1. Installation, Configure, Update - DragonSurvivalTeam/DragonSurvival GitHub Wiki

โ— Versions

โ–  The mod is currently available for these versions:

MC versions Description Modloader
1.14 and older Not planned. -
1.15.ั… VERY outdated. Do not play this. Forge
1.16.ั… Fully playable. Not supported. Forge
1.17.ั… Not planned. -
1.18.2 Fully playable. Minimum support. Forge
1.19.2 Fully playable. Minimum support. Forge
1.20.1 Playable, but not recommended. Minimum support. NeoForge
1.21.1 RECOMMENDED. Radically different from older versions. Lots of new content. Supported. NeoForge
  • Forge - version we use before 1.20.1.
  • Neoforge - all versions after 1.20 use this modloader. There will be NO backport to Forge. This modloader is dead for new versions.
  • Fabric - No. I don't like the division of the community into a huge number of modloaders, so I'd rather stay on Forge/Neoforge.

โ–  Warning to users: Every time someone asks about porting something, it adds 50 years to the wait.

โ–  The main modification language supported by the developers: English and Russian. The other translations are done by fans and may be not complete.

โ— Installation

โ–  The instructions below are relevant for manual installation. If you are using Curseforge, you only need to enter the project ID in the search field.

โ–  Required: Dragon Survival (420799), Geckolib Library (388172), Forge or Neoforge.

- 1.16.5

  1. Install Forge 1.16.5 (36.2.33+). Just follow the installation instructions.
  2. Check Curseforge and download latest file DragonSurvival for 1.16.5. All updates are published by the developer only on this site and nowhere else.
  3. Download forge version of GeckoLib (only 3.0.93) library for 1.16.5 to your computer. Your game will crash without this library. Newer versions of Gecko will not work. Don't download Quilt or Fabric version!!!
  4. Move these two files (DragonSurvival and GeckoLib) to the "mods" folder, which is located in the game folder. This folder appears after Forge is installed.
  5. Launch the game and enjoy! If you have problems, read the "Mod doesn't work!" instructions below.

- 1.18.2

  1. Install Forge 1.18.2 (40.1.80+). Just follow the installation instructions.
  2. Check Curseforge and download latest file DragonSurvival for 1.18.2. All updates are published by the developer only on this site and nowhere else.
  3. Download forge version of GeckoLib (3.0.55+). library for 1.18.2 to your computer. Your game will crash without this library. Don't download Quilt or Fabric version!!!
  4. Move these two files (DragonSurvival and GeckoLib) to the "mods" folder, which is located in the game folder. This folder appears after Forge is installed.
  5. Launch the game and enjoy! If you have problems, read the "Mod doesn't work!" instructions below.

- 1.19.2

  1. Install Forge 1.19.2 (43.3.5+). Just follow the installation instructions.
  2. Check Curseforge and download latest file DragonSurvival for 1.19.2. All updates are published by the developer only on this site and nowhere else.
  3. Download forge version of GeckoLib (3.1.40+). library for 1.19.2 to your computer. Your game will crash without this library. Don't download Quilt and Fabric version!!!
  4. Move these two files (DragonSurvival and GeckoLib) to the "mods" folder, which is located in the game folder. This folder appears after Forge is installed.
  5. Launch the game and enjoy! If you have problems, read the "Mod doesn't work!" instructions below.

- 1.20.1

Important note: only for 1.20.1, Dragon Survival also works on Forge, but I recommend using Neoforge.

  1. Install NeoForge 1.20.1 (43.3.5+). Just follow the installation instructions.
  2. Check Curseforge and download latest file DragonSurvival for 1.20.1. All updates are published by the developer only on this site and nowhere else.
  3. Download neoforge version of GeckoLib (1.20.1-4.4.4+). library for 1.20.1 to your computer. Your game will crash without this library. Don't download Quilt, Forge or Fabric version!!!
  4. Move these two files (DragonSurvival and GeckoLib) to the "mods" folder, which is located in the game folder. This folder appears after NeoForge is installed.
  5. Launch the game and enjoy! If you have problems, read the "Mod doesn't work!" instructions below.

