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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesInstall OpenStarbound as a separate game from Starbound, then supply the assets/packed.pak file from your legally owned Starbound installation. Use the latest stable release rather than a nightly build, choose the client package for playing or the server package for hosting, and keep both sides on compatible versions. Windows provides an installer; Linux and macOS users use the matching archive or build instructions. Existing saves can be migrated by copying storage, while Steam Workshop content requires Steam to be open and local non-Steam mods can be copied into the new mods folder.
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.
What you need before installing
OpenStarbound is a separate executable and project derived from Starbound. It does not include Starbound’s commercial game assets. The official README states, “You must own Starbound for the game assets.” Install Starbound through your legitimate copy first, or have its existing installation available locally, because OpenStarbound cannot start correctly without the asset archive supplied by that installation.
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- A working Starbound installation containing
assets/packed.pak. - An OpenStarbound package for the operating system and role you need: client for playing, server for hosting.
- Enough disk space for a second installation and any copied saves or mods.
- Permission to create files in the destination directory.
- For multiplayer, clients and the server should use compatible OpenStarbound versions and the same required content and mods.
Do not overwrite the original Starbound directory. Keeping two separate directories makes rollback, troubleshooting and save backups much safer.
Choose a stable client or a dedicated server package
Stable release versus nightly build
Start with the latest stable release. The project explicitly recommends stable because nightly builds can contain bugs. A nightly may be useful for testing a fix or a new feature, but it is a poor default for a long-running world or a server whose players expect predictable behavior. The official releases page currently lists v0.1.15.1 as its latest release entry. Its notes include a server-log fix described as preventing disconnections that affected older clients, which is another reason to update clients and servers together instead of mixing generations.
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Client versus server
The client package contains the files needed to launch the game and play. The server distribution is intended for a headless or dedicated host and is not interchangeable with the client executable. Download the server package for the operating system that will run the world; do not assume that copying a client executable and renaming it creates a server.
| Goal | Package to download | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| Play locally | OpenStarbound client installer or client archive | Your Starbound packed.pak, plus optional saves and mods |
| Run a dedicated host | OpenStarbound server distribution | packed.pak, supplied configuration and libraries, and a compatible client population |
| Build from source | Repository source and platform toolchain | Platform-specific dependencies; this is separate from using a ready-made release |
Install the client on Windows
- Confirm that Starbound is installed and locate its
assetsdirectory. Verify thatpacked.pakis present before downloading anything else. - Open the official OpenStarbound repository and select the latest stable release. Choose the Windows installer or the Windows client archive, depending on the files offered for that release.
- If you use the installer, select a new destination that is not the original Starbound folder. If you use the archive, extract it to a dedicated directory such as an OpenStarbound folder under your games directory.
- Open the new OpenStarbound directory and locate its
assetsfolder. Copy Starbound’sassets/packed.pakinto that folder. The resulting path must be the OpenStarbound directory followed byassets/packed.pak. - Optionally copy Starbound’s
userfolder besidepacked.pak. This brings over vanilla playable-instrument songs; it is not required for the game to launch. - If you want a clean start, launch the OpenStarbound client executable now. If you want to preserve your world, migrate the data as described below before launching.
On first launch, allow the program to finish creating its user and configuration files. If Windows security software asks for access, approve only the executable you intentionally installed and keep the installation directory consistent so later updates do not point at a different copy.
Install the client on Linux or macOS
Use the client archive matching the operating system and CPU architecture offered by the project. The README notes that Linux and macOS builds may be routed through the repository’s Actions tab while the nightly-link service is unavailable; that availability can change, so check the current README and release listings immediately before downloading.
- Install or verify Starbound and locate its
assets/packed.pak. - Download the OpenStarbound client archive for your platform. Do not download the server archive when you intend to play.
- Extract the archive into its own directory. Preserve the directory structure, including the supplied libraries and configuration files.
- Copy
packed.pakinto the extracted OpenStarboundassetsdirectory. Copy the optionaluserfolder there as well if you want vanilla instrument songs. - Make the supplied client launch script executable when your desktop environment does not do so automatically, then run the script or executable documented by that archive. Keep the working directory at the package root so relative paths resolve correctly.
