Starbound: How to Install Steam Workshop Mods on a Server

This guide will walk you through the entire Starbound server modding process, from subscribing to mods in the Steam workshop to adding them to your server.

Adding mods to your Starbound server is simple when using the Steam and Node panel.

Contents…

Step 1: Subscribing to Mods on Steam Workshop
Step 2: Finding Mods on Your Computer
Step 3: Locating Workshop Mods
Step 4: Creating a Zip Folder and Uploading to Your Server
Step 5: Simplifying the Process with a Helpful Feature
Step 6: Starting Your Server and Enjoying Your Mods

Step 1: Subscribing to Mods on Steam Workshop

First, subscribe to the mods you want to add on the Steam workshop. Click the green “Subscribe” button on the mod’s workshop page. Wait for Steam to finish downloading the mods in the background.

Step 2: Finding Mods on Your Computer

Now, it’s time to locate the mods on your computer. To do this, find where Starbound and its files are stored:

Right-click on Starbound in your Steam library.
Click on “Properties.”
From the “Local Files” tab, click “Browse Local Files.”

This will take you to the directory where the game files are stored on your computer. You might think the “mods” folder would be the right place to look, but that’s only for non-workshop mods. Instead, go back to the main directory by clicking the back arrow.

Step 3: Locating Workshop Mods

In the list of files, you’ll see a folder called “Workshop”. Follow these steps to access your mods:

Open the “Workshop” folder.
Go to the “Content” folder.
Go to the folder with the Steam ID for Starbound (211820).

Here, you’ll find folders named after the Workshop ID for each mod you’ve installed. Inside these folders, there will be a “contents.pac” file.

Step 4: Creating a Zip Folder and Uploading to Your Server

Grab all of the mod folders and files, then create a zip folder. Upload the zip file to the “mods” folder in your file manager on the server.

Step 5: Simplifying the Process with a Helpful Feature

Now, make things easier by utilizing a special feature under the server’s “Settings” tab. Go to the “Mods” tab and click a button that runs a script to automatically pull the “contents.pac” files out of the folders and rename them. This way, the files won’t be overwritten, and you won’t have to manually rename every individual file.

Step 6: Starting Your Server and Enjoying Your Mods

Once you’ve completed these steps, you’re all set! Start up your server and enjoy playing Starbound with your new mods. Have fun, and remember: don’t die in space!