- 1.21.1

  1. Install NeoForge 1.21.1 - 21.1.186+. Just follow the installation instructions.
  2. Check Curseforge and download latest file DragonSurvival for 1.21.1
  3. Download neoforge version of GeckoLib 1.21.1 - 4.7.5.1+. library to your computer. Your game will crash without this library. Don't download Quilt, Forge and Fabric version!!!
  4. Move these two files (DragonSurvival and GeckoLib) to the "mods" folder, which is located in the game folder. This folder appears after NeoForge is installed.
  5. Launch the game and enjoy! If you have problems, read the "Mod doesn't work!" instructions below.

- "Mod doesn't work!"

โ–  Go to these points only if you have problems with running the mod! If Dragons Survival isn't working for you, it's 90% likely you've made a mistake here:

  • Check that you have installed the Forge or NeoForge version of Geckolib. Please stop downloading Fabric or Quilt version! The instruction above specifies which versions work with the latest version of the mod.
  • If you have a huge amount of mods, remove them and check on a clean version of the game. If everything is working, then look for what mod is causing a conflict. Below is a list of known incompatibilities with the DS.
  • When upgrading from very old versions of the DS to new ones, remove saved_customizations.json and configs. It is located in dragon-survival folder near the folders config, saves, mods, etc.
  • If that doesn't work for you, read what the crash file says (crash-reports folder). There may be an answer to the question "why isn't anything working", just read it carefully and pay attention to the references.
  • Some users of unofficial launcher helps to completely reinstall the game sometimes. Poor guys.
  • Update AMD drivers if you are using video cards from that vendor.
  • If you play the modpack, be sure to allocate more RAM (~8G) in the Curseforge profile settings. Do not use the default setting!
  • Changed your DS config/datapack and now the game does not work? Make sure you didn't forget a ";" or "," somewhere.
  • Install Java 17 (Open JDK) for 1.18+ servers.
  • Try disabling the windows firewall (if you can't connect to server).
  • Restart the computer?

โ–  Use Github form to report a problem that you have not been able to solve on your own. I will always do my best to help you solve your problem. If your game crashes and you think it's related to DS just send in this form crash-report/log files and tell us what you did at that moment.

โ–  NO LOGS = NO HELP - Any server/host/launcher necessarily have the folder named "logs" (latest.log) and "crash-reports" (like crash-2022-03-22_19.35.22-client.txt). Just open this folders, sort the files by date and send us all the latest files. Without this file, we will NOT be able to help you. Also, do not edit it or delete anything.

โ–  For small bug reports and questions you can use the Discord Server. Be sure to send logs and crash reports! This is really important and speeds up the work. Believe me, there is nothing more tedious than getting information out of a user to help them.

If there was no bug report posted on the Github or Discord Forum, this bug is no existing for the developer! If you wrote a comment somewhere or left a message on Discord, it will most likely be forgotten or lost for reasons beyond our control.

โ— Incompatibility

โ–  This list is not 100% accurate and ideal for all versions. However, if you encounter any issues, please try reviewing this list or disabling these mods first.

