Starbound how to install mods

Starbound how to install mods

This guide assumes that you understand that in order to install the mod, you need to press the «subscribe» button. If you didn’t, well, now you know.

The solution is so easy, it’ll make you want to facepalm.

Okay, so first off you need to make sure that every mod you want is subscribed to.

Second, open the game.

Third, Alt+Tab out of the game, and go to your Downloads page in the Steam program.
Click install under the item labeled «Workshop Files».

Wait for the files to finish installing.

If the files don’t show up when you click the gear icon, just close and re-open the game.

Modding:Modding Basics

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This article will show you the steps you need to take before you can start actually modding, and also the steps you can take after you are done modding, to pack and publish your mod.

You will need a text editor that is not the Windows included notepad.exe, as it does not support UNIX line endings. Do not use a word processor such as MS Word instead of a text editor. Only UTF-8 is supported, other encodings are likely to cause crashes. Optionally, for easier packing and unpacking of mods and assets, you may use ModPackHelper (available for Windows and Linux) or PAK GUI.

Furious Koala introduced a .pak format which improves loading times and eases mod distribution. This means we need to unpack the assets before we can start modding.

Windows

Current as of Version 1.4.3, June 27th, 2019

It is advised to read the Unofficial Modding E-book instead, available on Chucklefish Forums. http://community.playstarbound.com/resources/unofficial-modding-ebook-2-0.2930/

Current as of version 1.3.0, June 13th, 2017

If you have purchased Starbound from Steam, then these instructions will work. Otherwise you will have to find your Starbound assets folder and apply the file paths to these instructions.

It is highly recommended that you make a backup copy of your original, working packed.pak before you mod and pack.

To pack, do exactly the same steps as mentioned above (minus making a new folder ‘unpacked’), but when you get to step 5, where you actually unpack the packed.pak file:

Linux

Current as of version 1.2.3b, May 26th, 2017

Tutorials

Reference Pages

If you did everything right, Starbound should load your new mod the next time you run it. If the game crashes, or your changes are not found in the game, check your starbound.log file.

_metadata file

The metadata file (usually named _metadata ) is a completely optional file that contains your mod’s name, description, and more. If using the Steam Uploader Tool, a basic metadata file will be generated for you. While optional, it is recommended to have at least have a name set in the metadata in case a companion mod ever needs to require or include your mod, and to make your mod more easily identifiable within the game log should any errors occur.

Steam

The mod uploader included with the Steam version of Starbound will automatically pack your mod into a pak file when it uploads to the workshop. If you subscribe to your own mod, you may copy this pak from the workshop folder for redistribution through other channels, or you may follow standard packing methods. Linux users may use Proton to launch the mod uploader.

Alternately, all users may use the SteamCMD method as per this guide by The | Suit. This is the only reliable option for Mac users.

General

To pack your mod into a pak file, you may either manually use asset_packer.exe as included with Starbound, or you can automate it with PAK GUI or ModPackHelper.

Manual Method

PAK GUI

Windows/Linux with ModPackHelper

Steam

Once you have all desired fields filled in the uploader, hit «Upload to Steam». When the status bar vanishes, you’re done!

Chucklefish

Go to the official modding forums, select «add mod» in the upper right hand section, select the category of your mod, fill out the information form and hit save. It is that easy.

Other Services

Publishing methods for other services, such as NexusMods, may vary. Please refer to the individual service for more information. Otherwise, your mod’s folder or pak file may be distributed as you choose.

How to Install Starbound Mods to Your PC

Starbound has a variety of mods available on the Steam Workshop, ranging from minor cosmetic changes to entirely new gameplay mechanics. After following this guide, you will be able to play with custom mods in Singleplayer or on any modded server using the same mods.

Downloading Starbound Mods From the Steam Workshop

This is the simplest method of getting Starbound mods installed on your PC.

Locating and Distributing Starbound Mods from the Steam Workshop

You’ll need to locate any mods installed through Steam if you want to easily distribute Starbound mods to your friends or install mods to a Starbound server.

You will need to repeat these steps for every mod you’ve installed. Once you have all mods in one folder, you can upload these to your server and distribute them to any players.

Installing Starbound Mods Manua lly

Starbound has a range of mods that are exclusively available on third-party websites such as Nexus Mods. The steps below are solely for installing from these sites.

It’s recommended to also store a copy of all mods in a separate folder somewhere memorable for both Steam mods and manually installed mods should you want to distribute or install them on your server.

Your mods have now been successfully installed locally! You can now proceed to Installing Mods on your Starbound Server.

Adding Mods to your Starbound Server

Get the Mods

Non-workshop mods are installed the exact same way on the server as on your computer; simply use the File Manager on the left side of your NodePanel to access the server’s mods folder. The easiest way to get Steam Workshop mods is described below, and starts with subscribing to the mods in Steam Workshop and letting Steam download them automatically to the client on your local computer.

