Windrose Dedicated Server Guide: Stop Waiting on the Host
Coordinating schedules for a survival game is a nightmare, and relying on a single person to host the world usually means your pirate career gets put on hold indefinitely.
If you use the basic "Host a game" option in the main menu, you are running a non-dedicated server. This works fine if you only play when your entire group is online. The moment the host logs off, the world shuts down and everyone gets kicked. A dedicated server fixes this entirely. It runs constantly in the background, allowing anyone with the password to log in, build a house, or farm resources while everyone else is asleep.
Getting a dedicated server running in an early access game usually involves wrestling with terrible menus and obscure file paths. I have spent enough time breaking my own server to figure out exactly how this works. If you are just starting out and need to know how to actually survive once you log in, check out my beginner's survival guide first.
The Hardware Tax
Before you start downloading files, you need to know if your machine can actually handle the load. Running a server takes resources. If you try to run the game client and the server on a potato, you are going to have a terrible time.
The developers recommend a maximum of four players for stability right now. Pushing past that limit might cause massive lag spikes, especially during late game ship combat. Speaking of boats, if you need help repairing the damage from that server lag, I have a dedicated ship upgrade and repair guide you should read.
Installing the Server Files
Do not try to launch the server from the WindroseServer folder hidden inside your main game directory. The developers designed the client to actively shut down any server process running from that specific folder to prevent memory conflicts and corrupted saves.
Instead, open your Steam Library, click the filter dropdown above your game list, and select Tools. Search for Windrose Dedicated Server and install it like a normal game. Once it finishes, right click it, select Manage, and click Browse Local Files.
The Simple Setup Launch
If you just want to get in and play, you do not need to touch the code. Double click StartServerForeground.bat. This is the recommended method because it opens a command line window that shows you the live game logs.
Watch the text scroll by. You are looking for a short invite code like f1014dc1. If it scrolls past too fast, open the R5 folder, open ServerDescription.json with Notepad, and find the invite code inside. Boot up your game client, go to Connect to Server, and paste that code. Give it to your friends, and you are done.
Advanced Setup and Configuration
If you want to set passwords or manually adjust the difficulty, you need to edit the server config files. The server auto-creates default versions of these files the very first time you launch it. Start the server once, let it load, and then shut it down completely before you start typing. If you edit these files while the server is running, it will overwrite your changes and default everything back to normal.
Editing ServerDescription.json
This file lives in the root folder of the server application. It handles your basic network settings.
InviteCode: Make this whatever you want. It must be at least 6 characters and it is case sensitive.
IsPasswordProtected: Change this to true if you do not want random people joining and stealing your copper.
MaxPlayerCount: Keep this at 4 unless you trust your RAM.
WorldIslandId: This is critical. This long string of numbers tells the server exactly which save file to load.
Editing WorldDescription.json
This file controls the actual gameplay modifiers. You will find it buried in R5/Saved/SaveProfiles/Default/RocksDB/<game version>/Worlds/<your world ID>.
If you want to tweak enemy health, ship damage, or the amount of resources you gather, you change the parameters here. I highly recommend starting a private game, tweaking the custom difficulty sliders in the nice user interface, and then just copying those generated numbers into your server text file.
Be warned about a specific setting called EasyExplore. It is a legacy code name. Setting it to true actually turns off your map markers and makes finding points of interest significantly harder. Leave it false unless you want a miserable navigation experience.
How to Migrate Your Local Save to a Dedicated Server
This is the most common issue. You started a co-op world with your friend, they had to go to work, and now you are locked out of your own base. You need to pull the save file from their computer and drop it into a dedicated server.
Always back up your save files before moving them. One wrong click and your entire island is gone forever. Make sure both the game and the server are completely shut down.
Step 1: Locate the Original File
Have the original host open their file browser and paste this exact path into the top bar: %USERPROFILE%/AppData/Local/R5/Saved/SaveProfiles/.
From there, open the folder named after their Steam ID, go into RocksDB, click the current game version number, and open Worlds. You will see a folder with a massive alphanumeric title. That is the save file. Copy that entire folder.
Step 2: Paste it to the Server
Navigate to the directory where you installed the Dedicated Server tool. Follow this path: Windrose Dedicated Server/R5/Saved/SaveProfiles/Default/RocksDB/<game version>/Worlds/. Paste the copied folder right there.
Step 3: Tell the Server to Load It
Open the ServerDescription.json file we talked about earlier. Find the WorldIslandId field. You must copy the exact name of the folder you just pasted and put it inside those quotation marks. Save the text file, launch the .bat file, and your old world will spin up perfectly.
If manual file transfers sound awful, there is a community tool called SaveSync that automates this process. It essentially creates a cloud save network where anyone approved can click a button to download the latest world state and host it themselves.
Troubleshooting the Jank
If nobody can connect to your server, you are likely dealing with port issues. Windrose uses a dynamic NAT punch-through system. You cannot manually assign a specific port for the server.
This means your network router must have UPnP enabled. Yes, I know enterprise level firewalls and security conscious users absolutely hate UPnP because it opens dynamic ports, but the current backend structure essentially forces it. If your router blocks UPnP, nobody is getting in. Also, turn off your VPN. It will instantly block the specific connections the server uses to talk to the client.
Finally, remember to update the server. When the main game patches, your server does not magically update alongside it. A version mismatch will instantly crash your connection. Update the server tool via Steam, copy your save files out of the folder to be safe, verify the file integrity, and drop your saves back in.
Keep your backups secure, leave the UPnP settings alone once it works, and you will never have to wait for an offline host again. For more deep dives into the game mechanics, keep an eye on our Windrose Hub.
