Use the server-pack file for the exact Cave Horror Project release your players install, then run it with Java 17 or Java 21. Cave Horror Project 1 is a Minecraft Java Edition 1.20.1 Forge horror-survival pack with client and server support. For the currently listed release, that means downloading the Cave Horror Project 1 v3.6.1 Server Pack from CurseForge, extracting it into its own folder, and starting the included script. Players must install the same modpack release, Minecraft version, and Forge version on their clients.
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The project’s setup wiki also documents Aternos as a hosted alternative. This guide covers both routes, explains what the server pack contains, and gives you a version-matching checklist for connection problems.
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Cave Horror Project 1 is a Forge modpack for Minecraft Java Edition 1.20.1. CurseForge categorizes it as horror, hardcore, quests, exploration, and multiplayer. The project author is JustErikSK. Its progression is built around a substantial quest campaign: the Modrinth description says it has “Over 200 quests across multiple chapters, now with a proper progression path alongside some optional quests.”
CurseForge’s project page showed 6,112,082 downloads in 2026. That number is a time-sensitive page snapshot, not a permanent measure of the pack’s audience.
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A multiplayer installation has two separate parts:
- Client installation: every player installs the same Cave Horror Project release through a compatible modpack launcher.
- Server installation: the host runs the additional server-pack download supplied for that release.
A normal vanilla server jar is not a substitute for the modpack’s server pack. The server pack supplies the Forge server files, mods, configuration, and startup files intended to match the client distribution.
Choose the correct release before downloading anything
Version matching is the most important setup decision. The current CurseForge files listing identifies Cave Horror Project 1 v3.6.1 Server Pack for Minecraft 1.20.1 Forge, released October 1, 2026. Use that file only if your players are also installing Cave Horror Project 1 v3.6.1.
Do not select a server pack merely because it has the same Minecraft version. A later or earlier modpack revision can change mods, configuration, world-generation behavior, or quest data. Record the release number and use it for both sides of the connection.
| Item | Required value for the currently listed release | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Edition | Minecraft Java Edition | Bedrock players cannot join this Forge installation. |
| Minecraft version | 1.20.1 | The launcher profile and server files must both report 1.20.1. |
| Mod loader | Forge | Do not mix a Fabric, NeoForge, or vanilla profile with this pack. |
| Modpack release | Cave Horror Project 1 v3.6.1 | Every client and the server pack must use the same release. |
| Server download | v3.6.1 Server Pack | Obtain the additional server-pack file listed for that release. |
| Release date | October 1, 2026 | A newer file may replace it; re-check the files listing when updating. |
Modrinth’s v3.1.4 version note says: “Server packs can no longer be uploaded on Modrinth for some reason, so download it from CurseForge.” In practice, treat CurseForge as the authoritative location for the server-pack archive, even if you use Modrinth to install the client.
Install the matching client profile
Before starting a server, have at least one player launch the intended pack successfully. Install Cave Horror Project through the CurseForge app or the Modrinth app, select the same 1.20.1 Forge profile, and confirm the displayed modpack release. Repeat that installation for each player who will connect.
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Keep the launcher profile unchanged while you build the server. Adding, removing, or updating individual mods can make the client differ from the supplied server files and can produce a disconnect even when the Minecraft version appears correct.
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1. Prepare a dedicated server folder
Create a new folder used only for this server, such as a folder named for the pack and release. Do not extract the archive into an existing vanilla server directory or into a client installation. A dedicated folder keeps worlds, configuration, logs, and mod files together and makes backups and later updates safer.
2. Install a supported Java development kit
The Cave Horror Project setup wiki names JDK 17 or JDK 21 as prerequisites. Install one of those JDK versions on the machine that will run the server, then verify that the operating system’s Java command points to it. If multiple Java installations are present, make sure the included startup script resolves to the supported JDK rather than an older system runtime.
The wiki does not publish a universal memory allocation or command-line recipe. Do not copy arbitrary RAM flags from another modpack. Use the startup files included with your downloaded server pack and adjust resource limits only after checking the requirements of the machine and the hosting environment.
3. Download the additional server pack
Open the CurseForge files listing for the exact Cave Horror Project release your clients use. Select the file identified as the server pack, currently listed as Cave Horror Project 1 v3.6.1 Server Pack. Save the archive somewhere you can identify later; retaining the original download helps you reproduce the installation if the folder is damaged.
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4. Extract the archive without adding an extra folder layer
Extract all server-pack files into the dedicated server folder. Check the resulting layout before launching: the supplied startup files and server directories should be directly inside the folder you intend to run, not hidden one level deeper inside a second identically named directory. Preserve the archive’s file names and structure.
5. Use the included startup files
Run the startup script supplied by the server pack from the dedicated folder. The exact file name and first-run behavior can vary between server-pack revisions, so follow the files shipped with your release rather than a command copied from an unrelated guide.
6. Complete the first launch
Start the server once and allow it to create its configuration and world files. Follow any prompts generated by that server-pack revision. Stop the server cleanly after the initial generation, then review the generated files before inviting players. The setup wiki describes downloading and running the pack but does not document identical first-run prompts for every revision; your downloaded files are the authoritative instructions for that release.