- Launch once to create initial data, or copy your existing
storageand localmodsfirst if you are migrating.
macOS-specific note
The project’s macOS build notes distinguish Intel and ARM presets. A built installation must have the appropriate Steam API library placed beside the game files, and packed.pak must be copied into the installation’s assets directory. These requirements apply to a build assembled from the project instructions; a ready-made archive may already contain the expected layout but still needs the Starbound asset file.
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Place packed.pak correctly
This is the most common installation mistake. Copy the file itself, not the entire Starbound directory and not a shortcut. The source is the normal Starbound installation’s assets/packed.pak; the destination is the OpenStarbound installation’s assets directory.
| Check | Correct result | Typical mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Filename | packed.pak |
A renamed, compressed or partial file |
| Source | Your owned Starbound installation | A file copied from an unrelated mod or download |
| Destination | OpenStarbound/assets/packed.pak |
OpenStarbound/packed.pak or a nested duplicate assets/assets folder |
| Permissions | The OpenStarbound process can read the file | Read restrictions caused by an archive or protected directory |
If the game reports missing assets, close it and inspect the path manually. On case-sensitive systems, keep the directory and filename spelling exactly as supplied. Re-copying the file from the original installation is safer than trying to repair or rename it.
Migrate Starbound saves, settings and mods
Copy the storage folder
To bring existing characters, worlds and settings into OpenStarbound, close both games and copy Starbound’s storage folder into the corresponding OpenStarbound location. Make a complete backup of the destination before replacing anything. Copying the folder transfers save data and settings; it does not automatically make incompatible mods or server content safe.
- Exit Starbound and OpenStarbound.
- Back up the current OpenStarbound
storagefolder, if one exists, by renaming it or copying it elsewhere. - Copy the Starbound
storagefolder into the OpenStarbound installation’s user-data location, using the directory layout created by the first OpenStarbound launch. - Start OpenStarbound and verify a character and world before deleting the backup.
If a migrated world fails to load, restore the backup and test with a clean data directory. A failure after migration usually points to a mod or content mismatch rather than a missing client executable.
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Steam-subscribed mods
OpenStarbound can load subscribed Steam mods when Steam is open. Start Steam before launching the client and allow it to finish signing in and synchronizing subscriptions. If Steam is closed, subscribed content may not be available even though the game itself starts.
Local, non-Steam mods
For mods installed locally rather than through Steam, copy the Starbound mods folder into the OpenStarbound installation’s corresponding mods folder. Copy only the mods you still need, and keep a backup of the original folder. A mod that depends on an older game version can prevent startup or corrupt a world, so test a migrated installation with mods removed if problems begin immediately after copying them.
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- Choose the official OpenStarbound server distribution for the operating system that will host the world. Keep the server package separate from any desktop client installation.
- Extract it into a dedicated directory with write permission. Avoid placing it inside a protected system directory where the process cannot create logs or world data.
- Copy the owned Starbound
assets/packed.pakinto the server distribution’sassetsdirectory, producing the sameassets/packed.paklayout used by the client. - Keep the supplied or generated
sbinit.configfiles in the locations provided by the distribution. Do not replace them with a client configuration unless the project instructions for that release explicitly require it. - Leave the required libraries beside the binaries. The project’s assembled distributions include binaries, premade
sbinit.configfiles and required libraries; moving only one executable to another directory can break startup. - Launch the supplied server executable or platform script. On Linux, the repository documentation refers to a corresponding server bash script; run that script from the server package’s directory so its relative paths and libraries are found.
- Stop the process cleanly after the first launch, back up the generated data, then configure your world and access settings according to the files shipped with that release.
- Give connecting players the exact OpenStarbound version and required mod/content set. Update the server and clients as a coordinated change rather than upgrading only one side.
