Starbound Server Setup Guide

This guide covers setting up and configuring your Starbound dedicated server on Legion Hosting, including Steam authentication prerequisites, first-time startup, server configuration, universe settings, connecting players, and save management. For mod installation, see Starbound Mod Installation. For admin commands and privileges, see Starbound Admin Commands.

Prerequisites

Before starting your Starbound server, you must have the following:

• A Steam account that owns Starbound. The server binary is not available for anonymous download -- the account you provide must have Starbound in its library.
• Steam Guard considerations. If your Steam account has Steam Guard (two-factor authentication) enabled, you will need to provide the authentication code via the STEAM_AUTH startup variable during the first installation. After the initial authentication, SteamCMD caches the session and subsequent starts should not require the code again unless the cache expires.
• Dedicated Steam account recommended. For security, consider using a separate Steam account that owns Starbound solely for server hosting. This avoids sharing your primary account credentials and prevents conflicts if you want to play on the same account simultaneously.

First Start

After purchasing your Starbound server from Legion Hosting, follow these steps to get it running for the first time:

1. Log into GPanel and select your Starbound server.
2. Go to the Startup tab.
3. Fill in the required Steam credentials:
   • STEAM_USER -- Your Steam account username (required).
   • STEAM_PASS -- Your Steam account password (required).
   • STEAM_AUTH -- Your Steam Guard 2FA code, if prompted (optional, only needed on first install or when the cached session expires).
4. Go to the Console tab and click Start.
5. The server will download the Starbound dedicated server files via SteamCMD. This may take several minutes on first launch.
6. Once the download completes, the server will generate a default universe and start listening for connections.

GPanel Startup Variables

starbound_server.config

The primary server configuration file is located at:

storage/starbound_server.config

This file uses JSON format. Edit it via the File Manager in GPanel or through SFTP. The server must be stopped before editing, as changes are loaded on startup.

Key Server Settings

Example starbound_server.config

{
  "serverName" : "My Legion Starbound Server",
  "maxPlayers" : 8,
  "gameServerBind" : "::",
  "serverPassword" : "",
  "allowAnonymousConnections" : true,
  "allowAssetsMismatch" : true,
  "maxTeamSize" : 4,
  "clientIPJoinable" : true,
  "clientP2PJoinable" : false,
  "allowAdminCommands" : true,
  "allowAdminCommandsFromAnyone" : false,
  "serverUsers" : {
    "YourUsername" : {
      "admin" : true,
      "password" : "your-admin-password"
    }
  }
}

World and Universe Settings

Starbound uses a procedurally generated universe. Each time a player visits a new star system or planet, the game generates it based on a universe seed and coordinate system. The server's universe data is stored in:

storage/universe/

This directory contains all generated world data, including planets, space stations, and player-built structures placed in the world.

Universe Configuration

Universe generation parameters can be adjusted in the starbound_server.config file or through universe-related asset files. Key concepts:

How to Connect

Players connect to your Starbound server using the in-game multiplayer menu.

Direct Connect via IP

1. Launch Starbound.
2. From the main menu, click Multiplayer.
3. Select your character.
4. In the Server Address field, enter your server's IP address and port in the format: IP:Port
5. If the server has a password set, enter the Account Name and Password matching a serverUsers entry in the server config. If allowAnonymousConnections is true and no server password is set, these fields can be left empty.
6. Click Join Server.

Steam Friends (Not Applicable)

The Steam "Join Game" feature is for peer-to-peer hosted games, not dedicated servers. Players must use the direct IP connection method described above to join your Legion Hosting server.

Save Management

Starbound stores all server data within the storage/ directory. Understanding the file structure helps with backups, transfers, and troubleshooting.

Key Storage Directories and Files

Creating Backups

Regular backups protect your server's universe, player data, and configuration from accidental loss or corruption.

1. Stop your server in GPanel to ensure all data is written to disk.
2. Connect to your server via SFTP or use the File Manager.
3. Download the entire storage/ directory to your local computer.
4. Store the backup in a safe location with a date label (e.g., storage-backup-2026-02-26).

Restoring from Backup

1. Stop your server.
2. Upload your backup files to the corresponding locations in the storage/ directory, overwriting the existing files.
3. Start the server.

Transferring a World from Another Server

To move your Starbound universe from another server or a local game:

1. Stop both the source and destination servers.
2. Copy the storage/universe/ directory from the source to the destination server.
3. Optionally, copy storage/player/ if you want to transfer player data as well.
4. Copy your starbound_server.config to preserve server settings.
5. Start the destination server and verify the world loads correctly.

Related Articles

• Starbound Mod Installation
• Starbound Admin Commands
• How to Find Your Server IP and Port
• How to Upload Files via SFTP
• Server Startup Guide

Need Help?

If you are experiencing issues not covered in this guide, our support team is available to assist. Open a ticket at legionhosting.net/submitticket.php with your server details and a description of the problem.