7. Have players connect with the same profile
Give players the server address only after they have installed the matching client release. Their profile must remain on Minecraft 1.20.1 with Forge and the same Cave Horror Project version as the server pack. A player using an older or newer release should update or roll back before attempting to join.
Hosted setup with Aternos
The project wiki documents Aternos as a hosted route. In the Aternos control panel, create a Minecraft Java server, open Software → Modpacks → CurseForge, and select Cave Horror Project. Choose the same release that your players install. The wiki also recommends obtaining that version’s server pack when needed, so keep the matching CurseForge file available if the host requests it or if you need to verify the installed contents.
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A hosted installation changes who operates the machine, but it does not remove the version-matching requirement. Before committing a world to a host, check that the panel exposes Minecraft 1.20.1, Forge, and the specific Cave Horror Project release you need.
| Decision point | Self-hosting | Aternos or another managed host |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Not stated by the project sources; depends on hardware, electricity, and internet access. | Not stated by the project sources; check the provider’s current terms. |
| Forge and modpack availability | You control the downloaded Forge server pack and its release. | Confirm that the panel lists Minecraft 1.20.1 Forge and the required Cave Horror Project release. |
| RAM and player limits | Determined by the host computer; the project sources publish no universal minimum. | Determined by the provider’s plan and current policy; obtain the figures before setup. |
| Backups | You choose backup frequency and storage location. | Check whether automatic and manual backups are available and how long they are retained. |
| Updates | Download and replace the server pack deliberately, preserving the world and configuration backups. | Use the panel’s modpack update workflow, and verify that it selects the intended release. |
| Technical control | Direct access to files, logs, Java, and startup scripts. | Convenient panel controls, but some files and settings may be restricted. |
The project’s Modrinth page displays a promotion for a managed hosting provider, but current compatibility and partner terms were not verified. Treat any hosting advertisement as a lead to investigate, not as a project compatibility guarantee.
Networking and first connection checks
Self-hosting also requires the server machine to be reachable by the players. Use the address and port exposed by your network or host, and make sure the server process is running before testing. The project documentation does not publish a special network port or a guaranteed router configuration, so use the standard connection information shown by your server environment.
Test locally first when possible. A successful local connection confirms that the server has finished starting and that the client profile can load the pack. A remote player then tests the network path separately. Keep the server console and client log available during the first remote attempt so you can distinguish a network failure from a mod or version mismatch.
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Client cannot connect or is rejected immediately
- Compare the modpack release shown in the launcher with the release used for the server pack.
- Confirm both sides are Minecraft Java Edition 1.20.1.
- Confirm both sides use Forge, not another loader.
- Check that the server is running the additional server-pack files rather than a vanilla server directory.
- Have the player restart the launcher and try again after correcting the profile.
Version mismatch is the first check because the client and server artifacts are versioned together. This is a practical diagnostic order, not a claim that one specific error was reproduced.
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The server stops during startup
Stop and read the server console from the first error rather than repeatedly restarting. Confirm that Java is JDK 17 or JDK 21, that the archive was fully extracted, and that the startup script is being run from the server-pack folder. If you changed individual mods or configuration files, restore a clean copy of the release and test it before making custom changes.
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A world or configuration disappeared after an update
Do not overwrite a live world blindly. Stop the server, make a complete backup of the world and configuration directories, and then compare the new server-pack files with the prior release. Keep updates separate from your last known-good folder so you can roll back without reconstructing the installation.
Players report different errors
Community pages contain anecdotal reports of startup and connection problems, but those reports are not official fixes. Collect the exact client and server versions, the first relevant log error, and whether the failure occurs locally or only over the network. Reproduce with an untouched matching client and server before changing mods, Java versions, or configuration.
Updating Cave Horror Project safely
- Choose a target release and record its Minecraft and Forge versions.
- Ensure every player knows which client release to install.
- Stop the current server cleanly and back up the world, configuration, and player data.
- Download the target release’s additional server pack from CurseForge.
- Extract it into a new server folder instead of overwriting the working installation.
- Apply only the configuration changes you intentionally carry forward.
- Start the new folder, verify the world and console, and test with one client before opening it to everyone.
This staged approach leaves the previous installation available if the new release introduces an incompatibility or a changed first-run requirement.
Pre-launch checklist
- All players are on Minecraft Java Edition 1.20.1.
- All players and the server use Forge.
- The client release and server-pack release are identical.
- The server machine runs JDK 17 or JDK 21.
- The server pack is extracted into a dedicated folder.
- The included startup files are being used from that folder.
- The first launch has completed and generated its configuration.
- The world and configuration have a backup before public access.
- A local connection test succeeds before remote players join.
- Any host’s RAM, player limits, backup policy, and update controls have been verified directly with that provider.
Which setup route should you choose?
Self-hosting is the better fit when you want direct access to files, logs, Java, backups, and update timing, and you can maintain the machine and network. Aternos is the documented route when you prefer a browser-managed Minecraft Java server and the panel offers the required CurseForge release. In either case, the decisive requirement is not the host brand: it is an exact match between the client profile and the versioned Forge server pack.
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