Network access is deployment-specific
The official installation documentation does not provide one universal firewall, router or port-forwarding recipe. Those settings depend on the host operating system, home router, cloud provider and whether players connect over a private network or the public internet. Open the server’s listening port only as required by your deployment, allow the server process through the host firewall, and test from a separate network. Provider dashboards, NAT behavior and security-group names differ, so follow the documentation for the equipment or hosting environment you actually use.
Ready-made packages versus building from source
Use a ready-made release when you only need to play or host
A release archive is the simplest path: extract it, preserve its supplied files, copy packed.pak, and run the included client or server launcher. Linux and macOS users do not need the project’s build toolchain merely to run a complete archive.
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Build from source when you need a development or platform-specific build
The Linux build notes list Ubuntu dependencies, CMake 3.23 or newer and vcpkg. They also describe assembled output containing separate client and server directories, binaries, premade sbinit.config files and required libraries. These are build requirements, not prerequisites for users who download a ready-made release. On macOS, select the Intel or ARM preset that matches the machine and place the appropriate Steam API library beside the built game files before launching.
Source builds require more troubleshooting because a missing compiler dependency, wrong architecture or misplaced runtime library can look like an application failure. Unless you are testing code or need a build unavailable in the release channel, use the stable package instead.
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Version alignment matters even when both installations contain the same packed.pak. The current release notes include a server-log fix specifically described as preventing disconnections that affected older clients. That example does not establish a universal compatibility rule for every release, but it demonstrates why a server operator should record the exact version, update clients when the server changes, and avoid mixing stable and nightly builds casually.
- Record the OpenStarbound version in the server’s deployment notes.
- Give players the same release channel and version before inviting them to connect.
- Install the same required mods and content versions on both sides.
- Back up worlds before an upgrade and test a copy first.
- If players disconnect after an update, compare client and server versions before changing network settings.
Troubleshoot the first launch
The game says assets are missing
Verify that packed.pak came from your installed Starbound copy and is directly inside OpenStarbound’s assets directory. Check for an extra nested folder, a typo in the filename or a file that was copied from an incomplete installation.
The client starts, but subscribed mods are absent
Open Steam, wait for it to sign in and finish subscription updates, then launch OpenStarbound again. Steam-subscribed content is not the same as files in the local mods folder.
A migrated world crashes or fails to load
Restore the pre-migration backup, launch with a clean storage directory, and then add local mods one group at a time. This isolates a mod or content dependency without destroying the original save.
The Linux or macOS launcher cannot find libraries
Run the supplied script from the package root and keep the accompanying libraries in their original locations. For a source build, confirm the correct architecture preset and the documented dependencies. On macOS, check that the required Steam API library is beside the built game files.
Clients disconnect from a server
Compare the exact client and server builds, then compare required mods and content. Upgrade both sides together and review the release notes before changing firewall or router rules. A version mismatch can produce a disconnect even when the server is reachable.
Fresh installation or migration: which path should you take?
| Situation | Recommended approach | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You want to test OpenStarbound without altering Starbound | Fresh OpenStarbound data; copy only packed.pak |
Keeps the test isolated and makes rollback simple |
| You want existing characters and worlds | Back up and copy storage |
Transfers save data and settings |
| You use Steam Workshop content | Keep Steam open when launching | Allows subscribed Steam mods to load |
| You maintain private or manually installed mods | Copy the local mods folder selectively |
Brings over non-Steam files without blindly importing every dependency |
| You are running a public server | Use the server distribution, fixed version and documented backups | Separates hosting files from a playable client and improves repeatability |
Updating without losing your world
- Stop the client or server and wait for disk activity to finish.
- Back up
storage,mods, configuration files and the server’s world data. - Install the new OpenStarbound release in a new directory rather than deleting the old one immediately.
- Copy
packed.pakinto the newassetsdirectory and preserve the supplied libraries and configuration layout. - For a server, update the client installations and required mods to the same compatible version before allowing players back in.
- Launch privately and verify a test character or world. Keep the previous directory until the new version has passed that check.
Stable releases are the sensible baseline for an ongoing world. Use a nightly only when you accept the possibility of bugs and have a tested backup and rollback path.
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