SyncCrate
Don't Starve Together guide · Updated
Same DST mods before anyone starves.
Workshop mods download by themselves when friends join. Your local mods don't. SyncCrate copies the host's Don't Starve Together mods folder to every friend, and after the first time only what changed.
FreeOpen sourceNo cloudWin · macOS · Linux
// 01 Why
Why friends can't join with your local mods
When you host a modded Don't Starve Together world, mods from the Steam Workshop download for players as they join. Mods that aren't on the Workshop, like your own mod, a friend's work in progress, or a version you changed by hand, can't be sent that way. If one of them is needed by every player, friends are stuck until they have the same files.
Local mods live in the mods folder inside the game's install folder, next to the files the game uses to set up mods. Copying the right folders by hand, and doing it again after every edit, is where the evening goes.
With SyncCrate one PC hosts and the others match it. Files are compared by content, only the differences are copied, and everyone sees the list before anything changes.
// 02 What syncs
What SyncCrate syncs for Don't Starve Together
| Folder | Path in the game folder | Files |
|---|---|---|
| Mods | mods/Local mod folders in the game's mods folder. modsettings.lua and dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua stay as they are on each PC. | All files |
// Where it looks
- Steam
steamapps/common/Don't Starve Togetherin every Steam library, on every drive- Anywhere else
- Point SyncCrate at the folder yourself, once
Built in for Don't Starve Together
- Script warnings.
.luafiles run code on your PC, so they're flagged for you to review before they sync. - Turn mods on and off. Disabled mods move to a
_Disabledfolder the game doesn't load. - Game-running warning. SyncCrate warns you before syncing while Don't Starve Together is still open.
- Undo and history. Undo the last sync in one click, and put back any single file a sync replaced or deleted.
// 03 How it works
Sync Don't Starve Together in three steps
Install and add the game
Install SyncCrate on every PC and add Don't Starve Together in the Game Browser. Its folder is found automatically.
One PC hosts
The PC with the setup everyone should have clicks Start Hosting. The others pick it under Scan for Hosts on the same network, or paste its join code from anywhere.
Compare and sync
Check the list of new, changed and conflicting files, then Sync Now. Only the files that differ are copied, PC to PC.
TipClose Don't Starve Together before syncing. SyncCrate warns you if the game is still running, and the game only picks up new mods on start.
// 04 Common problems
When Don't Starve Together mods don't match
A local mod every player needs
Mods that change the world or add characters must be on every player's PC, and only Workshop mods download automatically.
Everyone syncs the host's local mods before joining, so the files match.
Testing a mod with friends
Mod makers send new builds to testers after every change, and someone always tests the old one.
The modder hosts, testers sync and get only the files that changed.
Personal mod setup files overwritten
modsettings.luaanddedicated_server_mods_setup.luaare set up per PC, and copying them from a friend would change which mods load for you.Both files are skipped, so only the mod folders sync.
Mods run Lua
DST mods are Lua code that runs in the game.
.luafiles are flagged before they sync, and nothing changes until you approve the list. Only sync with people you trust.
// 05 Don't Starve Together
Good to know
- Workshop mods aren't synced. Steam manages them, so SyncCrate leaves them alone. That's fine: the game downloads them for players who join.
- Worlds aren't synced. DST keeps saves in your Documents under Klei, not in the game folder.
- Client-only mods like minimaps or UI tweaks are everyone's own choice. If you don't want the host's, exclude those folders.
// FAQ
Don't Starve Together questions
Where do Don't Starve Together local mods go?
In the mods folder inside the game's install folder, for example Steam/steamapps/common/Don't Starve Together/mods, one folder per mod. SyncCrate finds it in every Steam library.
Why can't my friends download my DST mod when they join?
The game downloads mods from the Steam Workshop for joining players, not local mods. Friends need the files in their own mods folder, which is what syncing from you does.
Does SyncCrate sync Workshop mods?
No. Workshop mods are managed by Steam, and the game downloads them for players when they join a server that uses them.
Does it work with a dedicated server?
If the server runs on a PC with SyncCrate, point SyncCrate at the server's install folder and sync its mods folder like any other PC. Its dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua is left alone.
// Related game guides
All games · SyncCrate supports 100 games.
// Free · Open source · Windows, macOS, Linux
Same Don't Starve Together setup on every PC.
Install SyncCrate on each PC, one of you hosts, everyone else joins. No accounts, no cloud, nothing uploaded anywhere.