Most Soulmask dedicated-server failures fall into six groups: startup still in progress, blocked query or game ports, incompatible client and server builds, Workshop-mod differences, Steam or file-permission errors, and a damaged or overloaded world. The fastest fix is to identify which group you have before changing saves or reinstalling anything.
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Begin with the server console and WS/Saved/Logs/WS.log. Confirm that startup has completed, then test the network path, versions, and mods in that order. Preserve the save directory before patches, configuration changes, or clean-world tests.
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Quick triage by symptom
| What you see | Most likely first check | Do not do yet |
|---|---|---|
| The server is missing from the browser | Wait for map, database, NPC, and Steam-registration initialization; then verify the Steam query port and firewall rules. | Do not rename or delete the saved folder. |
| The server is listed, but joining times out or shows “Connection to Host Lost” | Check compatible builds, the configured game port, and UDP forwarding to the server’s private IP. | Do not restore or wipe a world until network and version checks pass. |
| The process exits immediately | Read WS/Saved/Logs/WS.log for Steam initialization, bind, and permission errors. |
Do not assume the save is corrupt. |
| A restart succeeds only when mods are removed | Run a no-mod test, then restore the identical Workshop list and load order one mod at a time. | Do not let clients keep different mod versions. |
| A world will not load or appears damaged | Stop the server, copy the complete save directory, and restore the newest known-good backup. | Do not experiment on the only copy. |
| Performance degrades after several hours | Correlate slowdown with uptime, players, NPC activity, and save writes; schedule restarts and reduce simulation load. | Do not expect more generic hardware alone to cure long-uptime degradation. |
How startup and server visibility work
A dedicated server can be running while it is still absent from the public browser. Soulmask must load the map, database, and NPC data, then initialize Steam and register the server. A community troubleshooting guide summarizes the common case as: “Nine times out of ten, the server just hasn’t finished starting.” Allow several minutes, especially after a patch, a first launch, or a large save.
Browser visibility uses a different network path from joining the game. The Steam query port must be reachable for the listing to appear; a healthy game port does not guarantee a browser listing. Conversely, a listing can appear while the game port is blocked, leaving players unable to connect.
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Default ports and what each one does
| Port | Protocol | Role | Required action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8777 | UDP | Default game connection port | Allow it through the host firewall and forward it from the router or NAT device to the server’s private IP. |
| 27015 | UDP | Default Steam query and browser-registration port | Allow and forward it separately; this controls discoverability rather than the game session itself. |
These are the defaults documented by multiple dedicated-server guides. If you set custom command-line values, use the same values in the server launch configuration, firewall rules, router forwarding, and the port players use. A mismatch can look like a failed server even when the process is healthy.
Some container documentation uses UDP 27050 and UDP 27051 as example ports that must be open on both the container host and router. Those values are a deployment example, not a replacement for Soulmask’s documented default ports. Treat the container’s external-to-internal mapping as authoritative for that installation and verify which mapped port is the game endpoint and which is the query endpoint.
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When the server is not showing in the browser
- Wait for a completed startup. Watch the console for the world, database, NPC, and Steam-registration stages to finish. A process that is consuming CPU or writing files may simply be initializing.
- Confirm the process remains alive. If the window closes, service manager reports an exit, or the container repeatedly restarts, skip browser troubleshooting and inspect
WS/Saved/Logs/WS.log. - Check UDP 27015. Permit the query port in the operating-system firewall and forward it on the router to the machine’s current private IP. Ensure the forwarding rule targets the server host, not a stale DHCP address.
- Check the game port separately. Keep UDP 8777, or your chosen custom game port, open and consistently configured. A query listing without a reachable game port still produces failed joins.
- Try a direct connection. Use the server’s public IP and configured game port while repairing the query path. Direct access can confirm that the world and game listener work even when Steam browser registration does not.
- Investigate CGNAT and filtering. If forwarding is correct but outside players cannot reach either port, the ISP may be using carrier-grade NAT or filtering inbound UDP. A router rule cannot accept unsolicited traffic that never reaches the router. Ask the ISP for a public IPv4 address or use a network arrangement that provides inbound reachability.
Do not repeatedly restart during the initial load. Every restart resets map and database initialization and can make a slow first launch appear broken. Capture the server’s external IP, private IP, configured ports, and startup time before changing settings so you can identify which layer failed.
