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How to Host a Create: Astral / Above and Beyond Server
Create: Astral and Create: Above and Beyond (CAB) are the two flagship Create-focused expert packs — gorgeous mechanical-engineering progressions built around contraptions, trains and automation. Their performance story is unusual: the bottleneck is rarely RAM, it's the CPU cost of everything that moves. Here's how to host them so they stay smooth.
Why Create packs are CPU-bound, not RAM-bound
Every rotating shaft, belt, moving contraption and running train is simulated each tick. A few players each running big factories will load a single CPU core long before they run the server out of memory. So you tune for CPU headroom and sane builds, not just a big RAM number — and single-thread CPU speed matters more here than almost anywhere.
How much RAM does Create: Astral / Above and Beyond need?
| Players | Recommended server RAM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | 6 GB | Both packs are mid-weight on memory. |
| 5–8 | 8 GB | Comfortable for a building-focused group. |
| 9–12 | 8–10 GB | Watch contraption count more than RAM. |
| 12+ | 10 GB+ | CPU per-tick is your real ceiling, not memory. |
Setup steps
- Pick a plan with 8 GB RAM as a sensible default for a group.
- Install 'Create: Astral' or 'Create: Above and Beyond' from the installer, or paste the CurseForge/Modrinth pack.
- MineXEngine detects the loader (Above and Beyond is Forge; Astral is Fabric) and the right Java version automatically.
- Set a modest view-distance and start the server.
- Agree on build etiquette with your crew — clutch idle contraptions and keep factory sizes reasonable to protect the tick budget.
Keeping contraptions from lagging the server
- Clutch or disengage idle machines — a contraption that's moving but doing nothing still costs ticks. Use clutches/gearshifts to stop them.
- Split enormous factories across areas rather than one giant always-on megabuild.
- Avoid huge always-moving builds (giant flying machines, endless belt loops) near spawn where everyone loads them.
- Limit always-loaded chunk loaders per player so idle factories aren't ticking when no one's there.
- Use a profiler (Spark) to find the single worst contraption instead of guessing — one build is usually the culprit.
Common issues
- Tick lag from big contraptions — the main one; clutch idle machines and split factories.
- Version mismatch — Create's versions are tightly coupled; keep server and clients on the exact same build.
- Under-allocation — mid-weight, but a busy group on 4 GB will still struggle; 8 GB is the comfortable default.
- Loader assumptions — CAB is Forge but Astral is Fabric; let the engine detect the right one rather than guessing.
MineXHost runs Create: Astral and Above and Beyond on MineXEngine — our launcher auto-detects the modpack, picks the right Minecraft loader and Java version, tunes the JVM for your RAM, and auto-recovers from the crashes that normally end a modded server's evening. Pick your RAM, paste the pack, and play.
See hosting plansFrequently asked questions
How much RAM does a Create: Astral or Above and Beyond server need?
6 GB suits 1–4 players and 8 GB covers most groups of 5–8; larger groups want 10 GB+. Both are mid-weight on memory — the real limit is CPU per-tick from large moving contraptions, not RAM.
Why does my Create server lag even with plenty of RAM?
Create simulates every moving contraption, belt and train each tick, so a few huge or always-on builds load a single CPU core regardless of free memory. Clutch idle machines, split big factories, and use a profiler to find the worst offender.
What loader do Create: Astral and Above and Beyond use?
Above and Beyond runs on Forge, while Astral runs on Fabric. MineXHost's MineXEngine detects the loader and the correct Java version automatically when it installs the pack, so you don't set it by hand.
What's the difference between Create: Astral and Above and Beyond?
Both are expert Create progression packs. Above and Beyond is the original chapter-based 'get to space' pack; Astral is a newer, more open-ended adventure-flavoured take. They host almost identically in RAM/CPU profile — Above and Beyond is Forge, Astral is Fabric, and MineXEngine detects either automatically.