- Mods

  • geckoanimfix (GeckoLibOculusCompat) - crash on all versions. USELESS MOD, DO NOT USE THIS!
  • Alex's caves - camera height problem and broken beacon activation. Developer of the "Alex Cave" mod refused to fix this.
  • ice and fire - Pose stack not empty crash + camera height problem.
  • Trinkets and Baubles Reforked - crash on 1.21.1
  • Corpse - crash on 1.21.1, black screen on 1.20
  • Mana and Artifice - Pose stack not empty crash (sometimes)
  • Figura - breaks the first-person dragon render and create problems in inventory render. Set FIGURA_INVENTORY to false.
  • Pokecube AOI - ticking world crash when entering The End. Fix.
  • Dannys Expansion - crash in altar for 1.20 and older.
  • Immersive Portals - dragon players become invisible in Nether for 1.20 and older.
  • Tetra - tools do not work with dragon claws.
  • Better Combat - crash on start or problems with camera (fix addon - https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/dragon-survival-compatibility)
  • Waterlogged Redstone - crash
  • Corail Tombstone - crash after death if there were items in the claws. The developer reported that this has been fixed in this patch.
  • So Many Enchantments - noticeable lags with claws on the server.
  • Ensorcellation - noticeable lags with claws on the server.
  • Origins + Sophisticated Storage - duplicating food when eating and backpacking issues and improving "auto-feeding" in Sophisticated Storage mod.
  • Music Player - crash https://github.com/DragonSurvivalTeam/DragonSurvival/issues/371#issue-1895349782
  • TerraFirmaCraft - the mechanics of eating are completely off. Dragons cannot regenerate their hunger, etc. In 1.21.1, the custom diet for all dragons is automatically disabled if this mod is present. If you want 100% compatibility, use a modpack TFC Terra Draconis - Primitive Dragon Survival.
  • Solpotato - dragon skin disappears.
  • EMI - problems with effect icon render in inventory. Details/fix. With JEI/REI it is work fine.
  • Dalek Mod - crash on server with latest 1.16.5

- Optifine

โ–  On 1.16.5 can create difficulties and visual bugs, which are solved by correct settings:

  • Set "Performance"/" rendering areas " to "off" (cave dragon);
  • Set "shaders" / "shader options" /"fog options"/ "underwater fog density" to 150-200 (sea dragon);
  • Also turn off soft lighting if you have black shadows on nest.
  • Lava Vision doesn't work on some shaders.

โ–  Optifine on 1.18.2+ completely doesn't work and crashes!!! Use Iris for shaders. Most developers try not to use Optifine due to its closed source code and have created many alternatives. Optifine is only needed for legacy MC versions, not for new ones.

โ— Configuration

โ–  You can change a huge number of mechanics in Dragon Survival using configs and datapacks. If you learn how to use it, you will have tremendous power over the game and everything that happens in it.

โ–  At 1.16.5+ you have the ability to edit configs in game. Just go to your dragon's inventory and click on the gears at the bottom right. But cometimes it is better to use the change of config directly in the file.

โ–  For a quick search use Ctrl + F in Notepad.

- 1.16.5

โ–  Use the folder search to find these files.

  • dragonsurvival-server.toml - all dragon type settings and 95% of mod settings. Located here: /[mapname]/serverconfig (for a server) or .minecraft/saves/[worldname]/serverconfig (for single play).
  • dragonsurvival-common.toml - setting up magical predators and dragon hunters. Only exists for version 1.16, in 1.18 combined with the server config.
  • dragonsurvival-client.toml - first and third person settings.
  • saved_customizations.json - is responsible for all your saved appearance presets that you created in the Dragon Editor. Located in the ".minecraft\dragon-survival", not in the configs.

- 1.18.2-1.20.1

โ–  Use the folder search to find these files.

  • dragonsurvival-server.toml - all dragon type settings and 95% of mod settings. Located here: /[mapname]/serverconfig (for a server) or .minecraft/saves/[worldname]/serverconfig (for single play).
  • dragonsurvival-client.toml - first and third person settings.
  • saved_customizations.json - is responsible for all your saved appearance presets that you created in the Dragon Editor. Located in the ".minecraft\dragon-survival", not in the configs.

โ–  Be sure to turn off the server and the game before editing configs. Don't be afraid to experiment and customize these configurations to your liking! The main thing is to delete old configs after each update.

โ–  You can see the "defaultconfigs" folder in modpacks. It is used to apply the settings from "serverconfig" to all new worlds. To do this, move the config files from "serverconfig" to "defaultconfigs". The contents of the "default configs" folder do not overwrite the contents of the serverconfig folder. This is only for new worlds.

- 1.21.1

โ–  Use the folder search to find these files.

  • dragonsurvival-server.toml - some base mod settings.
  • dragonsurvival-client.toml - client settings.
  • saved_customizations_1.nbt - is responsible for all your saved appearance presets that you created in the Dragon Editor. Located in the ".minecraft\dragon-survival", not in the configs. Not compatible with older versions.