Fixing “Connection to Host Lost” and connection timeouts
When the server is listed and findable but a player cannot connect, the game-port path is the leading suspect. The browser’s query response proves only that Steam can ask about the server; it does not prove that the session port is reachable.
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Client and server compatibility
- Update the dedicated server and the client to compatible builds.
- Restart both after an update so neither process retains an older loaded binary.
- Have every player test again before changing the save or network configuration.
A client that connects to other servers but not yours can still have a build mismatch with your instance. Compare the actual build shown by the game and server tools rather than relying on when each was last updated.
Game-port and router checks
- Identify the configured game port. Use UDP 8777 unless you deliberately changed it.
- Allow that UDP port in the host firewall.
- Forward the same external port to the server’s current private IP. If the router supports separate external and internal ports, make sure the player uses the external value and the server listens on the internal value you selected.
- Check that another service has not claimed the port. A bind error in
WS.logindicates a listener conflict or an invalid address. - Test from a network outside the server’s LAN, such as a phone hotspot. A connection that works locally but fails externally points to NAT, CGNAT, or ISP filtering rather than the game process.
Incorrect private-IP forwarding is common after a router reboot or DHCP lease change. Reserve the server host’s address or update the forwarding rule whenever the private IP changes. If a direct public-IP test fails, repair the network path before touching the world save.
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If compatible builds and external port tests pass, temporarily disable Workshop mods and retry. A mod mismatch can present as a timeout rather than a clear error, especially when a client has a different version or load order. If a clean, no-mod connection works, follow the controlled mod procedure below.
Dedicated server crashes or exits during startup
Read the right log first
Open WS/Saved/Logs/WS.log after the failed launch. Search around the end of the file for Steam DLL or API initialization errors, port-bind failures, permission errors, and the first fatal exception. The last line is not always the root cause; the first initialization failure often explains later shutdown messages.
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Steam initialization failures
A dedicated-server guide documents a “Failed to initialize Steam” warning. Use the supplied launch scripts when available, because they set the expected environment and paths. Where Steam registration is not required or the environment cannot initialize Steam correctly, the documented -NOSTEAM launch workaround can allow the process to start. This changes discovery behavior, so it is a diagnostic or environment-specific option rather than a universal fix for a publicly listed server.
After applying the workaround, verify whether the process stays alive and whether players can reach it directly. If the server starts only with Steam disabled, keep the log from both launches and correct the underlying Steam runtime, working directory, or container configuration before relying on the workaround.
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A bind failure means the server could not claim its configured address or port. Check for another Soulmask instance, an old process left after a crash, an invalid custom port, or a launch parameter that conflicts with the firewall and router rules. Stop duplicate processes, return temporarily to the documented default ports, and start once with a clean, known configuration.
Permissions and container ownership
On Windows, the account running the service must be able to read the installation and write the save and log directories. On Linux or in a container, verify ownership of the mounted save directory and its parent paths. The Docker README gives 10000:10000 as its default container ownership example; use that only when it matches the image and host mapping you selected. A different container user requires corresponding host permissions.
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Permission failures can prevent logs, configuration, or saves from being created, making a healthy executable appear to crash. Correct ownership, restart, and confirm that a new log entry and save timestamp are produced.
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Workshop mods are a frequent source of crashes after game or mod updates. Treat mods as a controlled variable rather than changing several at once.
- Stop the server cleanly and preserve the current save.
- Remove or disable the
-modparameter for one restart. Do not delete the save. - Test server startup and a client connection with mods disabled.
- If the no-mod test succeeds, restore one mod at a time.
- For each mod, make the client and server use the same Workshop item, version, enabled state, and load order.
- Restart and test after each addition. Record the first mod that reproduces the crash or failed join.
All players need matching subscriptions and enabled lists. A client that has an extra mod, an outdated download, or a different load order can fail even when the server itself starts. After a Workshop update, repeat the no-mod test before assuming the save was damaged.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Recovering a world that will not load or appears corrupted
Save recovery is deliberately conservative because every failed experiment can overwrite useful evidence.
- Stop the server. Do not copy files while the process is writing the world.
- Make a complete copy. Back up the entire saved directory, including subfolders and metadata, to a separate disk or host location. Label it with the date and server build.
- Restore the newest known-good backup. Prefer a backup made before the first failed launch or patch. Keep the damaged copy for later comparison.
- Start with the original configuration. Use the same ports and settings that worked for the backup, but disable mods for the first recovery test.
