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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFor a new server, use Factorio 2.0 with Space Exploration 0.7.x. Install the mod and its dependencies through Factorio’s in-game Mods section, create a save on the server, start it with --start-server, and forward UDP port 34197 unless you changed the port. Every player must use the same Factorio version and the same mod versions as the server.
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Choose the correct Factorio and Space Exploration versions
Version pairing is the first decision because Space Exploration saves are not interchangeable across its major branches. The Space Exploration Mod Portal lists the 0.7.x branch for Factorio 2.0. Versions 0.6.x and earlier target Factorio versions below 2.0.
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| Situation | Factorio version | Space Exploration version | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| New installation | 2.0 | 0.7.x | Install the current compatible 0.7.x release and let the Mod Portal obtain its dependencies. |
| Existing 0.6 save | 1.1 first, then 2.0 | Final 0.6.x first, then latest 0.7.x | Update the save to the final 0.6.x release while still on Factorio 1.1, save it, then move to Factorio 2.0 and the latest 0.7.x branch. |
| Older Factorio installation | Below 2.0 | 0.6.x or earlier | Do not install 0.7.x on this branch; use the Space Exploration release intended for that Factorio version. |
Do not upgrade a running 0.6 game directly from Factorio 1.1 to a 0.7 game without making the intermediate 0.6.x resave. Keep a copy of the original save before beginning any branch migration.
Install Factorio on the server machine
A dedicated server can run from a normal Factorio installation in headless mode. Steam installs Factorio through the Steam client. A purchase made through factorio.com can be downloaded from the official Factorio site. The official installation documentation also covers stable, experimental, and archived versions, which is useful when a save must remain on a particular release.
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Before installing the mods
- Decide whether the server will use the stable Factorio 2.0 branch or another specifically required build.
- Install Factorio on the machine that will hold the save and run continuously.
- Log in or otherwise make the game installation available so the Mods section can contact the Mod Portal during setup.
- Record the exact Factorio build. Players must select or update to that same build before joining.
For a migration, install Factorio 1.1 long enough to open the final 0.6.x save, resave it, and only then install or switch the server to Factorio 2.0.
Install Space Exploration and its dependencies
The in-game Mods section is the least error-prone method. It downloads the requested release, obtains required dependencies, installs them, and enables the resulting set. Use it on the server installation and, where practical, on each player’s client.
Preferred in-game procedure
- Start Factorio and open the Mods section.
- Find Space Exploration in the Mod Portal list.
- Select the release compatible with Factorio 2.0 and install or enable it.
- Allow Factorio to download every dependency it marks as required.
- Return to the installed-mod list and confirm that Space Exploration and its required dependencies are present and enabled.
- Exit Factorio cleanly so the server installation has the complete mod set before you create or launch a save.
The dependency list belongs to the selected Space Exploration release. Do not substitute a similarly named file or an older dependency simply because it is already in a downloads folder.
Manual ZIP installation
If the server cannot use the in-game downloader, download the mod archives from the Factorio Mod Portal website. Copy each ZIP archive into the Factorio user-data mods directory used by that installation. Leave the files compressed; Factorio expects the ZIP archives and you should not unzip them.
After copying the files, start Factorio and inspect the Mods list. Space Exploration should appear with its dependencies. If a required item is missing or shown as incompatible, stop there and correct the mod directory rather than creating a save with an incomplete set.
Keep the server’s mod directory separate and identifiable
A dedicated installation may use a different user-data location from the desktop copy of Factorio. Verify that the ZIP files are in the directory read by the server process, not merely in an administrator’s or player’s local Factorio folder. When you maintain several instances, label each instance’s mod directory and save directory so an update cannot silently affect the wrong world.
Create the save that the dedicated server will run
A headless server starts from a save file; it does not open the normal map-creation screen. From the Factorio installation directory, create an initial Space Exploration save with:
./bin/x64/factorio --create ./saves/space-exploration.zip
The command writes the save to ./saves/space-exploration.zip. The filename is only an example; choose a name that distinguishes this world from test or backup saves.
Use custom map generation when needed
Factorio can create the map with map-generation and map-settings JSON files. Prepare those JSON files before running the create command and supply them through the corresponding Factorio options. Keep the JSON files with your server configuration so another administrator can reproduce the intended terrain and settings.
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Space Exploration is a very large overhaul, so agree on map settings and seed before inviting players. Changing the mod set or fundamental world assumptions after the campaign begins can invalidate the save or make progression unpredictable.
Start Space Exploration in headless mode
Once the save exists and the mod files are in the server’s user-data directory, launch it with:
./bin/x64/factorio --start-server ./saves/space-exploration.zip
You can provide a server-settings JSON file as well:
./bin/x64/factorio --start-server ./saves/space-exploration.zip --server-settings ./data/server-settings.json
Run the command from the Factorio installation directory, or replace the relative paths with paths valid for your service account. The server process should remain running; use your operating system’s service manager, terminal multiplexer, or scheduled restart system if you need it to survive a logout.
What headless mode does
- Runs without graphics and enters the supplied save directly.
- Autosaves while the world is running.
- Pauses while nobody is connected unless the
no-auto-pauseoption is enabled. - Reads the server settings file you specify, allowing server behavior to be kept outside the command line.
Test the command locally before adding automation. A typo in the save path, a missing dependency, or a mod directory belonging to another Factorio installation will be easier to diagnose in a direct launch.
Open the network path: UDP 34197
Factorio’s default network port is UDP 34197. For an internet-accessible self-hosted server, forward UDP 34197 on the router to the server machine’s local address and allow the same UDP port through the machine’s firewall.
Network checklist
- Give the server machine a stable local address or a DHCP reservation so the forwarding rule does not point to a different device later.
- Create a router port-forward rule for UDP 34197 to that local address.