โ–  Most of the configs from older versions migrated to datapacks for the sake of being able to create custom species and body types. Read more here.

โ–  The most popular changes are available in the built-in data packs. Check the โ€œdatapacksโ€ tab when creating a world or use the /datapack command for older worlds. The third option is to transfer the datapack yourself from the mod files or the article.

โ— Update

  • Try to keep up with regular updates on Curseforge or on Discord. The CF Launcher sends notifications. Global changes always appear on Patreon first.
  • Always read the patchnotes (descriptions of updates) carefully before installing.
  • Don't forget to delete old configuration files after each DS update if it is written in the update description.
  • Make a backup of the save/server before make global upgrading. If you have any doubts, always make a copy of your saves folder.

โ— Linux compatibility

โ–  Thanks for the guide, DrKsantor!

โ–  Keep in mind, that GDLauncher only one way to run modded Minecraft on Linux-based system. It's possible to do all steps manually, but it will require additional investigation and take more time.

โ–  Install GDLauncher:

  1. Download && install package: https://gdlauncher.com/en/download/
  2. Open freshly installed launcher. If you don't have installed Java - launcher suggest to solve this issue automatically. Sign in into you Microsoft/Mojang account.
  3. Go to the Java category of the settings. Increase memory usage at least 8192MB. You should also setup game resolution here. Set the numbers that's represent your screen.

โ–  Install modpack:

  1. To add instance return to the main screen of the launcher and click +, select CurseForge and look for "Play as Dragon: Gothic Edition"
  2. Enjoy

โ–  Known issues:

  • For SteamDeck you need to setup size of a window that represent your screen resolution, as playing from native mode (big screen) you will have reduced action field for you mouse exactly like you enter in launcher (but picture will not, and you will have unreachable elements).
  • For SteamDeck there is issues with game crashing when you launch it from Desktop mode. Just use native mode. You may need to tweak quality settings to low as well.

โ— How do I use Curseforge?

โ–  Official guide

Wath on Youtube

โ–  Curseforge is the main official site for most of the mods you know. Most of the authors publish their mods here. The main language of the platform is English. Curseforge has its own launcher and it is very convenient for me personally for several reasons:

  1. Most of the necessary libraries for mods is downloaded automatically.
  2. Easy switching between any version of the game and modpacks.
  3. Launcher automatically notifies you of updates to mods.
  4. The ability to ignore the official Minecraft launcher (enabled in the settings)
  5. Protection against accidental downloading of inappropriate versions of mods.
  6. Quick and quality tech support in discord. Honestly, in 4 years I haven't had a single situation where they didn't help me with some very specific issue. I hope nothing will change after I write this!
  7. Convenient tools for modpack developers and easy search/installation of mods for users.
  8. Financial support for all mod developers.

โ–  Of the minuses we can highlight the only lack of support for quick creation of the server, outdated GUI and the fact that you can only play a licensed copy of the game (but download mods and modpack you can). You can install the Curseforge Launcher here, and if you have problems with the installation, I suggest you look here.

When downloading, I recommend choosing the standalone version of Curseforge.

โ–  Other good launchers: Prism, GDLauncher. But I don't use them and won't be able to help you with them if you have any questions.

โ— Installing the modpack

โ–  Official guide

โ–  In this case, I will write about Play As Dragon and Play as Dragon: Gothic Edition, but these tips are relevant to any modpack:

  • Installing the modpack in Curseforge works just like installing the mods in the text above. There are no special secrets here.
  • It is very important to know how to open the folder where all your "modpack" files are stored. This is where you can find the "mods" folder and all other useful things. This is also where the logs and crash-reports appear, which I love to ask users when someone breaks for whatever reason.
  • If you transfer modpack to another launcher VERY IMPORTANT to transfer all folders from modpack, not just the folder "mods". For those who think that modpack is only mods, there is a separate cauldron in hell. It is extremely important that the folders config, defaultconfigs, fancymenu, kubejs, saves, resourcepacks, resources, options.txt, shaderpacks and others were also moved.
  • Do not move the files with replacements. Delete old folders and add new ones. Otherwise you can get a lot of nasty bonuses.
  • If you update the modpack, you need to turn off in the profile settings "allow to edit content" and then it will be possible to change the version. I advise you to check "create a new profile" when upgrading.
  • READ THE CHANGELOGS! Be careful with updating the modpack if you are updating for an old world.
  • You can enable mod list editing with this button, but if you don't know what you're doing, don't update the mods yourself. Otherwise it is guaranteed to break the modpack.