- Run a clean-world test only after preservation. Rename the active saved folder rather than deleting it, then let the server create a new world. If the clean world loads, the executable, permissions, and network are probably functional and the problem is localized to the original save or its mods.
- Reintroduce variables separately. Test the restored save without mods, then add the previously used mods one at a time. Keep each test in a separate copy.
A clean world that also fails points away from save corruption and toward the executable, Steam initialization, permissions, port binding, or a broader installation problem. A restored world that fails only when a particular mod is enabled identifies a content or compatibility issue rather than proof that the base save is irrecoverable.
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Lag and slowdown after several hours
Measure the pattern before changing hardware. Note server uptime, concurrent players, NPC and AI activity, save-write times, CPU and memory usage, and when latency becomes noticeable. If performance degrades gradually with uptime and improves after a restart, the pattern is consistent with the long-uptime memory-leak behavior reported by hosting operators.
Operational mitigations
- Schedule a routine daily restart during the quietest period. Warn players and stop the process cleanly so saves finish.
- Reduce
MaxPlayersif the current concurrency exceeds what the host can simulate reliably. - Lower expensive simulation or NPC settings when the workload, rather than network latency, is the bottleneck.
- Review save intervals. Very frequent writes can create short stalls, while very infrequent writes increase rollback risk; choose an interval that fits the world’s activity and backup policy.
- Track whether one mod, area, or activity precedes the slowdown. Remove a suspect mod only after backing up and testing a copy.
More CPU or RAM may postpone a limit, but it does not reliably eliminate degradation tied to uptime or a leak. Automatic restarts, monitoring, and sensible simulation limits are the practical controls.
Self-hosting versus managed Soulmask hosting
The choice is less about a generic “better server” and more about who owns each failure domain.
| Decision area | Self-hosting | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Firewall, NAT, and CGNAT | You configure router forwarding, host rules, public addressing, and ISP diagnosis. | The provider usually supplies a reachable endpoint and handles platform-level network support; you still must configure in-game ports correctly. |
| Backups and restore | You choose schedules, destinations, retention, and recovery tests. | Backup tooling may be integrated, but verify frequency, retention, off-host copies, and whether restores can be performed without support intervention. |
| Mods and version updates | You control timing and can script a no-mod rollback, but every client must be coordinated. | Look for documented Workshop-update handling, version pinning, and access to launch parameters. |
| Monitoring and restarts | You must create health checks, alerts, and scheduled restarts. | Automatic restart and monitoring may be included; confirm what counts as a crash and whether alerts expose repeated failures. |
| CPU, RAM, and storage headroom | You select hardware and absorb utilization spikes, disk failures, and upgrade work. | Check allocated resources, storage type, upgrade rules, and whether backups consume the same quota. |
| Logs and configuration access | Full access, provided you know where the files and service account live. | Confirm that WS.log, launch parameters, save files, and download access are available when troubleshooting. |
Managed hosting is most useful when you do not want to diagnose CGNAT, maintain backups, or build restart monitoring. Self-hosting is appropriate when you need complete file access and already operate reliable networking and backup procedures. In either model, insist on a recoverable save and readable logs.
Preventive operating checklist
Before a patch or mod change
- Copy the complete save directory and record the current server build.
- Record configured game and query ports, launch parameters, enabled mods, and load order.
- Change one variable at a time so a failure has an identifiable cause.
After a restart
- Wait for map, database, NPC, and Steam-registration initialization to finish.
- Confirm a fresh timestamp in
WS/Saved/Logs/WS.logand verify that the process remains alive. - Check browser visibility and then perform an actual player connection; these validate different ports.
When a failure occurs
- Save the relevant log before restarting repeatedly.
- Write down the exact symptom, time, build, player count, and last configuration change.
- Test network, versions, and mods before altering the world.
- Keep the original failed save and every known-good backup until recovery is confirmed.
When to escalate
Escalate to your host or network provider when the server process stays healthy but inbound UDP traffic never reaches the machine, the ISP uses CGNAT that you cannot bypass, or the platform repeatedly loses port bindings. Escalate a game or mod issue with the exact build, the final portion of WS.log, launch parameters, mod list and load order, reproduction steps, and a copy of the affected save. That evidence lets support distinguish a network path problem from a Steam runtime, permission, executable, mod, or world-state failure without asking you to destroy the only recoverable copy.
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