The Tool Desk
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Godlike.Host offers hosted Space Engineers servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
The server host needs .NET Framework 4.8 or later and the Visual C++ 2013 and 2017 redistributables. Internet hosting also requires UDP port forwarding and a firewall rule; the default game port is 27016/UDP.
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A dedicated server runs the Space Engineers world on a separate Windows machine instead of making one player’s game act as the host. Keen Software House describes this model as allowing players to connect to a third-party host rather than using a player-host in a peer-to-peer setup.
SteamCMD downloads the dedicated-server files without installing the graphical Steam client. The official guide states that a licensed Steam account is needed to obtain the files, while the computer running the server does not need an additional game license after the files have been obtained. Keep that licensing requirement in mind if an anonymous SteamCMD session does not complete the download.
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Check the host requirements first
The current official guide lists the following requirements and capacity guidance. Its page does not give a publication year, so these figures should be treated as the guide’s current recommendations rather than as a promise of a particular player count.
| Category | Requirement or guidance | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows PC | The documented dedicated-server procedure is for Windows. |
| Permissions | Administrator rights only when running the server as a Windows service | A normal foreground server can be launched without service-mode administration. |
| Runtime | .NET Redistributable 4.8 or higher | Install it before the first launch if it is not already present. |
| Visual C++ | Visual C++ Redistributable 2013 and 2017 packages | Both packages are listed by the official guide. |
| Minimum hardware | 3.2 GHz CPU, 3 logical cores, 6 GB RAM, 5 Mbps bandwidth | Published as minimum guidance by Keen Software House; it is not a guaranteed player-count specification. |
| Recommended hardware | 4.5 GHz CPU, 3 logical cores, 10 GB RAM | Published recommendation for the server host. |
| Public hosting address | Static public IP recommended | Without one, the server can still be used on a LAN, but players outside that LAN cannot connect directly. |
Prepare a clean server folder
Create a dedicated directory for the server files, such as C:SpaceEngineersServer. Use a location that the account running the server can read and write. Do not place worlds or configuration files in a temporary download directory that you may later delete.
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Decide whether you will run the server in the foreground, where a console window and configuration interface remain available, or as a Windows service. Foreground mode is the simplest way to verify the installation. Service mode is useful for an unattended machine but requires administrator rights and a little more setup.
Install SteamCMD and download the dedicated server
- Install SteamCMD on the Windows host using Valve’s official SteamCMD documentation.
- Create the server directory you selected, for example
C:SpaceEngineersServer. - Open a command prompt in the SteamCMD directory and run:
steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +force_install_dir <server-folder> +app_update 298740 +quit - Replace
<server-folder>with the full path you created. For example:steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +force_install_dir C:SpaceEngineersServer +app_update 298740 +quit - Wait for SteamCMD to finish. A successful update leaves the dedicated-server executable and supporting files in the forced install directory.
+login anonymous selects SteamCMD’s anonymous login mode, +force_install_dir controls the destination, +app_update 298740 requests the Space Engineers dedicated-server app, and +quit closes SteamCMD after the update. If SteamCMD reports that the app cannot be obtained, sign in with the licensed Steam account required by the official guide and repeat the update.
Start the server for the first time
Foreground mode: Local/Console
- Open the downloaded server directory.
- Run
SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe. - Choose Local/Console when the launcher asks how to run the server.
- Select Continue to server configuration.
- Enter a server name and choose or create a world name.
- Review the settings, select Save & start, and leave the server process running while players connect.
Local/Console mode is the best first launch because it exposes the configuration and console output directly. Use it to confirm that the world loads and that the process stays running before introducing service recovery or scheduled tasks.
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Windows service mode
- Run
SpaceEngineersDedicated.exeas administrator. - Choose Add new instance.
- Give the service a unique name across the entire Windows system.
- Select the new instance and configure its world, network, and gameplay settings.
- Start the instance and verify that the service remains running after you close the management window.
Every server instance needs its own port. One port can be used by only one instance, so assign different ports before attempting to run multiple worlds on the same host.
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Choose a world and manage saves
Create or select a world
The configuration interface includes world selection along with server name, users, mods, message of the day, and maintenance controls. Select the world you want the server to load, save the configuration, and start the instance. Keep a backup of an important world before changing mods or making large configuration changes.
Move a world from the regular game
Dedicated-server worlds are loaded from one of these locations, depending on how the server is configured:
AppDataRoamingSpaceEngineersDedicatedProgramDataSpaceEngineersDedicated
To move an existing single-player or locally hosted world, copy it from AppDataRoamingSpaceEngineers into the corresponding dedicated-server location. Preserve the world’s directory structure, then select the copied world in the dedicated-server configuration screen.
If the world does not appear, check that it was copied under the account and data path used by the server process. A service may run under a different Windows account than the account used for an interactive desktop session, which can make a correctly copied save appear to be missing.
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Configuration areas
The documented configuration UI exposes these areas:
- Server settings and basic identity
- Plugins
- Remote client
- Console output
- World selection
- Users and access control
- Mods
- Message of the day
- Maintenance
Change one group of settings at a time and restart when the interface or a setting requires it. Record the selected world and port so a later service or firewall change does not accidentally point at a different instance.
Expose the server to players
Use the default network settings
The default listen IP is 0.0.0.0, which listens on all network interfaces and should work in most installations. The default listen port is 27016/UDP. Use the configuration tool’s Listen IP and Port fields rather than guessing a value.
