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To run Valguero on an ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated server, install dedicated-server app 376030 with SteamCMD on a 64-bit Windows or Linux host, start ShooterGameServer with the map identifier Valguero_P, then configure the session, passwords, player limit and game/query ports. Allow those ports through the host firewall and router, verify the server in ARK’s unofficial-server browser, and keep the save directory backed up before updates or configuration changes.
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What this setup covers
This guide is for the Steam version of ARK: Survival Evolved and its dedicated server. Valguero is selected by a server-level map name; you do not install a physical disc or choose the map from an in-game menu on the host. The dedicated-server files are installed separately with SteamCMD, and the launch command tells the executable to load Valguero.
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The host must run a 64-bit operating system. The ARK Official Community Wiki describes the dedicated server executable as a 64-bit application and therefore requires a 64-bit operating system. A 32-bit Windows or Linux installation cannot satisfy that requirement, regardless of available memory.
- A 64-bit Windows or Linux machine with permission to install and run server software.
- SteamCMD and a dedicated directory for the server files.
- Reliable network access and administrative access to the host firewall and, when players connect from outside your local network, the router.
- The base game ARK: Survival Evolved. Valguero is downloadable content for that game; the dedicated-server workflow is software and configuration work, not a separate physical-product installation.
Plan memory and capacity before installing
A fresh Valguero_P world uses roughly 3–4 GiB of memory as an empty-map baseline, according to the current server-setup documentation on the ARK Official Community Wiki. That figure is not a recommended maximum or a guarantee for a populated server. Memory increases as players connect and as the world accumulates structures, creatures, storage, save data and mods.
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| Condition | What the documented figure means | Planning implication |
|---|---|---|
| Empty Valguero_P world | Approximately 3–4 GiB of memory | Use this only as the starting baseline; leave additional headroom. |
| Players connected | Usage rises with the active population | Size the host for your intended player count, not an empty test world. |
| Older save with more structures and creatures | Usage can grow as the world becomes more complex | Recheck available memory over time instead of assuming launch-day usage is permanent. |
| Mods installed | Each mod can add memory and loading work | Reserve capacity for the complete mod list and update mods one at a time when troubleshooting. |
If the machine is also running other services, their memory use must be added to the server’s needs. Leave enough unused memory for the operating system and file caching; a process that starts successfully can still become unstable when players, world data or mods increase the working set.
Install the dedicated-server files with SteamCMD
1. Create a dedicated installation directory
Choose a location with sufficient disk space and write permissions, and keep the server files separate from personal game installations. Record the path because the launch script must run from the binaries directory inside it. The exact directory name is your choice; consistency matters more than the name.
2. Install SteamCMD on the host
Download and install SteamCMD for the host’s operating system, then open its command interface. Use the host’s 64-bit environment for both SteamCMD and the server process. In SteamCMD, set the dedicated installation directory as the destination for the ARK server files.
3. Download app 376030 and validate it
Run the dedicated-server update command:
app_update 376030 validateApp ID 376030 is the ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated-server application. The validate option checks the downloaded files and replaces incomplete or damaged files. Let the operation finish before creating the launch script. If validation reports errors, run it again after checking that the destination directory is writable and that the host has enough disk space.
4. Confirm the expected executable paths
On Windows, the server executable and batch file belong in ShooterGame/Binaries/Win64/. On Linux, create the shell script in ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux/. The executable is ShooterGameServer.exe on Windows and ShooterGameServer on Linux. Keeping the script beside the executable makes relative paths and log files easier to manage.
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Build the Valguero launch command
The map name must come immediately after the executable. For ARK: Survival Evolved, Valguero’s dedicated-server level identifier is exactly Valguero_P, including the underscore and capital letters. The remaining settings follow the map as question-mark-separated options.
