Install Create: Above and Beyond on your Minecraft Server

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Install Create: Above and Beyond on your Minecraft Server

Create: Above and Beyond is an official Create modpack for Minecraft Java Edition 1.16.5. The modpack uses Forge and adds a quest-based progression system focused on automation, engineering, factories, and space travel.

The latest official release is Above and Beyond v1.3. This guide explains how to install this release on an UltraServers Minecraft server, create a matching Prism Launcher instance, configure Java 8, and connect to the server.

Important: Install Above and Beyond v1.3 on both the server and every connecting player's computer. Do not update individual mods or change the included Forge version on only one side. Any difference in the modpack release, Forge version, or mod list can prevent players from connecting.

Meet the Prerequisites

Install the latest version of Prism Launcher on your computer.
Ensure you own Minecraft Java Edition and can sign in with the Microsoft account linked to it.
Create a backup of your server.
Download any server files or worlds you want to keep before continuing.
Confirm that the server has enough available memory and processing resources for a large Forge modpack.

Create: Above and Beyond contains more than 100 mods and requires more resources than a vanilla Minecraft server. The required resources depend on the number of players, world size, automated machines, and loaded chunks. Monitor the server's memory and CPU usage after installation and upgrade the server if it regularly reaches its limits.

World compatibility warning: Do not load an existing vanilla world or a world from another modpack without first creating a backup. Create: Above and Beyond changes world generation and adds modded blocks and items. Loading an incompatible world can cause missing content, broken terrain, or startup failures.

Install Create: Above and Beyond on the Server

Sign in to the UltraServers panel.
Open the Minecraft server on which you want to install Create: Above and Beyond.
Stop the server.
Open the 1 Modpacks tab in the left-hand navigation menu.
Select 2 CurseForge from the Provider menu.
Enter 3 Create: Above and Beyond in the search field.
Locate the official Create: Above and Beyond project.
Click the official project's 4 Install button.

Select 1 Above and Beyond v1.3 from the Modpack version menu.
Record the complete release name. You must select the same release in Prism Launcher.
Review the 2 Delete all files option.
Click 3 Install to begin the installation.

Warning: Enabling Delete all files permanently deletes the server's existing files, including its world, configuration files, mods, and player data. Create a backup before enabling this option. Enable it only when you want a clean installation and no longer require the existing files.

A clean installation is recommended when replacing another server type or modpack. Old mods and configuration files can conflict with Create: Above and Beyond. Restore individual files only after confirming that they are compatible with version 1.3.

Start Create: Above and Beyond

Wait for the modpack installation to finish.
Return to the Console tab.
Start the server.
Allow several minutes for the first startup.
Monitor the console while Forge loads the modpack and generates its configuration files.
Wait until the console displays a successful startup message similar to:

Done (...)! For help, type "help"

Do not attempt to connect before the Done message appears.

The first startup normally takes longer than later startups because Forge must load the mod list, generate configuration files, and prepare the world. Warnings in the console do not always indicate a failure. The server is ready when the console displays the Done message and remains running.

If the server stops before displaying the Done message, wait until the process has fully stopped and start it one more time. If it continues to crash, do not repeatedly reinstall the modpack. Review the latest console error and follow the troubleshooting section below.

Install Create: Above and Beyond in Prism Launcher

Open Prism Launcher.
Click 1 Add Instance.
Select 2 CurseForge in the left-hand sidebar.
Enter 3 Create: Above and Beyond in the search field.
Select the 4 official Create: Above and Beyond project by simibubi.
Confirm that the project description identifies it as the official challenge pack.
Open the 5 Version selected menu and select Above and Beyond v1.3.
Confirm that this release matches the one installed on the UltraServers server.
Click 6 OK to create the instance.

Install the modpack directly from the CurseForge section in Prism Launcher. Do not create a separate custom Minecraft 1.16.5 instance and do not manually select a Forge version. The CurseForge modpack metadata provides the Minecraft and Forge versions required by Above and Beyond v1.3.

Do not replace the Forge version included with the modpack merely because Prism Launcher marks another Forge release as recommended. Changing Forge can cause startup errors or create a mismatch between the server and client.

CurseForge project owners can restrict third-party launchers from downloading certain files automatically. If Prism Launcher displays a list of missing files, follow its instructions to download each file from CurseForge. Add the files to the location requested by Prism Launcher, then continue creating the instance.

Configure Java 8

Create: Above and Beyond runs on Minecraft 1.16.5, which uses Java 8. Prism Launcher 9.0 and newer can normally select and download the required Java version automatically.

Open 1 Settings in Prism Launcher.
Select 2 Java.
Enable 3 Autodetect Java version.
Enable 4 Auto-download Mojang Java, if this option is available.
Close Settings.
Start the Create: Above and Beyond instance.

Use Prism Launcher's automatic Java selection first. Do not manually enter a Java path unless the automatically selected runtime fails to start the modpack.

