Install FTL: Hyperspace on macOS with the installer

The macOS installer finds your copy of FTL, installs Hyperspace and sets up ftlman for you.

Running the installer, then adding Multiverse on top. Written steps below.

1. Steam settings

   Skip this if you did not buy FTL on Steam.

   Right-click FTL: Faster Than Light in your library and open Properties.

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   Under General, untick Keep game saves in the Steam Cloud. Turn off Steam Cloud first. It restores outdated saves with broken state, which can keep Hyperspace from launching and will undo any save fix you try later.

   Show me the checkbox

   

   Then under Updates, set automatic updates to Only update this game when I launch it.

   Steam will undo your install

   If Steam updates FTL it replaces the patched game files, and Hyperspace stops loading.

   Your saves live in ~/Library/Application Support/FasterThanLight.

   Library is hidden by default

   Open your home folder in Finder and press Cmd + Shift + . to show hidden files, or press Cmd + Shift + G and paste the path.

   Rename FasterThanLight to FasterThanLight-backup, then launch FTL. The game makes a fresh folder, and your original saves stay in the backup if you ever want them back.

   Do this once, right after turning Steam Cloud off. Cloud sync leaves behind a save that Hyperspace cannot read, which freezes the game at the end of the loading bar.

2. Download the installer

   From the latest release, download FTL.Hyperspace.x.xx.x-Installer-MacOS-arm64.dmg for Apple Silicon, or ...-Installer-MacOS-x86_64.dmg for an Intel Mac.

3. Run it

   Open the .dmg and launch the installer.

   "Apple could not verify this app"

   Open System Settings → Privacy & Security, find the installer near the bottom, and click Open Anyway.

4. Follow the prompts

   The installer detects Steam, GOG and custom locations, and supports FTL 1.6.12 and 1.6.13. At the end, use the button at the bottom to open the mods folder.

   To add mods later, go to ~/Games/FTLHyperspace. Put them in mods and run ftlman to apply them.

Hyperspace is now installed and ready to play. Everything below is optional.

Adding Multiverse

Multiverse is the largest mod built on Hyperspace, and it installs differently from everything else.

1. Open the Multiverse release thread and scroll to DOWNLOAD RAW FILES (OTHER PLATFORMS, UPDATES, MANUAL INSTALL). Ignore the installer above it, that one is Windows-only and does its own thing.
2. Download both files listed there, the Assets File and the Data File.
3. Put both .zip files in your mod manager’s mods folder.
4. Patch them in this order, and nothing else:

ftlman

• Press Scan in the top right so the new files show up
• Drag Multiverse Assets above Multiverse Data
• Tick both
• Leave Hyperspace unticked
• Press Apply

Show me what it should look like

Do not patch Hyperspace.ftl with Multiverse

Multiverse already contains everything Hyperspace.ftl provides. Patching both is the single most common cause of a broken install.

Only add Multiverse-compatible mods

Anything not built for Multiverse can conflict with it. Add them one at a time so you know which one broke things, and ask on Discord if you are unsure about a particular favourite.

When Hyperspace updates

Updating Hyperspace does not disturb your saves, but you do need to re-patch Multiverse afterwards.

Updating later

The installer can update Hyperspace on its own. If you run Multiverse, run ftlman again afterwards to re-patch it. Your saves are not affected.

Uninstalling

Open the .dmg again and choose Uninstall at the bottom, then follow the instructions.

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Requirements

macOS 14 or later, and FTL 1.6.12 or 1.6.13. Administrator rights are needed during installation.