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How to Download and Move Your Core Keeper Server World

Stop the server, back up with Ctrl+Alt+B, locate the correct client or dedicated-server save path, and copy the complete numbered world data without changing its structure.
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To download a Core Keeper dedicated-server world safely, stop the server, make an in-game backup, locate the server’s save directory, and copy the complete world data to another computer or drive. On Windows, the usual dedicated-server root is %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowPugstormCore KeeperDedicatedServer; documentation also uses a Saveworlds folder beneath the server installation. A server started with -datapath can use a different location.

Keep the server offline while copying or uploading. After placing the files at the destination, start the server and confirm that the expected world and player progress load before deleting the original backup.

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What you need before downloading the world

A Core Keeper world is made up of save data that can change while the dedicated server is running. Copying files during a save can produce an incomplete transfer or leave you with mismatched companion files. Plan the move as a short maintenance window and prepare both the source and destination before touching the save.

  • Server access: You need access to the machine or hosting control panel that stores the dedicated-server files.
  • A destination: This can be another computer, a removable drive, a new dedicated server, or a hosted server with an upload tool.
  • A safety copy: Use Core Keeper’s built-in backup before copying anything.
  • Downtime: The dedicated server must be stopped for the entire copy or upload.
  • Matching file structure: Preserve the world’s numbering and any companion files supplied with it.

If you are moving between platforms, do not assume that the client’s save folder and the dedicated server’s folder are interchangeable by location alone. The data can be moved, but it must be placed in the destination’s expected worlds structure.

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Make a backup with Core Keeper first

The safest first step is Core Keeper’s built-in save archive. From the game’s main menu, press Ctrl+Alt+B. Core Keeper creates CoreKeeperSaves.zip on the desktop.

  1. Close any world session and return to the main menu.
  2. Press Ctrl+Alt+B once.
  3. Look on the desktop for CoreKeeperSaves.zip.
  4. Copy that ZIP file to a separate drive or other safe location if the transfer is important.
  5. Leave the original archive unchanged until the destination opens the correct world and its progress is confirmed.

This archive is your recovery point if the wrong world is selected, a transfer is interrupted, or the destination’s files are overwritten. Do not use the backup as a substitute for stopping the dedicated server: create it first, then shut down the server before copying the live server data.

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Find the source world files

The correct path depends on whether the source is a Steam client world or a dedicated-server world. User IDs and world slots are represented by folders or numbers, so open the path rather than searching for a file with a guessed name.

Windows Steam client worlds

On Windows, Steam client worlds are normally under:

%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowPugstormCore KeeperSteam<user-id>worlds

In File Explorer, paste the path into the address bar. Replace <user-id> with the folder shown on your installation. The worlds folder contains the client’s numbered world data. If several worlds are present, use their numbers and in-game descriptions to identify the one you intend to move.

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Linux Steam client worlds

On Linux, the usual client location is:

$HOME/.config/unity3d/Pugstorm/Core Keeper/Steam/<user-id>/worlds

The dot-prefixed .config directory may be hidden by your file manager. Enable hidden files or navigate directly to the path. As on Windows, preserve the numbered structure instead of renaming files to make them look tidier.

Windows dedicated-server saves

The normal Windows dedicated-server save root is:

%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowPugstormCore KeeperDedicatedServer

Dedicated-server documentation also identifies a Saveworlds subfolder relative to the server installation. In practice, inspect both the normal save root and the server’s installation directory. The active location is the one containing the server’s current save data, not necessarily the folder where the executable is installed.

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Servers started with a custom data path

A launch argument of -datapath overrides the default save location. Check the server’s startup command, launch script, or service configuration for that argument and use the path supplied there. If no -datapath argument is present, the default is a DedicatedServer subfolder in the normal Core Keeper save root.

This check matters when a server appears to have no worlds: you may be looking at the default directory while the running instance is writing to a custom path.

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Understand world numbering and companion files

Core Keeper world slots and filenames are numbered. A world may be represented by a complete folder, or by a numbered file such as 0.world.gzip, depending on the installation and the hosting interface.

  • Copy a folder as a folder: If the source presents a numbered world directory, copy the entire directory and everything inside it.
  • Do not select a random file: Companion files can be required for the world to load correctly.
  • Keep numbering intact: Changing a slot number can cause the server to load a different world or fail to find the expected one.
  • Do not edit compressed saves: Files ending in .gzip should be transferred unchanged.

