Hytale updates are installed when the server starts (auto-update is built into the server egg). After Hypixel publishes a patch, a restart from the panel is enough. Big updates that change the asset format also refresh Assets.zip, which takes a few minutes.
Release vs pre-release
HYTALE_PATCHLINE decides which branch you run. release is what most players have; pre-release gets features earlier and breaks more often. Your players' game must be on the same branch to join. Switch by changing the variable and running Settings → Reinstall.
When something breaks after an update
- Read the console. Hytale is fairly verbose about what it did not like.
- Disable early plugins (
HYTALE_ACCEPT_EARLY_PLUGINS=0) and restart; plugin breakage is the most common cause. - Settings → Reinstall refreshes the server files and assets; your world stays.
- Still stuck? Ticket with the last 50 console lines, or paste them to Kowalski.
Backups
Hytale worlds live in the server folder like any other game. Use the panel's backups, especially before switching branches.