How to Create a Windrose Server Guide

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Creating a Windrose game server is an easy process that can be done from either a dedicated server or your home computer. Alternatively, you can choose a Windrose server host that will fit your needs.

Option #1: Renting a Windrose server

Renting from a professional game server provider is the fastest and easiest way to get online. Survival Servers handles hardware, network, DDoS protection, and updates for you.

Included with Your Survival Servers Rental: Windrose+

Get Windrose+ with your server rental from Survival Servers. No client mods required. That gives you a live map, server status, admin/RCON tools, and easy panel controls for loot, XP, stack size, craft cost, crop speed, and weight multipliers.

Windrose game server.png

With a rented Windrose server from Survival Servers you get:

  • Custom control panel (start/stop/restart, config editor, backups)
  • Windrose+ access with no client-side mod installation required
  • Live map, server status, and admin/RCON tools
  • Easy server-side multipliers for loot, XP, stack size, craft cost, crop speed, and weight
  • Full FTP file access
  • Custom launch parameters
  • Location switching between 8 global datacenters
  • DDoS protection
  • Instant server setup

Option #2: Host Your Own Windrose Server

Want to run your own Windrose server at home or on your own hardware? This guide will walk you through everything step by step.

What You'll Need

Computer Requirements

What Minimum Recommended
RAM 8 GB (2 players) 12 GB for 4 players, 16 GB for 10
CPU Modern 64-bit quad-core Good single-thread performance
Storage 35 GB free space SSD / NVMe SSD
Operating System Windows 10/11 or Windows Server (64-bit) Same

Software Requirements

  • Steam client - Install Windrose Dedicated Server from Library -> Tools.
  • Visual C++ Redistributables - Included with the server files.

Note: The official dedicated server guide currently recommends up to 4 players for the smoothest experience.

Step 1: Install the Dedicated Server

  1. Open Steam on the machine that will host the server.
  2. Open Library -> Tools.
  3. Find Windrose Dedicated Server and click Install.
  4. Let Steam finish downloading and updating the server files.

The default install folder is usually inside your Steam library, for example: 

SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Windrose Dedicated Server\

Step 2: Start the Server for the First Time

  1. Open the server install folder.
  2. For first boot or troubleshooting, run:
StartServerForeground.bat
  1. To run it in the background instead, launch:
WindroseServer.exe

The server will start up and create all its configuration files. You'll see text scrolling in the window as it loads.

When the server finishes starting, note the InviteCode shown in the console. Players use that code to join your server.

Step 3: Networking

The current official dedicated server guide says Windrose uses dynamic networking via NAT punch-through / UPnP. In practice, that means:

  • You normally do not configure fixed game/query ports manually.
  • You normally do not forward 7777/7778 like older guides suggest.
  • If you're hosting at home, keep UPnP enabled on your router if available.
  • Make sure Windows Firewall or any host firewall allows Steam and the Windrose dedicated server executables.

If your server does not appear or players cannot join, check the latest official guide first because networking behavior may change during Early Access.

Step 4: Configure Your Server

After the first launch, the server generates configuration files. The main files are: 

R5\ServerDescription.json
R5\Saved\SaveProfiles\Default\RocksDB\<game_version>\Worlds\<world_id>\WorldDescription.json

Important: Only edit this file when the server is shut down. The server may automatically overwrite changes if it detects issues.

Players connect with the InviteCode stored in ServerDescription.json or printed in the server console.

See Windrose Server Configuration Guide for detailed configuration options.

Understanding Your Server Files

After running the server, you'll see these folders and files:

File/Folder What It Does
StartServerForeground.bat Starts the server with a visible console for logs and troubleshooting.
WindroseServer.exe Starts the dedicated server process.
R5\ServerDescription.json Main server settings (invite code, password, max players).
R5\Saved\SaveProfiles\Default\RocksDB\<version>\Worlds\<world_id>\WorldDescription.json Per-world settings (difficulty, multipliers, world name).
R5\Saved\Logs\ Server logs for troubleshooting.

Important: Always stop your server before editing configuration files!

Starting and Joining

Task What to Use
First boot / troubleshooting StartServerForeground.bat
Background start WindroseServer.exe
Player connection Share the InviteCode from the console or ServerDescription.json

Updating Your Server

Use Steam to update the Windrose Dedicated Server tool before starting the server again.

Important: Stop your server before updating.

Quick Reference

Task How to Do It
Install / Update server Open Steam -> Library -> Tools -> Windrose Dedicated Server
Start with logs StartServerForeground.bat
Start in background WindroseServer.exe
Invite players Share your InviteCode

Notes

  • Use an SSD.
  • The official guide currently recommends up to 4 players for the smoothest performance.
  • Stop the server before editing config files.

See Also


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