When a hosting panel asks whether to upload a Steam-ID folder or an individual world file, follow the panel’s documented layout. Both methods are supported in hosting instructions, but the destination must receive the same numbering and hierarchy the server expects.

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Download a world from a dedicated server

Use this procedure when the server is the source and you want a local copy, a migration copy, or an archival backup.

  1. Announce a stop: Tell connected players that the world will be unavailable during the copy.
  2. Stop the dedicated server cleanly: Use the server control panel or its normal shutdown action. Wait until the process is no longer running.
  3. Locate the active save path: Check the default DedicatedServer root, the installation-relative Saveworlds folder, and any path specified by -datapath.
  4. Identify the world: Compare the numbered folders or files with the world slot you use. If the directory contains several worlds, do not assume slot zero is the active one.
  5. Copy the complete data: Copy the entire world folder, including all companion files. If the server exposes a single numbered world file and its documentation says that file is sufficient, copy that file without renaming it.
  6. Store the copy separately: Place it on another drive or computer and retain the original server files until the destination has been tested.
  7. Record the source layout: Note whether you copied a folder, a Steam-ID directory, or a file such as 0.world.gzip. This makes it easier to reproduce the structure at the destination.

Do not edit, decompress, or reorganize the files while the copy is in progress. If the transfer tool reports that a file is still in use, the server has not stopped completely; wait for the process to exit before trying again.

Move a client world to a dedicated server

Use the client path for the source and the dedicated-server path for the destination. This is the common route when a world was played locally and is being made available to a group.

  1. Back up the client saves: Press Ctrl+Alt+B from the Core Keeper main menu and preserve CoreKeeperSaves.zip.
  2. Close the client: Exit the game so the client is not writing to the world while you copy it.
  3. Open the client’s worlds folder: Use the Windows Steam path or Linux Steam path listed above.
  4. Choose the numbered world: Select the folder or file belonging to the world you want to host. Preserve all companion data.
  5. Prepare the destination server: Stop the dedicated server. Find its active save root, including any custom -datapath.
  6. Create the destination structure if needed: If the server has no worlds folder, you can create it manually before copying. Alternatively, allow the new server to run until a player joins and the server completes its first save, then stop it and inspect the generated structure.
  7. Place the world: Copy the client’s complete world folder or the documented individual world file into the destination worlds location. Keep the existing numbering unless you have a specific reason to select another slot.
  8. Check the configured world index: If the server has a setting that selects a world number, make it correspond to the filename or folder you uploaded.
  9. Start and test: Start the server, join with a test player, and verify the terrain, inventory, buildings, and other expected progress.

If the destination already contains a generated blank world, stop the server before replacing or adding files. Keep that generated data until your imported world has been verified, because it can help confirm that the server is using the path you think it is.

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Upload the world to a hosted server

Hosted servers generally provide a file manager or upload control panel rather than direct access to the host’s operating-system folders. The important rules remain the same: upload while the server is powered down and preserve the expected hierarchy.

  1. Stop the hosted Core Keeper server from its control panel.
  2. Open the host’s file manager and navigate to the Core Keeper save location, normally the server’s worlds directory.
  3. Choose the upload option documented by the host. It may accept a Steam-ID folder or an individual numbered world file such as 0.world.gzip.
  4. Upload the complete folder or file without changing its name or numbering.
  5. Wait for the upload to finish before closing the file manager or starting the server.
  6. Confirm that the uploaded item appears in the destination directory and is not nested one level too deep. For example, avoid placing worlds inside another worlds folder unless the panel explicitly requires that layout.
  7. Start the server and connect to verify the imported world.

A host may expose a different path label from the Windows paths above, but its instructions should identify the equivalent save directory. If the panel offers both a Steam-ID folder upload and a single-file upload, use the option that matches the structure you copied from the source.

Local transfer or hosted upload?

Both destinations use the same safe-copy principles. The practical differences are control, availability, and how you reach the files.

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Decision point Another local computer or self-managed server Hosted server
Control of files Direct access to the operating-system folders and backups. Access is mediated by the provider’s file manager, FTP-style tool, or control panel.
Server online during transfer No. Stop the dedicated server before copying. No. Power down the hosted server before uploading.
Backup visibility You choose the drive and retention policy, including the CoreKeeperSaves.zip archive. You must download or store a separate copy; panel snapshots and retention rules vary.
Path configuration Check the default save root, Saveworlds, and any -datapath override. Follow the host’s documented save path and upload layout.
Upload interface File Explorer, a Linux file manager, or another file-transfer method. A web file manager or host-provided upload control.
Always-on access Depends on your computer, network, and power settings. Designed for a server that remains available independently of your personal computer, subject to the host’s service terms.

