diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
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+############################# INSTRUCTIONS #############################
+#
+# to compile, run:
+#   make
+#
+# to remove the files created by compiling, run:
+#   make clean
+#
+# to set the mods version, run:
+#   make version [VERSION="custom-version"]
+#
+# to check lua scripts for syntax errors, run:
+#   make check-scripts
+#
+# to check the official mods for erroneous yaml files, run:
+#   make test
+#
+# to check the official mod dlls for StyleCop violations, run:
+#   make check
+#
+
+.PHONY: utility fetch-engine build build-engine clean clean-engine version check-scripts check test
+.DEFAULT_GOAL := build
+
+VERSION = $(shell git name-rev --name-only --tags --no-undefined HEAD 2>/dev/null || echo git-`git rev-parse --short HEAD`)
+MOD_ID = $(shell awk -F= '/MOD_ID/ { print $$2 }' mod.config)
+INCLUDE_DEFAULT_MODS = $(shell awk -F= '/INCLUDE_DEFAULT_MODS/ { print $$2 }' mod.config)
+
+MOD_SEARCH_PATHS = "$(shell python -c "import os; print(os.path.realpath('.'))")/mods"
+ifeq ("$(INCLUDE_DEFAULT_MODS)","True")
+	MOD_SEARCH_PATHS = "$(MOD_SEARCH_PATHS),./mods"
+endif
+
+MANIFEST_PATH = "mods/$(MOD_ID)/mod.yaml"
+
+HAS_MSBUILD = $(shell command -v msbuild 2> /dev/null)
+HAS_LUAC = $(shell command -v luac 2> /dev/null)
+LUA_FILES = $(shell find mods/*/maps/* -iname '*.lua')
+
+utility:
+	@test -f engine/OpenRA.Utility.exe || (printf "OpenRA.Utility.exe not found! Build the engine first.\n"; exit 1)
+
+fetch-engine:
+	@test -f engine/OpenRA.sln || git submodule update --init
+
+build: build-engine
+ifeq ("$(HAS_MSBUILD)","")
+	@xbuild /nologo /verbosity:quiet /p:TreatWarningsAsErrors=true
+else
+	@msbuild /t:Rebuild /nr:false
+endif
+	@printf "The mod logic has been built.\n"
+
+build-engine: fetch-engine
+	@cd engine && make
+	@printf "The engine has been built.\n"
+
+clean: clean-engine
+ifeq ("$(HAS_MSBUILD)","")
+	@xbuild /nologo /verbosity:quiet /p:TreatWarningsAsErrors=true /t:Clean
+else
+	@msbuild /t:Clean /nr:false
+endif
+	@printf "The mod logic been cleaned.\n"
+
+clean-engine:
+	@cd engine && make clean
+	@printf "The engine directory has been cleaned.\n"
+
+version:
+	@awk '{sub("Version:.*$$","Version: $(VERSION)"); print $0}' $(MANIFEST_PATH) > $(MANIFEST_PATH).tmp && \
+	awk '{sub("/[^/]*: User$$", "/$(VERSION): User"); print $0}' $(MANIFEST_PATH).tmp > $(MANIFEST_PATH) && \
+	rm $(MANIFEST_PATH).tmp
+	@printf "Version changed to $(VERSION).\n"
+
+check-scripts:
+ifeq ("$(HAS_LUAC)","")
+	@printf "'luac' not found.\n" && exit 1
+endif
+	@echo
+	@echo "Checking for Lua syntax errors..."
+ifneq ("$(LUA_FILES)","")
+	@luac -p $(LUA_FILES)
+endif
+
+check: utility
+	@echo
+	@echo "Checking for explicit interface violations..."
+	@MOD_SEARCH_PATHS="${MOD_SEARCH_PATHS}" mono --debug engine/OpenRA.Utility.exe $(MOD_ID) --check-explicit-interfaces
+	@echo
+	@echo "Checking for code style violations in OpenRA.Mods.$(MOD_ID)..."
+	@MOD_SEARCH_PATHS="${MOD_SEARCH_PATHS}" mono --debug engine/OpenRA.Utility.exe $(MOD_ID) --check-code-style OpenRA.Mods.$(MOD_ID)
+
+test: utility
+	@echo
+	@echo "Testing $(MOD_ID) mod MiniYAML..."
+	@MOD_SEARCH_PATHS="${MOD_SEARCH_PATHS}" mono --debug engine/OpenRA.Utility.exe $(MOD_ID) --check-yaml
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