The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →OpenStarbound is installed alongside Starbound, not instead of it. You need a legitimate Starbound installation because OpenStarbound uses Starbound’s game assets, especially assets/packed.pak. Download the stable OpenStarbound client or server package for your operating system, place that file in the new installation’s assets directory, and then launch the supplied executable or script.
Godlike.Host offers hosted Starbound servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
Client and dedicated-server packages are separate. Use the client distribution to play locally and the server distribution to host a world; keep both on compatible builds and provide the same required content and mods to everyone connecting.
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What you need before installing
OpenStarbound is a separate executable and project derived from Starbound. It does not include Starbound’s proprietary game data. The project README states, “You must own Starbound for the game assets.” In practical terms, install Starbound normally first, then use its files to supply OpenStarbound.
- A working, owned copy of Starbound installed on the computer from which you will copy the assets.
- An OpenStarbound package that matches your operating system and your intended role: client or dedicated server.
- Enough disk space for a second installation. OpenStarbound should have its own directory rather than replacing Starbound files.
- A backup of any existing Starbound
storageand localmodsfolders if you intend to migrate them.
The project recommends the latest stable release because nightly builds can contain bugs. Choose a nightly only when you specifically need a newer change or are testing development code and accept that instability.
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Choose the right OpenStarbound download
| Decision | Use this path | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Playing on Windows | Official Windows installer or Windows client archive | Install it in a directory separate from Starbound, then copy packed.pak. |
| Playing on Linux | Linux client archive supplied by the project | When the normal nightly-link service is unavailable, the README directs users to the repository’s Actions workflow for Linux builds. |
| Playing on macOS | macOS client archive supplied by the project | Built installations also require the appropriate Steam API library beside the game files. |
| Hosting a dedicated server | Server distribution for the server’s operating system | Do not launch the client executable as a substitute. The server package includes its own executable or launch script. |
| Compiling yourself | Source checkout and the project’s build instructions | This is for developers or operators who need a custom build; a downloaded release does not require the source-build toolchain. |
The official releases page currently lists version 0.1.15.1 as its latest release entry. Release notes include a server-log map fix described as preventing disconnections that affected older clients. That is a useful reminder to keep a server and its clients on compatible versions rather than mixing arbitrary builds.
Install the OpenStarbound client
1. Confirm the Starbound asset source
Start Starbound once, if necessary, so its installation is complete. Locate the normal Starbound installation and verify that it contains assets/packed.pak. This file is the required base asset package. Do not download a replacement from an unofficial source or assume an empty OpenStarbound assets directory is sufficient.
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Open the official OpenStarbound project page and select the latest stable client release for your operating system. On Windows, choose the installer or the client archive. On Linux and macOS, use the matching client archive made available by the project. Availability of non-Windows builds can change; the README notes that Linux and macOS builds may be routed through the repository’s Actions tab while the nightly-link service is unavailable.
3. Install or extract to a separate directory
Run the Windows installer, or extract the archive on another platform. Use a new directory such as an OpenStarbound folder beside—not inside—the original Starbound directory. Keeping the installations separate prevents an update, mod experiment, or deletion in one game from damaging the other.
4. Copy packed.pak into OpenStarbound
- Open the original Starbound installation.
- Open its
assetsdirectory. - Copy
packed.pak. - Open the OpenStarbound installation’s
assetsdirectory. - Paste
packed.pakthere, preserving the filename and the.pakextension.
After this step, the OpenStarbound tree should contain an assets folder with packed.pak. Copying the file into the installation root, a general downloads folder, or a nested duplicate assets folder will not satisfy the requirement.
5. Optionally bring vanilla instrument songs
If you want the playable instrument songs supplied with the vanilla game, copy the Starbound user folder beside the copied asset structure as described by the project’s installation notes. This is optional; it is not a substitute for packed.pak and is not needed merely to start the client.
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6. Decide whether to migrate data
For a completely fresh profile, leave OpenStarbound’s data directories untouched and let the first launch create them. To continue an existing game, close both games and make a safety copy of Starbound’s storage folder. Copy that folder into the corresponding OpenStarbound installation location. It carries save data and settings, so a backup lets you restore the original state if a mod or build behaves differently.
7. Migrate local mods deliberately
Steam subscriptions and manually installed mods are handled differently. Steam should be open for subscribed Steam mods to load. For non-Steam mods that exist as files in Starbound’s local mods directory, copy the mods folder into OpenStarbound’s corresponding location. Move only mods you trust and check whether each one supports your OpenStarbound build; copying every old mod at once makes troubleshooting difficult.
