How To Split Overworld and Caves on Your Don't Starve Together Server

As a default here at Nodecraft, you can have both an Overworld and Caves server setup on one instance. If you're interested in how we do this, more information is explained in our other article.

There are benefits to your server's resources by having your Overworld be on one server, and your Caves be on another. It will require two bots (plans) but allows the resources (the RAM and CPU) to be split across the two servers, optimizing performance by reducing the amount of load that both Overworld and Caves put onto a single server.

This guide will walk you through the process of splitting your server to be hosted on two different bots, and to link them together.

Preparing the Files and Instances

The very important first step: stop your main server and create a backup in the Backups section of Nodecraft Pro.

A view of Nodecraft Pro's Backups GUI for a Don't Starve Together server

While your server is creating the backup, take the time to create another Instance for your Caves on your Dashboard.

A view of Nodecraft's Dashboard, showing an Overworld and Caves server deployed for Don't Starve Together

To make things a bit easier, you might use two browser tabs; one for your Overworld and the other for your Caves. Delete all the files on the newly created Caves instance in the Server Files.

A view of deleting all the files for a Don't Starve Together server within Nodecraft Pro

Download the backup from your Overworld Instance, then upload it to the new Caves Instance in the empty Server Files tab. Lastly, unzip the backup. If your backup is quite large, or you have a poor internet connection, we highly recommend using an FTP tool.

A view of downloading a backup via Nodecraft Pro for a Don't Starve Together server

A view of where to upload your backup for a Don't Starve Together server within Nodecraft Pro

Configuring the Settings

For both Instances go to the Game Settings section, then the Advanced tab of your Panel, and change the Server Mode to just Overworld or Caves, one for each of the Instances.

A view of the Server Mode setting for Don't Starve Together within Nodecraft Pro

For the Overworld Instance

Go to the cluster.ini file located in /.klei/DoNotStarveTogether/MyDediServer folder in Server Files.
Edit bind_ip to 0.0.0.0.
Be sure to Save your edit.

A view of editing the bind ip setting for Don't Starve Together within Nodecraft Pro

For the Caves Instance

Go to the cluster.ini file located in /.klei/DoNotStarveTogether/MyDediServer folder in Server Files.
Edit master_ip to be the IP Address from the Overworld Instance. This is found in the Overview section on the Panel for that server.
Be sure to Save your edit.

A view of editing the master ip setting for Don't Starve Together within Nodecraft Pro

Testing the Servers

Start up both of your Instances. Confirm the shard connection in the server's Console of each Instance. It should look like the following screenshot. A view of Nodecraft Pro's Console for Don't Starve Together highlighting the shards connecting

Troubleshooting

Each instance can have the same cluster token as they are considered to be a part of the same shard.

Both instances need to be on the same Gamemode, found in the Game Settings section.

A view of the Game Mode setting within Nodecraft Pro for a Don't Starve Together server

On your Caves Instance, the Caves folder needs the worldgenoverride.lua file for the caves entrances to be accessible, even if they're correctly linked.

A view of the worldgenoverride.lua file for the Caves for Don't Starve Together within Nodecraft Pro

A view of the default cave's worldgenoverride.lua file for a Don't Starve Together server within Nodecraft Pro

If you have any trouble or have any questions about the process, please contact us in support where we will be happy to assist!