Choose a local destination when you need full control over files and retention. Choose a hosted destination when independent uptime and a web upload workflow matter more. The world data itself does not become safer merely because it is hosted; keep an independent backup either way.

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Verify that the destination loaded the correct world

A successful server start is not enough. Check the world in-game before removing the source copy.

  • Terrain and landmarks: Confirm that explored areas, bases, pathways, and major landmarks match the source.
  • Player progress: Check inventories, equipment, skills, and other progress for at least one player.
  • World state: Look for placed objects, storage contents, doors, and automation that would reveal a newly generated world.
  • World slot: If the server presents multiple worlds, ensure that the selected index corresponds to the transferred number.
  • Persistence: Make a small, harmless change, stop the server normally, restart it, and confirm that the change remains.

Once these checks pass, retain the ZIP archive and the original source copy according to your normal backup schedule. Do not delete both at the same time merely because the server started without an error.

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Troubleshoot a missing or incorrect world

The server starts a blank world

First check the world index and filename numbering. A valid upload can still be ignored if the server is configured to open another slot. Next, inspect the directory nesting: the world must be inside the destination worlds structure, not in a neighboring folder or an extra nested directory. Finally, verify that you copied the complete folder or all required companion files.

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There is no worlds folder

A new dedicated server may not create the folder until it completes its first save after a player joins. Start it long enough for that initial save, stop it, and inspect the generated directories. You can also create the worlds folder manually before copying the world. If neither approach produces the expected location, check for a -datapath launch argument.

You cannot find the files on Windows

Paste %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowPugstormCore Keeper into File Explorer rather than browsing from the desktop. Then check the Steam and DedicatedServer branches separately. A client world is under a user-ID folder and worlds; a dedicated server normally uses the DedicatedServer root or an installation-relative Saveworlds folder.

You cannot find the files on Linux

Navigate to $HOME/.config/unity3d/Pugstorm/Core Keeper/Steam/<user-id>/worlds and enable hidden files if the file manager does not show .config. Confirm that you are checking the Steam client path rather than a separate server data path.

The copy contains only one file

Do not assume the single file is sufficient just because it has a familiar name. If the source displayed a folder, recopy the entire folder and its companions. If a hosting panel explicitly documents individual-file uploads, an item such as 0.world.gzip may be the correct unit; keep its original name and place it in the panel’s required directory.

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The server reports a file-in-use or transfer error

Stop the server and wait until its process has fully exited. Do not copy while the server is still saving. Restart the transfer only after the source files are no longer changing. If an upload was interrupted, remove the incomplete destination copy before retrying so that an old partial file is not mistaken for a complete world.

The world works once but later reverts

Check that you are testing the same destination path each time and that the server is not being launched with a different -datapath. Confirm that the server is shutting down normally so the latest save is written. Keep the original archive available while you isolate the path or shutdown problem.

Use a repeatable backup routine

For an active community world, treat a migration copy as only one layer of protection. Before major updates or risky file changes, return to the main menu and create a fresh CoreKeeperSaves.zip with Ctrl+Alt+B. For server-side backups, stop the dedicated server, copy the complete world data, label the copy with the date and world slot, and store it separately from the live directory.

Keep at least one copy that the server cannot overwrite. When rotating backups, retain a known-good copy from before the latest change instead of keeping only the newest archive. This is especially important when several numbered worlds share the same save root: record which number belongs to which world so that restoration does not depend on guesswork.

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Safe transfer checklist

  • Press Ctrl+Alt+B and preserve CoreKeeperSaves.zip.
  • Close the client if it is the source.
  • Stop the dedicated server or power down the hosted server.
  • Check the active save root and any -datapath override.
  • Copy the complete numbered world folder and companion files when present.
  • Keep filenames, numbering, and compression unchanged.
  • Create or locate the destination worlds folder.
  • Upload or place the copy while the destination server is stopped.
  • Check the configured world index.
  • Start the server, inspect the world and player progress, make a small persistence test, and retain the original backup until all checks pass.

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