Dedicated Host

Description

Planet Crafter Dedicated Host turns the normal multiplayer host into a persistent dedicated-style server setup for Linux hosts. It is designed for Ubuntu running the Windows Steam build through Proton, with BepInEx handling the game-side patches needed to auto-load a save, autosave, and accept direct-IP connections.

This is not an official standalone server binary and it does not replace the game’s networking from scratch. It runs a real Planet Crafter game instance unattended in headless mode, without a normal playable desktop session, which keeps resource usage lower than leaving a full visible client open on a host machine.

Installation instructions

  1. Download and extract this mod package on your Ubuntu host.

2. Open a terminal in the extracted folder.

3. Copy the example config and edit it if you need to change any paths:

cp scripts/env.example scripts/env.local

nano scripts/env.local

4. Run the bootstrap installer:

./scripts/bootstrap-ubuntu-host.sh --steam-username your_steam_username --save /path/to/YourSave.json

During setup, steamcmd will prompt you interactively for your Steam password and Steam Guard code if required.

What this does for you:

- installs required Ubuntu packages

- installs Proton Experimental

- installs Planet Crafter through steamcmd

- installs BepInEx

- installs the bundled mod DLL

- copies your save into the Proton save directory

- preserves the original host player from an imported save and creates a separate dedicated dummy host

- installs and enables the systemd user service

- opens 7777/udp in ufw if ufw is active

Firewall caution

If ufw is active, the installer will try to open 7777/udp automatically. If you do not want the script to change firewall rules, run it with:

./scripts/bootstrap-ubuntu-host.sh --skip-firewall --steam-username your_steam_username --save /path/to/YourSave.json

If you are using a different firewall or your server is behind a router, you may still need to open or forward port 7777/udp yourself.

5. Check that the host started correctly:

systemctl --user status planet-crafter-headless.service --no-pager

tail -n 100 "/home/$USER/games/planet-crafter-host/BepInEx/LogOutput.log"

6. Have players join by IP on port 7777. On Windows, players must launch Planet Crafter.exe directly, not through the normal Steam launch flow, so the direct Join option appears.

Important note for imported saves

Players must join with the same displayed player name they used in the original save if they want their old inventory and character state.

If you do not want to import an existing save

You can leave off the --save option:

./scripts/bootstrap-ubuntu-host.sh --steam-username your_steam_username

Main features

  - Runs Planet Crafter as a persistent dedicated-style host on Ubuntu using Proton

- Auto-loads a chosen save on startup

- Autosaves on a timer

- Forces direct-IP hosting on port 7777

- Lets Windows players join by IP instead of relying on Steam invite flow

- Runs the real game in headless mode to reduce overhead compared to leaving a full visible client open

- Preserves the original host player when importing an existing save by creating a separate dedicated dummy host

- Supports unattended startup and recovery through a systemd user service

Requirements

  - A legitimate copy of Planet Crafter on Steam

- An Ubuntu x86_64 host system

- A Steam account that owns Planet Crafter for the host install

- Port 7777/udp open for remote players

Notes

  - The included install script handles Proton, BepInEx, and the rest of the host setup automatically.

- This is a dedicated-style host, not a native dedicated server binary.

- Windows players must launch Planet Crafter.exe directly to get the direct Join option.

- In direct-IP mode, player inventories are matched by displayed player name, not Steam account ID.

- If you import an existing save, players should join with the same displayed names they used before if they want their old inventory and character state.

Shout-outs

This project was especially inspired by this Reddit thread:

[url=https://www.reddit.com/r/theplanetcrafter/comments/1dkmzw6/running_the_