Configure the Windows firewall
- Open the host’s inbound firewall rules.
- Create or enable a rule allowing incoming UDP traffic on the server’s configured port.
- Apply the rule to the network profile used by the host.
- Restart the server if you changed its port, then test from a second machine.
Allowing TCP alone will not satisfy the documented default requirement; the game port is UDP. If you change the port in the server configuration, allow and forward the replacement UDP port instead of 27016.
Configure the router for Internet play
- Give the Windows host a stable address on your local network so the forwarding rule does not point at a different device later.
- Create a router port-forwarding rule for the configured UDP port to that host.
- Use the host’s static public IP when sharing the server address with Internet players.
- Test from outside the local network, such as a player using a different Internet connection.
A static public IP is recommended for public hosting. If your public address changes, outside players may no longer reach the server until they receive the new address. A server can still operate on a LAN without a static public IP, but players outside the LAN cannot connect directly under that arrangement.
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Command-line options and stopping the process
The official guide documents these useful startup switches:
| Option | Purpose |
|---|---|
-console |
Run with console output. |
-noconsole |
Run without a console window. |
-path |
Specify the data or configuration path. |
-ignorelastsession |
Ignore the last-session state during startup. |
-maxPlayers |
Set the maximum player value passed at launch. |
-ip |
Set the listen IP. |
-port |
Set the listen port. |
Use the configuration interface for normal changes so the saved server profile, world, and network values remain consistent. Command-line switches are useful when creating a shortcut, service definition, or scripted launch.
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taskkill /IM SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe
This lets the process shut down normally. Adding /f forces termination and can kill the process without saving, so reserve it for a hung process when a normal stop is impossible.
Keep the installation updated
Automatic updates with the GUI
Auto-update is supported while the dedicated-server GUI is running. Keep the management interface available if you want its built-in update behavior to handle new server files.
Headless or service operation
When the GUI is not running, create your own update-and-restart procedure around SteamCMD. A practical sequence is to stop the server gracefully, run the SteamCMD command with +app_update 298740, start SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe again, and verify that the intended world and port loaded. For service installations, combine Windows-service recovery with Task Scheduler checks so a stopped process is detected and restarted.
Back up the world before a major update. Keep the backup outside the live save directory so an update or cleanup task cannot remove both the active world and its recovery copy.
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SteamCMD finishes but the executable is missing
- Confirm that
+force_install_dirpoints to the directory you are checking. - Run the command again with the exact app ID
298740. - If anonymous access is rejected, use the licensed Steam account required to obtain the server files.
The server starts but nobody can join from the Internet
- Confirm the server is listening on the configured UDP port, normally 27016.
- Check that Windows Firewall allows inbound UDP on that same port.
- Check that the router forwards UDP, not only TCP, to the correct Windows host.
- Verify that players are using the current static public IP.
- Test from outside the LAN; a local test may succeed even when the router’s Internet forwarding is wrong.
LAN players can connect, but outside players cannot
This pattern usually means the game and local firewall are working while public routing is not. Recheck the router’s destination address, the UDP protocol selection, and whether the public address has changed. A LAN-only setup without a static public IP is not directly reachable from outside that LAN.
The world is not listed
Copy the save from AppDataRoamingSpaceEngineers into either AppDataRoamingSpaceEngineersDedicated or ProgramDataSpaceEngineersDedicated, matching the data path used by the server. Then reopen world selection and confirm that the server process has permission to read the files.
A second instance will not start
Check for a port collision. The official guide states that one port can belong to only one server instance. Assign a different port to the second instance, then create a matching firewall rule and router forward if that instance must be public.
The server stops unexpectedly
- Run the foreground version first and inspect console output for the point of failure.
- For a service, confirm it was created with administrator rights and has a unique system-wide name.
- Configure Windows-service recovery or a Task Scheduler health check when unattended uptime matters.
- Use the graceful stop command during maintenance rather than force-killing the process.
Capacity planning: minimum versus recommended hardware
The published figures are starting points, not universal player-count guarantees. World complexity, simulation load, mods, save size, and concurrent activity can all affect performance, and the official guide does not promise a specific player count for either tier.
| Tier | CPU | Logical cores | Memory | Bandwidth | Public address |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum guidance | 3.2 GHz | 3 | 6 GB RAM | 5 Mbps | Not specified |
| Recommended guidance | 4.5 GHz | 3 | 10 GB RAM | Not stated | Static IP recommended for public hosting |
Choose the recommended tier when the machine will host a persistent public world or run other services at the same time. Treat the minimum tier as a baseline for a lightly loaded installation, not as a guarantee that every world or mod set will perform acceptably.
Quick Recap
Pre-launch checklist
- Windows host is available and the required .NET and Visual C++ redistributables are installed.
- SteamCMD has downloaded app ID 298740 into the intended server folder.
SpaceEngineersDedicated.exelaunches successfully.- The correct world is selected, or an existing save has been copied into the dedicated-server path.
- The server name, users, mods, and message of the day are configured.
- The listen IP and UDP port are recorded; the default is
0.0.0.0:27016. - Windows Firewall allows inbound UDP on that port.
- The router forwards the same UDP port for Internet play.
- A static public IP is available or players understand that the server is LAN-only.
- Backups and a restart plan exist before the world is opened to players.
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