Windows batch file
Create a .bat file in ShooterGame/Binaries/Win64/ with a command in this form:
ShooterGameServer.exe Valguero_P?SessionName=<server_name>?ServerPassword=<join_password>?Port=<port>?QueryPort=<query_port>?MaxPlayers=<max_players>?ServerAdminPassword=<admin_password>Replace every angle-bracketed value with the value you want. Do not leave the angle brackets in the final command. Save the file, then start it from the binaries directory or use a shortcut that points to the batch file.
Linux shell script
Create a shell script in ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux/ using the same option order and the Linux executable name:
#!/bin/sh
./ShooterGameServer Valguero_P?SessionName=<server_name>?ServerPassword=<join_password>?Port=<port>?QueryPort=<query_port>?MaxPlayers=<max_players>?ServerAdminPassword=<admin_password>Make the script executable using your operating system’s normal file-permission tools, then run it from that directory. Keep passwords out of publicly shared scripts and restrict access to the file because the administrator password is stored in plain text in this launch configuration.
Understand each launch option
| Option | Purpose | How to choose it |
|---|---|---|
Valguero_P |
Selects the Valguero map. | Use this exact level name; changing its spelling or punctuation prevents the intended map from loading. |
SessionName |
Sets the name players see in the unofficial-server browser. | Use a distinctive name that identifies your community or server. |
ServerPassword |
Sets the password required to join. | Choose a join password if the server is private; communicate it only to intended players. |
Port |
Sets the game connection port. | Choose an unused port on the host and use that same value in firewall and router rules. |
QueryPort |
Sets the query/discovery port used to report the server to browser listings. | Choose a separate available port and forward and allow it consistently. |
MaxPlayers |
Sets the configured player limit. | Set it to a level the host’s memory and CPU can sustain; the empty-map baseline does not include a populated server. |
ServerAdminPassword |
Sets the password for administrator commands. | Use a strong, different password and test administrator access after the first launch. |
The question-mark separators are part of the ARK launch syntax. Keep the map first and preserve the option names exactly. If you later change a port, name or password, edit the script and restart the process so the new command is applied.
Open the host firewall and router
A running process is not automatically reachable from the internet. Add firewall rules on the server machine for the selected game and query ports, and make sure the rule applies to the correct server executable. A common failure is allowing a different program or an old installation while the active process is running from the validated directory.
If players connect from outside the host’s local network, create router forwarding rules for both selected ports and point them to the server machine’s local address. The external address and port that players use must match the values in the launch command. Players on the same local network may be able to connect without router forwarding, so a local test alone does not prove that internet players can reach the server.
- Reserve or otherwise keep the server machine’s local network address from changing, so forwarding does not silently point at another device.
- Use the exact game
PortandQueryPortvalues from the script. - Check the host firewall after every executable move or reinstall; a path-based rule can stop matching when the server directory changes.
- Do not expose an administrator password in screenshots, public posts or shared configuration files.
Start the server and verify it
- Close any older ARK server process using the same ports.
- Run the Windows batch file or Linux shell script.
- Watch the console output until the process completes startup and remains running. A process that exits immediately usually indicates an invalid command, missing files or a port conflict.
- From an ARK client, open the unofficial-server browser and search for the exact
SessionName. - Join using the configured
ServerPassword, if one is set. - Test administrator access with the
ServerAdminPasswordand verify that an administrator command is accepted. - Change a harmless world setting or perform another controlled test, restart the process, and confirm that the world and configuration persist.
Keep the first test small: one client, the final port values and the final launch script. Once discovery and administrator access work, invite additional players and add mods incrementally. This separates network problems from load and content problems.
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Troubleshoot the most common failures
The server does not appear in the unofficial-server list
- Confirm that the server process is still running rather than having exited after an error.
- Verify that the query port in the launch command is the same port allowed by the host firewall and forwarded by the router.
- Check that the firewall rule targets the currently installed
ShooterGameServerexecutable. - Check the external address and port players are using. A local address will not work for players outside the network.
- Search for the exact session name and allow time for the browser to refresh after a restart.
