How to Add a Savegame to Your Kerbal Space Program Server

The savegame of a DarkMultiPlayer server is not a single file but a complete folder named Universe in the main directory of your server. Inside it the server keeps individual text files for every vessel, every Kerbal and every player.

Note

The folder name Universe is fixed. You do not have to enter a world or savegame name in any configuration – the server name has nothing to do with the savegame.

Structure of the savegame

Folder	Content
Universe/Vessels/	One file per vessel
Universe/Kerbals/	One file per Kerbal
Universe/Scenarios/	Progress such as science, funds, reputation and tech tree – one subfolder per player
Universe/Crafts/	Shared craft library
Universe/Flags/	Uploaded flags
Universe/Players/	Public keys of the players
Universe/Groups/	Player groups
Universe/Permissions/	Vessel ownership

Convert a single player savegame

A regular KSP save file (persistent.sfs) cannot be uploaded directly. The DMP client ships a converter that turns your local savegame into a ready-to-use Universe folder.

1. Install the DMP client
   Install the DMP client as described in Join Server and start Kerbal Space Program.

2. Enter your player name
   In the DMP window in the main menu, enter exactly the name you want to use on the server later in the Player name field.

3. Open the options
   Click on Options in the DMP window and then on Advanced.

4. Run the converter
   Click on Generate DMP universe from saved game.... The Universe Converter window opens and lists your local savegames – click the one you want. Your savegames are stored locally at:

   [KSP folder]/saves/<name of the savegame>/

   Warning

   An existing Universe folder inside your KSP folder is deleted and recreated without asking.

5. Check the result
   Your KSP folder now contains the new folder Universe with the subfolders Vessels, Kerbals and Scenarios. This is exactly the folder you upload in the next step.

Upload the savegame

1. Stop the server
   Stop your server via the dashboard. While the server is running it constantly writes to the Universe folder.

2. Save the current state
   Create a backup or download the existing folder: Download Savegame.

3. Connect via SFTP
   Connect to your server via SFTP.

4. Remove the old savegame
   Delete the existing folder in the main directory of your server:

   /Universe/

5. Upload the new savegame
   Upload your Universe folder including all subfolders into the main directory. The folder has to be named exactly Universe.

6. Start the server
   Start your server. It creates any missing subfolders on startup.

Important

In DarkMultiPlayer progress is stored per player in Universe/Scenarios/<player name>/. After the conversion only the folder for your own player name exists. All other players start on the server with fresh progress – DMP has no shared career or science progress for everyone.

Warning

Use the same player name on the server as during the conversion. If the name differs, the server finds no matching folder under Universe/Scenarios/ and your converted progress is not assigned to you.

Tip

If the game mode and difficulty do not match your uploaded savegame, set both in the dashboard under settings (Game Mode and Game Difficulty). Both values are written from the dashboard into the configuration on every server start – changing them directly in the file has no effect.

Note

Vessels from the converted savegame are stored as individual files in Universe/Vessels/. That way a single vessel can be removed without touching the whole savegame – stop the server for that as well.