8. Launch the client
Start the OpenStarbound client executable installed by the package. On Linux or macOS, use the launch script supplied with the distribution when one is provided. If the game reaches its title screen without an asset error, the basic installation is complete. Keep the original Starbound installation available until you have confirmed that saves, characters, and mods behave as expected.
Platform-specific client notes
Windows
The Windows installer is the simplest route: install it, close the installer, copy packed.pak into the new assets folder, and launch OpenStarbound from its installed shortcut or executable. The project also lists a Windows client archive for users who prefer a portable extraction. The installer and archive are separate distributions; do not combine files from unrelated builds.
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Linux
A ready-made Linux archive is intended for players who do not want to compile. Extract the client, copy packed.pak, and use the supplied launch script. The project’s assembled output includes binaries, premade sbinit.config files, and required libraries. Build prerequisites documented for Ubuntu—such as CMake 3.23 or newer and vcpkg—apply to source builds, not to users who download a complete release.
If Linux downloads are temporarily exposed through the repository’s Actions workflow rather than the normal release link, select the artifact matching the client and your platform. Treat an Actions artifact as a particular build, not as a promise that it is the newest stable release; verify the README’s current guidance before choosing it.
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Use the macOS client build that matches the Mac. The project documents Intel and ARM build presets. For a built installation, place the appropriate Steam API library beside the game files and copy packed.pak into the installation’s assets directory. A missing Steam API library can prevent a built client from starting even when the asset file is present. As with Linux, the project may direct users to the repository’s Actions tab when its usual build links are unavailable.
Install an OpenStarbound dedicated server
A dedicated server has a different package and operating role from the desktop client. Download the official server distribution for the operating system that will run the host. A client archive is not a server, and launching a client executable on a remote machine does not create a supported dedicated-server setup.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems1. Download the matching server distribution
Select the server package for Windows, Linux, or another supported platform from the project’s current release instructions. Prefer the stable release. If you are connecting players who use a particular client build, choose a server build intended to be compatible with that client rather than automatically mixing a nightly server with a stable client.
2. Extract into its own server directory
Create a directory dedicated to the server and extract the package there. Keep it separate from both the client installation and the original Starbound folder. This makes backups, permissions, updates, and rollback easier and prevents a server administrator from accidentally starting the wrong executable.
3. Supply the required game asset
- Find
assets/packed.pakin the owned Starbound installation. - Copy
packed.pakinto the server distribution’sassetsdirectory. - Check that the filename is exactly
packed.pakand that it is not hidden inside an extra directory created during extraction.
The server also depends on the game asset package even though no player is rendering a local client on the server machine. Ownership of Starbound supplies the required data; the OpenStarbound server package supplies the server program.
4. Preserve the supplied configuration and libraries
Do not delete or relocate the distribution’s generated or supplied sbinit.config files. The project’s assembled distributions place premade configuration files and required libraries in locations expected by their launchers. If you move the executable without moving those companion files, startup can fail or the server can use the wrong paths.
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5. Launch the supplied server program
Start the server executable on Windows or the corresponding server bash script on Linux. Follow the package’s own working-directory expectations: launch it from the extracted server directory unless the distribution explicitly says otherwise. The first start may create additional configuration or world data. Stop the process cleanly before copying those files for a backup.
6. Prepare clients for connection
Have every player run a compatible OpenStarbound client and provide the same required content set. If the server requires a mod, each connecting client needs the corresponding compatible mod. A player who has extra or incompatible content can encounter failed joins, missing assets, or disconnects even when the server itself starts correctly.
7. Handle networking as a separate deployment task
The official installation notes do not prescribe one universal firewall, router, port-forwarding, or hosting-provider recipe. Those settings depend on the operating system, network topology, and provider. Open the server’s listening port only according to your own network documentation, restrict administrative access, and test from a separate connection rather than assuming that a successful local launch makes the server reachable from the internet.
Migrating saves, settings, songs, and mods
| Item | What to copy | Result | Precaution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Save data and settings | Starbound storage folder |
Transfers existing worlds, characters, and related settings into OpenStarbound. | Back up the destination and source first; mod-dependent saves may not load correctly without their mods. |
| Local non-Steam mods | Starbound mods folder |
Makes manually installed mods available to the new installation. | Copy selectively when possible and verify build compatibility. |
| Subscribed Steam mods | No manual folder copy is normally required | OpenStarbound can load subscribed Steam mods while Steam is open. | Steam must be running, and a subscription does not guarantee that a mod supports OpenStarbound. |
| Vanilla instrument songs | Starbound user folder |
Brings the playable instrument songs into the new installation. | Optional; it does not replace packed.pak. |
For a low-risk migration, copy data in stages: first storage, then launch without mods, then add local mods, and finally test Steam subscriptions. This isolates a broken mod from a damaged save. Never overwrite your only original storage copy while experimenting with a nightly build.