The map fails to load
Inspect the command character by character. The executable must be followed by Valguero_P, not a display name such as “Valguero” and not a different map identifier. If the map name is correct, run app_update 376030 validate again and wait for validation to complete. A partially downloaded or damaged server installation can prevent a valid map command from loading.
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Players disconnect or the process crashes
Compare available memory with the documented 3–4 GiB empty-world baseline, then account for connected players, world age, structures, creatures, storage, save data and mods. The baseline is not enough evidence that a busy server has adequate capacity. Remove or update mods one at a time so you can identify a problematic addition, and retest with the smallest reproducible configuration.
Administrator commands do not work
Confirm that you are using the ServerAdminPassword, not the join password. Make sure the client joined the server started by the current script; connecting to a similarly named server can make a correct password appear to fail. After editing the administrator password, stop and restart the server so the new launch command is active.
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Verify that every restart uses the same server directory and launch script. Keep a copy of the save directory before updates or configuration changes. If the process is being terminated abruptly, correct the shutdown procedure and test persistence again with a controlled restart.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Backups, updates and routine administration
Back up before changes
Copy the save directory before updating server files, changing major settings or adding/removing mods. Store at least one copy outside the live server directory so a failed update or accidental deletion does not destroy the only recovery point. Label backups with the date and the configuration that created them.
Update through SteamCMD
Stop the running server before maintenance, run the SteamCMD update for app 376030 with validation, then start the same launch script again. Do not change the map identifier while updating; the server should continue to launch with Valguero_P. After an update, test that the server appears in the browser, that a player can join, that administrator access works and that the existing world loads.
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Control mod changes
Mods add another source of memory use and startup failures. Keep a written list of installed mods, update one at a time, and retain a pre-change save backup. If a crash begins after a mod change, remove or roll back that one change before altering ports or map settings.
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Self-hosting gives you direct operating-system access and complete control over the launch script, map, passwords, player limit, mods, backups and update timing. It also leaves you responsible for the 64-bit operating system, SteamCMD updates, firewall rules, router forwarding, memory capacity, save protection and diagnosing crashes. Your internet connection and hardware determine reachability and latency, and you must handle any traffic protection yourself.
A managed ARK host can take over much of the operating-system, network, backup and update work, but the available controls, player capacity, geographic locations, support response and mod workflow depend on the provider. Confirm that the service supports ARK: Survival Evolved and the Valguero map before paying; the setup documentation establishes the technical use case, but it does not establish current prices, regions or affiliate terms.
| Decision factor | Self-hosted server | Managed server |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront and recurring cost | Depends on hardware, electricity, operating-system maintenance and internet service. | Depends on the provider and plan; no current price is established here. |
| Configuration and mods | Direct control of scripts, files and mod updates. | Control depends on the provider’s panel and supported features. |
| Operating-system access | You administer the 64-bit Windows or Linux host. | The provider administers the underlying host; you receive the controls it exposes. |
| Backups and updates | You schedule SteamCMD updates and copy the save directory. | Some tasks may be included, but retention and restore procedures must be confirmed. |
| Network reachability and attack protection | You configure firewall, router forwarding and any protection. | The provider supplies its own network path and protection; details vary. |
| Capacity and latency | Limited by your hardware and connection; players’ distance from your network affects latency. | Choose from the provider’s available capacities and locations. |
| Support | You diagnose process, file, memory and network problems. | Support response and scope depend on the provider. |
Choose self-hosting when you want full file-level control and are comfortable maintaining the machine. Choose managed hosting when reducing administration is more valuable than unrestricted operating-system access, and verify the exact Valguero support, backup policy, location and mod controls before committing.
Valguero content and server identity
Valguero is downloadable content for ARK: Survival Evolved and requires the base game. On the dedicated server, its identity is the level name Valguero_P; there is no separate physical-disc step in this workflow. Keeping the map name, session name and server directory documented helps players distinguish the intended Valguero instance from other unofficial servers and helps you recover the correct configuration after maintenance.
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