Create and host your own lightweight modpack

Create and host your own lightweight modpack

Making your own modpack is a fun way to craft the exact vibe your group wants—without the bloat or crashes that come from throwing in everything. This guide shows a sensible path to design, build, and host a lightweight pack that runs great on HostChicken and on a wide range of PCs.

Goals for a lightweight pack

• Fast to launch and stable during long sessions

• Easy for friends to install and join

• Clear theme (building, exploration, light tech, or “vanilla++”)

• Minimal maintenance burden for you as the host

Step 1: Pick your foundation

• Loader: Choose Fabric for light, modern packs with excellent performance mods. Forge is fine if you need specific Forge‑only content, but keep it small.

• Minecraft version: Prefer a stable, widely supported version (e.g., 1.20.1). Newer is not always better in the first months after release.

Step 2: Start with performance and QoL

Fabric suggestions:

• Lithium (server/client perf)

• Starlight (lighting engine)

• FerriteCore (memory optimizations)

• Immediately add a recipe viewer (REI/JEI equivalent), a minimap (client), and a world map (client) for player comfort.

Forge alternatives exist; check the pack community for safe picks.

Step 3: Add content carefully

Keep the theme tight. Examples:

• Vanilla++: New biomes, structures, building blocks, and small mobs—no giant tech trees.

• Light tech: One flagship mod (e.g., Create) plus a few helper mods.

• Adventure: Quests, dungeons, and loot—avoid dozens of overlapping worldgen mods.

Add 3–10 content mods max at first. You can always add more after a week of testing.

Step 4: Test locally as you build

Use Prism Launcher to create an instance for your pack. Launch after every few additions. If it crashes, remove the last mod and check versions. Keep notes in a `NOTES.md` with:

• Minecraft and loader versions

• List of mods and sources with versions

• Known issues and workarounds

Step 5: Make it reproducible

Use Packwiz to define your pack in code (TOML manifests). Benefits:

• Pin exact versions so everyone gets the same set

• Export both client and server packs easily

• Update cleanly without guesswork

If Packwiz feels heavy, at least keep a manifest text file with exact versions.

Step 6: Build the server pack

• Remove client‑only mods (shaders, UI, minimaps) from the server `mods/`.

• Ensure you have the correct server loader (Fabric/Forge) for your MC version.

• Include configs that keep gameplay balanced and consistent.

Step 7: Host on HostChicken

1. Stop the server and take a manual backup.

2. Upload `mods/`, `config/`, and the server loader jar (and libraries if Forge).

3. Start the server and watch logs for missing dependencies.

4. Set view distance 8–10 and simulation 5–6.

Step 8: Onboard your friends

Create a one‑page “How to install” with:

• Pack name and version

• Link to the `.mrpack` or CurseForge link

• Recommended launcher (Prism or CurseForge)

• Server address (use a custom domain!)

• RAM suggestion (2–4 GB for light packs)

Step 9: Measure and refine

• Play for a week and watch TPS. If stable, you found your baseline.

• If lag appears, reduce simulation distance, prune heavy farms, or drop a problematic mod.

• Update intentionally—read change logs and test on a staging server.

Sample lightweight pack recipe (Fabric, 1.20.1)

• Performance: Lithium, Starlight, FerriteCore

• QoL (client): REI, Xaero’s Minimap + World Map

• Vanilla++: A small biome/structure mod, a few decorative block mods, one new mob pack

• Optional: Simple backpacks or inventory tweaks

Checklist

• [ ] Choose Fabric (or Forge if required) on a stable MC version

• [ ] Add performance mods first, then 3–10 content mods

• [ ] Keep a manifest with exact versions

• [ ] Remove client‑only mods from the server pack

• [ ] Enable daily backups and test restores

Design small, iterate slowly, and your custom pack will feel polished instead of fragile. That’s the secret to a lightweight pack everyone loves.