Install FTL: Hyperspace on Steam Deck manually

There is an easier way

ftlman does all of this for you. Only continue if you would rather place the files yourself, or you want to understand what it does.

1. Switch to desktop mode

   Press the Steam button, then Power, then Switch to Desktop.

2. Steam settings

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

   Show me how to open Properties

   

   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 It restores outdated saves with broken state, which can keep Hyperspace from launching and will undo any save fix you try later.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 ~/.local/share/FasterThanLight. Hidden folders are not shown by default, so press Ctrl-H in your file manager, or paste the path into its location bar.

   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.

3. Install the Hyperspace library

   Download FTL.Hyperspace.x.xx.x-Linux.zip from the latest release and extract it. Inside you will find:

   • Hyperspace.ftl keep this for the mod manager step
   • README.txt
   • DirectoryLinux/

     • Hyperspace.1.6.12.amd64.so
     • Hyperspace.1.6.13.amd64.so

   Which library you need depends on your FTL version. Launch FTL and read the version from the lower right of the main menu rather than guessing, then close the game.

   Your FTL version	Vendor	Library to copy
   1.6.13	Steam	Hyperspace.1.6.13.amd64.so
   1.6.12	GOG, Humble, DRM-free	Hyperspace.1.6.12.amd64.so

   1. Copy one Hyperspace library, the one matching your version, into the folder containing FTL.amd64.
   2. Open the FTL launch script in a text editor and add a line before exec:

   LD_PRELOAD=./Hyperspace.1.6.13.amd64.so exec "$here/$command.$arch" "$@"

   If the game starts without Hyperspace

   Some machines need LD_LIBRARY_PATH set as well. Use this form instead:

   export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$here":"${LD_LIBRARY_PATH}"
   export LD_PRELOAD=Hyperspace.1.6.13.amd64.so
   exec "$here/$command.$arch" "$@"

   Requirements

   Multiverse wants 3 GB or more of RAM. Other Hyperspace mods vary.

4. Set up a mod manager

   Ftlman is the recomended mod manager for FTL: Hyperspace modding. Actively maintained and supports Hyperspace updates

   1. Download the build for your machine from the ftlman releases page.
   2. Extract the ftlman folder anywhere you like. It does not have to live in your FTL directory.
   3. If FTL is currently modded, revert it to vanilla first.
   4. Run ftlman. A Steam install is detected automatically. If yours sits somewhere non-standard, or you have more than one copy and want a specific one, open Settings and set FTL data directory yourself.

5. Patch Hyperspace in

   Put the Hyperspace.ftl from the ZIP into your manager’s mods folder, tick it, and apply.

   Installing Multiverse instead?

   Skip this step. Multiverse already contains Hyperspace, and patching both breaks the game.

6. Check it worked

   Launch FTL. About halfway through the loading screen, and again on the menu, a small version string appears in the top right. That is Hyperspace reporting itself, and it means the binary is loaded.

   If your mod’s main menu comes up with no errors, you are done.

   No version string

   Hyperspace is not loading at all. Check if you have copied all files in the right folders again.

   Error mentioning hyperspace.xml

   The Hyperspace.ftl mod was not patched in. Run mod manager again and verify either Multiverse mod files or hyperspace.ftl is selected and patched

Hyperspace is now installed. Return to gaming mode and launch FTL as usual.

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.