesystem::path const& path) {
+    log::warn("LoaderImpl::addNativeBinariesPath not implement on this platform, not adding path {}", path.string());
+}
+
diff --git a/loader/src/platform/windows/LoaderImpl.cpp b/loader/src/platform/windows/LoaderImpl.cpp
index 2b432eb2..16c16bdf 100644
--- a/loader/src/platform/windows/LoaderImpl.cpp
+++ b/loader/src/platform/windows/LoaderImpl.cpp
@@ -74,3 +74,12 @@ bool Loader::Impl::userTriedToLoadDLLs() const {
 
     return triedToLoadDLLs;
 }
+
+void Loader::Impl::addNativeBinariesPath(ghc::filesystem::path const& path) {
+    // https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/libloaderapi/nf-libloaderapi-adddlldirectory#remarks
+    static auto runOnce = [] {
+        SetDefaultDllDirectories(LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_DEFAULT_DIRS);
+        return 0;
+    }();
+    AddDllDirectory(path.wstring().c_str());
+}
diff --git a/loader/src/platform/windows/main.cpp b/loader/src/platform/windows/main.cpp
index e369a6eb..ddd4f16d 100644
--- a/loader/src/platform/windows/main.cpp
+++ b/loader/src/platform/windows/main.cpp
@@ -42,19 +42,18 @@ int WINAPI gdMainHook(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPWSTR lpCmd
             "Unable to Load Geode!",
             fmt::format(
                 "This version of Geode is made for Geometry Dash {} "
-                "but you're trying to play with GD {}."
+                "but you're trying to play with GD {}.\n"
                 "Please, update your game or install an older version of Geode.",
                 GEODE_STR(GEODE_GD_VERSION),
                 LoaderImpl::get()->getGameVersion()
             )
         );
-        return 2;
+    } else {
+        int exitCode = geodeEntry(hInstance);
+        if (exitCode != 0)
+            return exitCode;
     }
 
-    int exitCode = geodeEntry(hInstance);
-    if (exitCode != 0)
-        return exitCode;
-
     return reinterpret_cast<decltype(&wWinMain)>(mainTrampolineAddr)(hInstance, hPrevInstance, lpCmdLine, nCmdShow);
 }
 
diff --git a/loader/src/utils/PlatformID.cpp b/loader/src/utils/PlatformID.cpp
index 034e766d..b05019ea 100644
--- a/loader/src/utils/PlatformID.cpp
+++ b/loader/src/utils/PlatformID.cpp
@@ -6,14 +6,25 @@ using namespace geode::prelude;
 
 PlatformID PlatformID::from(const char* str) {
     switch (hash(str)) {
-        default:
-        case hash("unknown"): return PlatformID::Unknown;
+        case hash("win"):
+        case hash("Windows"):
         case hash("windows"): return PlatformID::Windows;
+        
+        case hash("mac"):
+        case hash("MacOS"):
         case hash("macos"): return PlatformID::MacOS;
+
+        case hash("iOS"):
         case hash("ios"): return PlatformID::iOS;
+        
+        case hash("Android32"):
         case hash("android32"): return PlatformID::Android32;
+        case hash("Android64"):
         case hash("android64"): return PlatformID::Android64;
+
+        case hash("Linux"):
         case hash("linux"): return PlatformID::Linux;
+        default: return PlatformID::Unknown;
     }
 }