Stable releases, nightlies, and version compatibility
Stable and nightly packages serve different purposes. Stable is the project’s recommended choice for ordinary play and hosting because it is the release line intended to be less volatile. Nightly builds may include newer fixes or features, but the project explicitly warns that they can contain bugs.
| Choice | Best for | Risk or limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Latest stable release | Most players, persistent saves, and public servers | You may wait longer for a change that exists only in development. |
| Nightly build | Testing current development changes or coordinating with a community already on that build | Unexpected bugs and compatibility changes are more likely. |
Keep the client and server on aligned builds. The current release notes’ server-log map fix is described as preventing disconnections that affected older clients, so “the server starts” is not enough evidence that an older client is safe to use. When upgrading, update the server and clients as a coordinated change, keep a backup of the old server directory and storage, and test a copy of the world before opening the upgraded server to everyone.
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Source builds versus ready-made releases
Most users should install a ready-made client or server archive. Source compilation is a separate workflow with additional prerequisites and platform-specific decisions.
| Approach | What you receive | What you must manage |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-made release | Preassembled binaries, launchers, configuration files, and required libraries | Choose the correct platform and copy packed.pak. |
| Source build | A locally compiled client or server tailored to the selected build preset | Toolchain setup, dependencies, output layout, platform libraries, and your own build troubleshooting. |
The Linux build notes list Ubuntu dependencies, CMake 3.23 or newer, and vcpkg. Those requirements are for compiling the project, not for launching a complete downloaded archive. Linux assembled outputs include client and server directories, binaries, premade sbinit.config files, and required libraries. On macOS, the documented build presets cover Intel and ARM systems, and a built game needs the appropriate Steam API library beside its files. In every case, a successful compilation still leaves the asset step: copy the owned Starbound packed.pak into the resulting assets directory.
Troubleshooting common installation failures
“packed.pak” is missing or the game reports missing assets
Confirm that Starbound is owned and installed, then locate its assets/packed.pak. Copy the file—not the entire parent folder—into OpenStarbound’s own assets directory. Check for an accidental path such as assets/assets/packed.pak, a changed filename, or an archive that was never fully extracted. The client and server each need their own copy in their own distribution.
The server starts, but clients disconnect
Compare the server and client builds first. Move both to the same stable release where possible, and make sure all players use the required mods and content. The release notes’ server-log map fix specifically calls out disconnections involving older clients, which is why a mixed-version setup should be treated as suspect before changing firewall settings.
Steam mods do not appear
Leave Steam open while launching OpenStarbound so subscribed Steam mods can load. For a mod installed manually, copy it into the OpenStarbound mods directory instead of assuming a Steam subscription creates a local copy. Then test with only one mod enabled at a time; a subscription alone does not establish OpenStarbound compatibility.
Characters or worlds are absent after migration
Close the game, verify that the complete storage folder—not just one file—was copied into the corresponding OpenStarbound location, and check that you launched the same installation you modified. If the save depended on a local mod, restore that mod from the backed-up mods folder. Keep the original Starbound data untouched until the migrated copy opens correctly.
A Linux or macOS build will not launch
Use the platform’s supplied launch script and preserve the extracted directory structure, including required libraries and sbinit.config. For a source-built macOS installation, verify that the correct Intel or ARM preset was used and that the required Steam API library sits beside the game files. If the project currently routes downloads through Actions, confirm that you selected a client or server artifact for the right platform rather than a source artifact.
The server executable cannot find configuration or libraries
Return the executable, its supplied sbinit.config, and required libraries to the locations created by the distribution. Launch from the server directory unless the package documents another working directory. Moving only the executable is a common way to break the relative paths used by the assembled server.
Quick Recap
Final pre-launch checklist
- Starbound is owned and its installation contains
assets/packed.pak. - You selected a stable OpenStarbound build unless you intentionally need a nightly.
- The client and server, if both are used, come from compatible releases.
- OpenStarbound is installed separately from Starbound.
- Each client or server distribution has
packed.pakin its ownassetsdirectory. - Supplied launch scripts,
sbinit.configfiles, and libraries remain in place. - Steam is open for subscribed Steam mods, and local mods were copied only when needed.
storagewas backed up before migration or upgrading.- Network and firewall rules were configured for the specific server environment rather than copied from an unrelated setup.
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