Subscribing to the Mods

Navigate to the workshop for Starbound on Steam, find the mods you’re interested in, and click on them to open up their workshop page. Click the green «+ Subscribe» button. It’s that simple!

When it’s subscribed to, the button changes to say «Subscribed» with a checkmark, and Steam has begun to automatically download the mods in the background to the local computer files. For a large number of mods, you might have to wait a little while for Steam to finish downloading them all.

Preparing the Mods to Upload to the Server

To find where Steam stores the mods it just downloaded, please do the following:

Right-click on «Starbound» in your game library, and the menu shown below will pop up. Click on «properties» at the bottom.

On the next pop-up window, click on the «Local Files» tab across the top, and then on «Browse Local Files».

You will see this view of the game files on your local computer, as shown below. To get to where Steam hides the mods, click on the arrow in the upper left to move up one level, which is circled in the screenshot.

In the next level up, you will see a list of all the Steam games installed, and you will click that same arrow one more time to go up another level. Then you should see this.

The «Workshop» folder is where Steam stores all the content that it downloads for all games. Click on the folder to open it.

Then click on the folder named «Content».

Inside «Content» are folders with numbers on them. Those are the master ID numbers of Steam games.

Leave the mods in those numbered folders. Upload all the numbered folders for the mods you want to use to the server.

Upload the Mod Folders to the Server

Use NodePanel to Rename Files

In the Nodecraft File Manager, this will cause them to overwrite each other when you start moving them (move 20 files with the same name, and when you finish, there’s only 1 there. A file that was overwritten 19 times). So they all need to be renamed something unique. The usual method is to rename them to the workshop ID number (the number that the mod folders are named).

If you have a lot of mods, this will take a while, and it’s kind of tedious. So, here at Nodecraft, we have a magic button that does it all for you. Seriously, magic button.

After uploading the mod folders, go to the «Mods (WIP)» tab of the control panel, and click on the blue button labelled «Steam Workshop Fix». This will:

take the content.pak file out of every numbered mod folder.

automatically re-name it to the workshop ID number.

then move them directly into the /mods folder.

When it finishes, the numbered mod folders that were uploaded should be empty, and they can be deleted later on if you want.

So, click button. Boom, done. Time to play.

This only works if you left the mod folders exactly as they were, inside the numbered mod folders.

If you don’t have a magic button that does this for you (ie, you’re trying to set up your own server at home), then all the content.pak files needs to be renamed and moved manually. We highly suggest you use the Workshop ID numbers so you can tell what is what later on.

Restart the Server to Load the Mods

Please restart the server, and it should automatically load every mod in the /mods folder. If there are any issues with a mod loading at startup, the «Console» section of the server will usually contain any error messages related to that.

Starbound how to install mods

Starbound is a beautiful game that can be enhanced brilliantly with various available mods. In my guide to modding Starbound, I will show you some of the best mods out there, how to use them, and what to do incase your game crashes. I will show you some of my favorite mods, as well as screenshots of them in action.

This guide is a constant Work In Progress, so I will be updating it regularly, so stay tuned to new content like pictures and reviews.

But before you start downloading mods, you will need to familiarize yourself with the locations of all the folders you need.

For all operating systems you need to locate your Steam directory, and from there its:
/SteamApps/common/Starbound

For Mac users the Library is hidden, so one way you can access the folder is by using the shortcut Shift + Command + G in Finder, which opens a little window to type in a file path. Copy and paste «/Users/YourName/Library/Application Support/Steam/SteamApps/common/Starbound» without the quotes and it will take you directly to the folder.

Since I am on a Mac, I don’t do any of this ‘extracting’ the mod pages ask you do. I simply copy and paste from my Starbound folder to the mod folder (I dont drag because if the game crashes I want to keep one copy of the mod when I delete the one in the game’s files).

Also, if your character has items added from other mods, and your game crashes when adding a new one, you will need to add the mods that worked back in ONE BY ONE. Even adding all the mod that worked fine previously all at once doesnt work. You must install one mod and start the game to see if it works. If it does, put back in another mod. If it doesn’t, try putting in another one first. The issues most likely occur due to compatibility, so you will need to find out more on the mods page.

There is also a chance that the story might reset. By this I mean that you will loose all your sectors, spawn on a random planet, and have to do the starting quests over again. And this will happen accross all your characters. You will still have all of your items thoguh, so you will most likely have all the materials needed to complete the quests without lifting a finger, then you just need to craft the Rescue Beacon. From there, proceed to re-defeat all bosses. Unfortunately the game is still in beta, so issues like these will occur. In such situations, I recommend keeping spare Starmap upgrades, so you can even abadnon the quests, unlock sectors, and continue on.

I have recieved new information, that backing up your ‘universe’ folder as well as your ‘player’ can solve the issue of loosing your quest progress and planets.

