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Starbound guide · Updated

Same Starbound mods for the whole crew.

Modded Starbound only lets friends in when their mods match the host's. SyncCrate copies the host's mods, and characters or the whole universe if you want, to other PCs, and after the first time only what changed.

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// 01 Why

Why modded Starbound keeps kicking friends

When a friend joins a Starbound game, the host compares their game assets with its own. A player missing a content mod, or with a different version, is refused or gets errors and missing items, because the two games don't agree on what exists.

The universe has the same problem the other way round. Planets, ships and colonies are saved on the host's PC, and characters are saved on each player's, so moving a group's game to a new host means copying both without breaking either.

SyncCrate syncs the mods, characters and universe folders directly between PCs. Files are compared by content, only the differences are copied, and you see the list before anything changes.

// 02 What syncs

What SyncCrate syncs for Starbound

FolderPath in the game folderFiles
Modsmods/Mods in the game's mods folder, as .pak files or unpacked folders.All files
Charactersstorage/player/Characters and their ships. When the same character changed on both PCs you choose which version to keep..player .metadata .shipworld
Universestorage/universe/The worlds and systems your game has visited, so someone else can host the same universe..world .system .dat

// Where it looks

Steam
steamapps/common/Starbound in every Steam library, on every drive
Anywhere else
Point SyncCrate at the folder yourself, once

Built in for Starbound

  • Script warnings. .lua files run code on your PC, so they're flagged for you to review before they sync.
  • Turn mods on and off. Disabled mods move to a _Disabled folder the game doesn't load.
  • Game-running warning. SyncCrate warns you before syncing while Starbound is still open.
  • Undo and history. Undo the last sync in one click, and put back any single file a sync replaced or deleted.

// 03 How it works

Sync Starbound in three steps

  1. Install and add the game

    Install SyncCrate on every PC and add Starbound in the Game Browser. Its folder is found automatically.

  2. One PC hosts

    The PC with the setup everyone should have clicks Start Hosting. The others pick it under Scan for Hosts on the same network, or paste its join code from anywhere.

  3. Compare and sync

    Check the list of new, changed and conflicting files, then Sync Now. Only the files that differ are copied, PC to PC.

TipClose Starbound on the receiving PC before syncing, especially when syncing characters or the universe. SyncCrate warns you if the game is still running.

// 04 Common problems

When Starbound mods don't match

  • Refused because of mismatched assets

    A friend whose mods differ from the host's is refused or joins to errors and missing items.

    Everyone syncs the host's mods folder before joining, so the assets match.

  • Moving the host

    The universe lives on the host's PC, so the group can't play there without them.

    Sync the universe folder and the mods to whoever hosts next.

  • A character on a new PC

    Characters are saved per install, and starting over on a new PC means losing your ship and gear.

    Sync the characters folder and your characters arrive with their ships.

  • Lua in mods

    Many Starbound mods include Lua scripts.

    .lua files are flagged before they sync, and nothing changes until you approve the list. Only sync with people you trust.

// 05 Starbound

Good to know

  • Steam Workshop mods aren't synced. Steam keeps them outside the game folder, so friends subscribe to the same Workshop items. SyncCrate syncs the game's own mods folder.
  • Back up before swapping universes. Replacing a universe with the host's changes planets you've visited. Turn on Back up before sync, or use Undo last sync right after.
  • Dedicated server? A server needs the same mods. If it runs on a PC with SyncCrate and a desktop, point SyncCrate at its folder and sync it like any other PC.

// FAQ

Starbound questions

Do all players need the same mods in Starbound?

For mods that add content, yes, and the game checks when a player joins. Some purely cosmetic or interface mods can differ, but syncing the host's set avoids guessing.

Where are Starbound mods and characters stored?

In the game's install folder: mods in mods, characters in storage/player and the universe in storage/universe. SyncCrate finds Steam installs in every library.

How do I move my Starbound characters to a new PC?

Install SyncCrate on both, host on the old PC, join from the new one and Compare & Sync the characters folder. Sync the mods too if the characters use modded items.

Does it sync Workshop mods?

No. Steam keeps Workshop mods in its own folder. Everyone subscribes to the same ones, and SyncCrate handles the mods folder.

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All games · SyncCrate supports 100 games.

// Free · Open source · Windows, macOS, Linux

Same Starbound setup on every PC.

Install SyncCrate on each PC, one of you hosts, everyone else joins. No accounts, no cloud, nothing uploaded anywhere.

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