How to Host a Create: Above and Beyond Server

What Is Create: Above and Beyond?

Create: Above and Beyond (C:AB) is a progression-focused modpack built entirely around the Create mod. Running on Forge for Minecraft 1.18.2, it guides players through chapters that unlock new Create mechanics, materials, and machines. The pack uses Create's mechanical systems for everything, there are no traditional tech mod machines like Mekanism or Thermal. Automation is done exclusively with gears, belts, fans, presses, and mechanical crafters.

Because every automation chain uses Create contraptions with moving parts, the performance profile is heavily CPU-bound. If you want to host a Create Above and Beyond server, single-thread CPU speed matters more than RAM or disk speed.

Server Requirements

Forge and Java Version

C:AB runs on Forge for Minecraft 1.18.2, requiring Java 17. The server pack from CurseForge includes the tested Forge build. Use it as provided. Java 8 will not work, and Java 21 is unnecessary for this Minecraft version.

RAM Allocation

Player Count	Minimum RAM	Recommended RAM
1–5 players	5 GB	6 GB
6–10 players	6 GB	8 GB
10–15 players	8 GB	10 GB

C:AB is lighter on mod count than kitchen-sink packs (roughly 100 mods), so RAM is moderate. The bottleneck is CPU, not memory. Use the RAM calculator for sizing. When you host a Create Above and Beyond server, budget for CPU quality over RAM quantity.

Downloading and Installing

Download the C:AB server pack from CurseForge. Extract and run:

chmod +x startserver.sh
./startserver.sh

Accept the EULA after the first run, then restart. Boot time is 2 to 3 minutes. The pack generates its custom world with chapter-locked areas on first startup.

Config Tweaks

Chapter Progression

C:AB locks content behind chapters. Players must complete objectives before unlocking the next tier. The quest configs under config/ let you adjust requirements if your server community prefers faster or slower progression. Avoid skipping chapters entirely, as the pack balance depends on each chapter teaching mechanics needed in the next.

Contraption Size Limits

Create allows enormous contraptions, but the server ticks every moving block every frame. In Create's config (config/create-common.toml), set maxBlocksMovedPerContraption to a reasonable cap (128 to 256) to prevent single contraptions from consuming all available tick time. The default may be higher than what your hardware can handle smoothly.

Common Issues

TPS Drops from Large Contraptions

This is the defining issue when you host a Create Above and Beyond server. Create processes physics, collisions, and block interactions for every moving part. A single train with 80 blocks moving across the world ticks all 80 blocks per tick. Multiple players running large contraptions simultaneously can bring TPS below 10.

Monitor with Spark (/spark profiler) to identify which player's contraptions cost the most. Encourage modular, efficient designs rather than monolithic machines.

Ponder Scenes Not Loading

Create's Ponder system (in-game tutorials) is client-side, but some players report issues. This is not a server problem. If players ask about broken Ponder, direct them to update their client-side Create mod version to match the server.

Performance Tuning

Set view-distance=8 and simulation-distance=5. Keeping simulation distance tight ensures distant contraptions stop ticking when no player is nearby, which is critical for TPS stability.

JVM flags for Java 17:

java -Xms5G -Xmx6G -XX:+UseG1GC -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=130
-XX:+UnlockExperimentalVMOptions -XX:G1NewSizePercent=40
-XX:G1MaxNewSizePercent=50 -XX:G1HeapRegionSize=16M
-XX:G1ReservePercent=15 -XX:InitiatingHeapOccupancyPercent=20
-XX:+AlwaysPreTouch -jar forge-server.jar nogui

For deeper Create-specific optimization, read our Create mod hosting guide. Our JVM flags guide covers all the GC parameters. If you want a more open-ended Create experience, consider the standalone Create setup described in the Create guide rather than the chapter-locked progression of C:AB.

Try our server: Astroworld MC, IP play.astroworldmc.com, Java + Bedrock.