Resolve the Java 8u321 Forge Crash

Some older Minecraft 1.16.5 Forge releases crash when used with Java 8u321 or newer. This problem can occur before Minecraft reaches its main menu.

If Prism Launcher reports a Java or Forge compatibility error:

Right-click the Create: Above and Beyond instance.
Select Edit.
Open Settings.
Select Java.
Enable the option to use an instance-specific Java installation.
Select a Java 8u312 or earlier runtime.
Save the instance settings.
Start the instance again.

For additional Java installation instructions, see the Prism Launcher Java guide.

Use Java 8u312 or earlier only when the automatically selected Java runtime causes the known Minecraft 1.16.5 Forge crash. Do not disable Prism Launcher's Java compatibility checks as the first solution.

Connect to the Server

Double-click the Create: Above and Beyond instance in Prism Launcher.
Wait for Minecraft to reach the main menu.
Confirm that the lower-left corner identifies Minecraft 1.16.5 and Forge.
Click Multiplayer.
Click Add Server.
Enter a recognizable name in the Server Name field.
Copy the connection address from the UltraServers panel.
Enter the complete address, including its port, in the Server Address field.
Click Done.
Select the server from the multiplayer server list.
Click Join Server.

The connection address must include the port shown in the UltraServers panel. It normally uses the format IP:PORT. Do not use the example address shown in a screenshot.

Troubleshoot Create: Above and Beyond

Resolve a Mod Mismatch

A mismatch normally produces an error such as Mismatched mod channel list, Mod rejections, or a list of missing mods.

Confirm that the server uses Above and Beyond v1.3.
Confirm that every player selected Above and Beyond v1.3 in Prism Launcher.
Confirm that the client instance came from the official CurseForge project by simibubi.
Remove any mods manually added to the client unless the same versions are installed on the server.
Do not update individual mods on only the server or only the client.
Recreate the Prism Launcher instance if its files have been modified and you cannot identify the mismatch.

The project name alone is not enough to confirm compatibility. The server and client must use the same complete modpack release. For this guide, both sides must use Above and Beyond v1.3.

Resolve a Server Startup Failure

Wait until the server process fully stops.
Start the server one more time if the failure occurred during the first startup.
Open the Console tab.
Look for the first relevant line containing ERROR, FATAL, Caused by, OutOfMemoryError, or Missing dependency.
Confirm that the modpack installation completed successfully.
Confirm that no files from another modpack remain on the server.
Check the server's memory usage.
Restore the backup if the failure started after replacing another server type or world.
See Modpack Installation Troubleshooting for additional diagnostic steps.

Resolve a Prism Launcher Download Failure

Update Prism Launcher.
Confirm that the instance uses the official Create: Above and Beyond CurseForge project.
Retry creating the instance.
Follow the provided CurseForge links if Prism Launcher requests manual downloads.
Place every downloaded file in the location requested by Prism Launcher.
Do not extract .jar mod files.
Start the instance only after Prism Launcher finishes processing the downloads.

Resolve a Java Startup Failure

Confirm that Prism Launcher selected Java 8 for the instance.
Enable automatic Java detection and download.
If the log identifies the known old-Forge Java problem, select Java 8u312 or earlier.
Do not use Java 17 or Java 21 for this Minecraft 1.16.5 modpack.
Do not disable Java compatibility checks unless the Prism Launcher documentation specifically instructs you to do so.

Resolve an Out-of-Memory Error

An out-of-memory failure may include java.lang.OutOfMemoryError in the server console or Prism Launcher log.

For a server-side error:

Stop the server.
Confirm that no unrelated services are consuming the server's available resources.
Review the server's memory usage in the UltraServers panel.
Reduce unnecessary loaded chunks or complex automated machines where possible.
Upgrade the server if it regularly reaches its memory limit.

For a client-side error:

Open the instance's Edit window in Prism Launcher.
Open Settings.
Select Java.
Increase the instance's maximum memory allocation.
Do not allocate all available system memory to Minecraft.
Close unnecessary applications before starting the instance.

When requesting assistance, include the complete modpack release, the relevant console error, and the server's latest.log file where possible. This information helps distinguish a resource issue from a mod, Forge, or Java failure.

If you require further assistance, you can open a support ticket here.

Feedback and suggestions can be submitted here or further discussed on our Discord server.

Install Create: Above and Beyond on your Minecraft Server
Meet the Prerequisites
Install Create: Above and Beyond on the Server
Start Create: Above and Beyond
Install Create: Above and Beyond in Prism Launcher
Configure Java 8
Resolve the Java 8u321 Forge Crash
Connect to the Server
Troubleshoot Create: Above and Beyond
Resolve a Mod Mismatch
Resolve a Server Startup Failure
Resolve a Prism Launcher Download Failure
Resolve a Java Startup Failure
Resolve an Out-of-Memory Error