There are many amazing mods available for Starbound. I aim to show you some of the best, and teach you how to use them.

I haven’t really explored the Nexus website much, so if you find something worth mentioning, let me know and i can include it in the guide. The same goes for any other mod I haven’t mentioned. Pass me the link to it and I can include it.

Secondly, I will be using some TheGullofdoom’s YouTube videos in this guide. He makes wonderful videos showing you invidivdual mods. The complete playlist of his Starbound Mod videos can be found here: Link.

Alright, lets get to it!

This has to be the most sought after mod type. There are are many mods that allow you to customize your ship in many ways. They range from changing the default ship, to allowing you to completely demolish and build your ship the way you like. In terms of full customization, there are two mods that stood out for me:

Author: Princeofmar5
This Mod turns every starter ship into a basic wooden box. It allows you to break all of its compnents, including the ship equipment. However, its provide you with nothing else; This basic mod adds no new content. It is essentially for people who have the resources to recreate their ships from materials found in the universe. If you want your ship to actually look cool, and futuristic-looking, that means spedning hours harvesting Light Metal, Wall Panels, or other such materials from Apex/USCM laboratories and bases.

Also, if you fall through your ship, you need to teleport to the ground, then back up to your ship.

However, unlike the next mod, it is easy to install this mod on existing characters, as long as you take everything you want to keep fromm your ship out of it.

Author: MadTulip
This is by far the superior mod for ship customizaiton. It does the same as the above mod and more: All components and blocks are breakable, however, it adds a lot of content. First of all, its adds tech that allows you to float in space, so no falling through the endless vacuum. It adds two new ship equipment, one of which is a panel where all the new content is organized, and the other being a ‘life support’ system which detects hull breaches. In the panel you can make fins, thrusters, and other decorative objects for your spaceship. The mod also adds a neat feature called ‘modules in a box’, which are essentially spawnable mini-ships ranging from escape pods to large landing craft which contain all sorts of goodies.

Below are a series of screenshots documenting my progress in building my ship:

I certainly recommend you building your ship in a similar fashion: creating a large box out of easily-breakable material around your intended area of construction, as to a) serve as a structure guide and b) catch anything you might drop. True story: I accidentally threw a bomb, blasting a huge gap in my dirt perimeter, causing me to loose my Metalworking Station and two Furnaces. This led me to be much more careful, and issue you all this warning: DO NOT LOOSE ANY SHIP EQUIPMENT SUCH AS THE FUELING MACHINE OR CAPTAIN’S CHAIR. THEY DO NOT FLOAT IN ZERO GRAVITY LIKE YOU DO AND IF THEY FALL THEY ARE LOST.

You must approach ship building with this mod with another strategy: I recommend you complete the entire storyline first, for two reasons. The first being that I soon learned that building all these materials to build my spaceship consumes a lot of resources, and you don’t want to be splitting resources (such as Steel Bars) between building your ship and building items to progress in the game, like the boss spawners. The second reason is that you unlock more items as you progress, and therefore once you finish the game and have all the items at your disposal, you can mess around all you like.

This second reason is also why I strongly recommended you do NOT try to implement this mod on existing characters: you will have to buy and unlock starmap upgrades all over again, as well taking everything out of your ship.

For more, here is Gullofdoom’s review of the mod:

Author: Sabboth
«For Elder Scrolls and lizard fans.»

Author: RyuujinZERO
A custom race designed by the author. Very in depth: comes with custom crafting stations, weapons, armor, upgrades, and even ship! It Is compatible with the MadTulip Ship mod though.

Author: Djinn
A custom race designed by the author. Also quite in depth: includes a cusotm ship, armor weapons, as well as additional quests and NPCs!

You can find more races here:

Next is a selection of popular themed mods. I will NOT include any Pony-themed content.

This mod adds Dark Souls themed armor and weapons. Most of it needs to be crafted with higher tier materials (Therozium), which is fine because the game kinda leaves you hanging after Aegisalt. My only complaint is that (in real Dark Souls fashion) the gear is way too big. And i mean, huge. But if you’re into that, grab this mod.

Author: Youwwwi
This mod adds a few more quests in the beginning to further familiarize you with the game. It also adds sidequests to give you a little more purporse.

Author: lornlynx
This mod is a borderline cheat, but extremely useful. It extends the size of your mining radius from 3×3 to 4×4 with drills and pickaxes. The reasoning behind it is that this increase in size allows you to walk through your holes, instead of having to mine two layers to walk through.

Author: Spacedino
A simple yet terribly useful mod. Adds blueprints that allow you to make bigger chests. The Author used a clever method for this mod: You can either create larger chests using individual materials, or by combing two smaller chests.

I hope you liked reading this guide and have learned many things from it. If you have any problems, I’m not a modder, but ill try to help best I can. And if you really enjoyed it, rate it up and add it to your favorites. Thanks guys!