- Add an inbound firewall rule for UDP 34197 on the server operating system.
- Check the server configuration if you intentionally changed the port; forward and permit the configured value instead of 34197.
- Have a player test from outside the local network. A test made from the same LAN may not expose router hairpinning problems.
Port forwarding is not required for players connecting through a private network arrangement that already exposes the server, but the Factorio process must still be reachable on its configured UDP port.
Make clients match the server exactly
Factorio’s multiplayer handshake requires the same game version and the same mod versions on every participant. “Space Exploration 0.7.x” is not precise enough by itself: a server and client using different 0.7.x builds can still produce a mismatch.
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Client joining procedure
- Update the client to the server’s exact Factorio build.
- Open the multiplayer join screen and enter the server address and configured port.
- When Factorio offers multiplayer mod synchronization, accept it. The game can download and enable the exact versions advertised by the server.
- Restart Factorio if prompted, then join again.
- If synchronization is declined or fails, compare the installed mod list and versions with the server before trying to connect repeatedly.
Do not manually add optional mods to one client during the initial connection. Establish a working baseline first, then add one quality-of-life mod at a time and have every player synchronize the resulting list.
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Keep the first mod list conservative
The Space Exploration project describes the mod as a challenging, very long overhaul and warns that compatibility with other mods is low. Its project page recommends the official or recommended companion mods and only the quality-of-life additions a group genuinely needs.
Start with Space Exploration and its required dependencies. Treat every additional overhaul, logistics replacement, world-generation change, or large gameplay system as a compatibility decision rather than a harmless add-on.
Back up before changing mods
- Stop the server before copying or replacing mod files.
- Copy the current save ZIP to a separate backup location.
- Record the exact Factorio build and enabled mod versions alongside the backup.
- Change one logical group of mods at a time and test the copied save before touching the live world.
- Keep the previous mod ZIPs available so you can restore the known-good state.
Experimental changes can make a save unplayable. A backup is useful only if it is made before the change and stored outside the directory that an update might overwrite.
What a Space Exploration server entails
This is not a short scenario or a cosmetic mod. The Space Exploration project’s current mod-page statement describes 29 science packs, an average completion time of 500 hours, more than 50 hours to reach space, and more than 600 places to visit. Those figures are project estimates and descriptions, not a guaranteed schedule for every multiplayer group.
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Self-hosted server or managed hosting?
The commands above describe self-hosting, where you control the Factorio installation, mod directory, save files, and network configuration. Managed hosting can remove some operating-system and router work, but its Space Exploration support and feature set must be checked with the individual provider before purchase.
| Consideration | Self-hosted dedicated server | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Setup effort | Install Factorio, place the mod ZIPs, create a save, launch headless mode, and configure UDP access. | Often uses a control panel or prepared image; the exact workflow varies and must be verified. |
| Factorio and mod-version control | Direct control over the game build, Space Exploration branch, dependencies, and rollback files. | Depends on the host’s supported versions and whether custom mod uploads are allowed. |
| Save-backup access | You can copy the save ZIP and mod set directly from the machine. | Check how backups are exposed, how long they are retained, and whether downloads are allowed. |
| Networking | You are responsible for UDP forwarding, firewall rules, and the server’s public reachability. | The provider generally supplies the network endpoint, but port and firewall behavior still need confirmation. |
| Restarts and monitoring | You choose the service manager, monitoring, and restart policy. | Panels may provide these tools, but features and limits differ by provider. |
| Recurring cost | There is no hosting-provider fee, but the machine, electricity, bandwidth, and administration are your responsibility. | Monthly pricing and included resources vary; verify current terms and Space Exploration compatibility. |
Choose self-hosting when you need full version and file control and can manage networking. Consider managed hosting when avoiding server administration is worth giving up some control, provided the service explicitly supports the Factorio and Space Exploration versions your save requires.
Troubleshoot the common installation failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Factorio reports missing dependencies | A required ZIP is absent, in the wrong user-data directory, or incompatible with the selected release. | Install Space Exploration through the in-game Mod Portal, or verify that every required ZIP is present in the server’s mods directory and appears in the Mods list. |
| Players receive a mod mismatch when joining | The client declined synchronization or has a different Factorio or mod build. | Accept multiplayer mod synchronization, then compare the exact game and mod versions with the server. |
| The server is unreachable | UDP 34197 is blocked, forwarded to the wrong local address, or a custom port was not opened. | Check the configured port, router forwarding, and the operating-system firewall. Test from outside the server’s local network. |
--start-server exits immediately |
The referenced save does not exist or the path is wrong. | Create a save first with --create, confirm the ZIP path, and rerun the start command from the correct Factorio installation. |
| The world breaks after adding another mod | Space Exploration’s compatibility with unrelated mods is limited, and experimental changes can invalidate saves. | Stop the server, restore the previous save and mod set, remove nonessential overhaul mods, and return to the recommended Space Exploration set. |
Launch checklist
- Factorio 2.0 and Space Exploration 0.7.x are selected for a new game.
- A migrated 0.6 save was resaved on Factorio 1.1 with the final 0.6.x release before moving to Factorio 2.0.
- Space Exploration and every required dependency are installed in the server’s actual user-data
modsdirectory. - The save was created before using
--start-server. - The server starts with the intended save and, if applicable, the intended
server-settings.json. - UDP 34197, or the configured replacement port, is forwarded and allowed through the firewall.
- Each client uses the identical Factorio and mod versions and accepts synchronization.
- A backup of the save and its mod/version record exists before the campaign begins.
The Bottom Line
Use Factorio 2.0 with Space Exploration 0.7.x, install dependencies through the in-game Mods section, create a save, start it with --start-server, expose UDP 34197, and let every client synchronize the server’s exact versions.
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