โ— Optimizing for old versions

โ–  First of all, make sure that your game is optimized by itself. Allocate more RAM to your Minecraft, install optimization mods. BUT BE CAREFUL! Unskillful use of optimisation mods will only make things worse! If you don't feel like a confident user, it's better to trust ready-made modpacks.

โ–  Problems with Dragon Survival optimization have been COMPLETELY resolved in version 1.21.1.

โ–  For older versions, the only bad solution to the problem is to disable ALL entity shadows. If you can still see the character's shadow, then the problem still exists.

  • If you use shaders, be sure to disable player shadows within the shader file itself (in-game settings don't have this!).
  • If you see this in Spark, don't jump to conclusions! Dragon Survival has nothing to do with these server lags and the main problem is hidden in the world generation. Use pregeneration and other mods to solve this problem.
  • If you are playing the modpack MUST allocate more memory in the Curseforge App.

โ— Other content

โ— - Modpacks

โ–  Play as Dragon is a series of my modpacks, where the Dragon Survival mod plays a major role! All of these modpacks were made with a lot of love and are not just a set of randomly added mods. It took me months of daily work for each!

Official Modpacks Version Status Description
Play as Dragon 1.18.2 Fully playable. Not supported. One of the first modpacks, not balanced perfectly, but many people like it. The main goal is be a dragon and explore the harsh world. Your wings will not save you from many arrows and every cave can become your grave. Only the strongest and most agile dragons can survive in this world. The modpack is not hardcore if you think outside the box and allocate your dragon's strength properly. Only true dragons can pass this way. If you are human, you don't belong here.
Play as Dragon Gothic Edition 1.19.2 Fully playable. A much more complex modpack for those who want to test themselves. I personally don't consider this modpack hardcore, but considering the number of complaints apparently it is a hardcore modpack. It combines the creativity of Minecraft with the sternness of Gothic. You will be greeted by a variety of cruel animals on surface, and undeads will be lurking underground. Get ready for an interesting and long adventure! No wings at start :)
Play as Dragon Comfort Edition 1.19.2, 1.21.1 Fully playable. Supported. A simplified modpack for all ages. Is a very light modpack for those who do not like hardcore, read quests and experience difficulties in survival. A good basis for playing in survival mode without unexpected encounters with monsters at night. Dragons also have all debuffs disabled.
Terra Draconis - Primitive Dragon Survival 1.21.1 Fully playable. Supported. Try your hand at primitive survival with Terrafirmacraft! If you've never tried either mod before, you shouldn't have much trouble getting started here. I've tried to put as many hints as possible everywhere, and TFC's built-in wiki will be your guide to this brave new world.

โ–  You DO NOT have to play the official modpacks to enjoy Dragon Survival! You are not restricted from creating your own modpacks! Especially if you don't like my modpacks. Don't torture yourself playing modpacks you don't like. Modpacks and mods are unrelated projects that have different customizations and moods. Take this into account when you play or ask for something.

โ–  Other unofficial modpacks can be found here and here.

โ— - Servers

โ–  Sometimes I have my own official servers, but since it takes a HUGE amount of time, I don't always do it. Check Discord for an official server or participate in other users' servers. You can leave an advert for your server as long as it fits the rules. Read here: #โœŽminecraft_servers

โ— - Addons

โ–  Addons = add-ons to the Java Minecraft mods. Not to be confused with Bedrock addons (=mods)! More addons here

โ— - Resource Packs