How to host a StarRupture dedicated server on PC without breaking your save

StarRupture lets you explore Arcadia-7 alone, host up to four players from your own machine, or run a dedicated server that stays online even when no one is in-game. The dedicated route removes tether distance, keeps your world persistent, and gives you tighter control over who joins—at the cost of some setup friction and a few current bugs.

StarRupture dedicated server basics and requirements

A StarRupture dedicated server is a separate Windows application that runs the world simulation and networking without the main game client. Players connect over LAN or the internet using the server’s IP and port.

For small groups, you do not need datacenter-grade hardware, but the server is not light. Reasonable targets are:

• OS: 64‑bit Windows 10 or Windows 11; Windows Server 2019/2022 also works.
• CPU: Modern quad‑core (Core i5 / Ryzen 5 or better).
• RAM: 16 GB if you are hosting and playing on the same box; 8–16 GB if it is a pure server.
• Storage: ~45 GB free on an SSD for faster loads and saves.
• Network: At least ~5 Mbps upload for a small group over the internet.

Running the server and playing on the same PC is fine for a couple of players, but moving the server to a second machine (or a rented host) gives you better frame rates and smoother simulation.

Install the StarRupture dedicated server from Steam

The simplest way to get the server files is through the Steam client, using the built‑in dedicated server tool.

Step 1: Open the Steam client and go to your Library. In the filter dropdown, enable the option that shows Tools alongside games.

Step 2: Search the Library for StarRupture Dedicated Server. Select it and click Install, ideally to an SSD.

Step 3: Once installed, right‑click the StarRupture Dedicated Server entry, choose Manage, then Browse local files. This opens the install directory.

In that folder you will see helper scripts like SRServerWithLog.bat and the main executable StarRuptureServerEOS.exe.

Install the server with SteamCMD (for headless or separate servers)

If you prefer to keep the server off your main gaming account or run it on a headless machine, you can install it with SteamCMD using the dedicated server app ID.

Step 1: Download SteamCMD from Valve’s documentation at developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamCMD and extract it to something like C:\SteamCMD.

Step 2: Create a folder for the server files, for example C:\Servers\StarRupture.

Step 3: In the SteamCMD folder, create a batch file named install_starrupture.bat with content similar to:

@echo off
cd /d C:\SteamCMD
steamcmd.exe ^
  +force_install_dir "C:\Servers\StarRupture" ^
  +login anonymous ^
  +app_update 3809400 validate ^
  +quit

Step 4: Run that batch file as Administrator. SteamCMD downloads and validates the StarRupture dedicated server into your chosen folder.

Once this finishes, your C:\Servers\StarRupture directory will contain StarRuptureServerEOS.exe and related files.

Create a launch script for StarRuptureServerEOS.exe

Launching the executable directly is possible but awkward. A batch file lets you define ports, network binding, and a readable server name.

Step 1: In the server install directory (for example C:\Servers\StarRupture or the folder opened via “Browse local files”), create a new text file named StartServer.bat.

Step 2: Paste a command line similar to:

@echo off
cd /d "C:\Servers\StarRupture"
StarRuptureServerEOS.exe -Log -MULTIHOME=0.0.0.0 -Port=7777 -ServerName="MyStarRuptureServer"

The key flags here are:

• -Log keeps a console window with live output, which is essential for debugging.
• -MULTIHOME=0.0.0.0 binds the server to all IP addresses on the host, avoiding issues when you have multiple NICs or VPNs.
• -Port=7777 sets the main game port. This must match your router and firewall configuration.
• -ServerName="…" labels the server in logs and management tools.

Some setups also include a Steam query port flag (for example -QueryPort=27015), but players join by direct IP in the current build, not through a public browser, so starting with only the main -Port=7777 is often more reliable.

Step 3: Save the file and double‑click StartServer.bat. A console window opens and the server boots into an idle state, waiting for a game session to be created.

Open the right ports and fix basic networking

StarRupture uses a primary UDP port for gameplay traffic and, in some cases, TCP on the same port for the management flow.

Some setups also use a Steam query port such as 27015/UDP, but joining currently happens by manually entering IP:Port rather than through a browser.

Step 1: On the server machine, open Windows Defender Firewall, create inbound rules for StarRuptureServerEOS.exe, and explicitly allow UDP 7777 (and TCP 7777 if you want to use “Manage Server” from outside the local host).

Step 2: Log into your router and create port‑forward rules pointing UDP 7777 (and TCP 7777 if needed) to the local IP of the server machine.

Step 3: Confirm the server’s local IP using ipconfig in Command Prompt, and verify that your public IP is what friends will use when joining from the internet.

Tip: If you can connect from another PC on the same LAN but friends on the internet cannot, the problem is almost always a router or ISP issue, not the server itself. Carrier‑grade NAT can block inbound ports entirely; in that case, a VPN tunnel or paid hosting provider is often the only practical workaround.

Use “Manage Server” to actually bring the world online

Launching the server process does not automatically create a playable session. The dedicated server starts idle; you must attach to it from the game client using the “Manage Server” option, set passwords, and either create or load a world. Skipping this step is why many players see timeouts or “map not found”–style behavior.

Step 1: With StartServer.bat already running and the console log idle, start StarRupture on your gaming PC.

Step 2: In the main menu, click Manage Server. Enter the server’s IP and port in the format IP_ADDRESS:7777. If you are on the same machine, 127.0.0.1:7777 works; on LAN, use the server’s local IP (for example 192.168.1.50:7777).

Step 3: When prompted, set an admin password. This controls access to management functions and later world configuration.

Step 4: From the management view, choose New Game to create a fresh world, or Load Game if you already have a save stored on the server. Give the session a name and set a player password if you want to keep the server private.

Step 5: Click Start. Only at this point does the server move from idle into an active game session. You will see fresh activity in the server console, and players can begin to join.

Every time the server process is restarted or crashes, it returns to that idle state. You must repeat this “Manage Server → connect → Load Game → Start” sequence to bring your existing save online. If you forget and connect directly from “Join Game”, you will land in a fresh, empty world even though your old save still exists on disk.

Join a StarRupture dedicated server as a player

Once the session is live, players connect from the main menu using direct IP.

Step 1: From the main menu, choose Join Game.

Step 2: Select the Dedicated Server tab. There is no public server browser in the current release, so you always connect by typing the address.

Step 3: Enter the server address in the format IP_ADDRESS:7777. Use the LAN IP if you are on the same network, or the public IP if you are joining over the internet.

Step 4: When prompted, enter the server password that was configured through “Manage Server”, then confirm to connect.

If the client hangs on connect while the server log looks normal, verify that the “Manage Server” workflow has been used to start or load a world and that firewalls allow both outbound and inbound traffic on the chosen ports.

Use the Steam “Tools” server script on Windows

The dedicated server tool installed from Steam includes a small batch file called SRServerWithLog.bat which can be customized instead of creating your own script from scratch.

Step 1: In Steam, right‑click StarRupture Dedicated Server, select Manage, then Browse local files.

Step 2: In the opened folder, right‑click SRServerWithLog.bat and choose Edit.

Step 3: Replace the first line with a command such as:

start .\StarRuptureServerEOS.exe -Log -port=7777

Step 4: Use the second line in the script (if present) to specify the network interface or IP binding that matches the port you forwarded in your router, then save and close the file.

Step 5: Launch the server by double‑clicking SRServerWithLog.bat. The server console opens and behaves like the custom StartServer.bat flow described earlier.

Running StarRupture on a secondary PC or rented host

Moving the dedicated server off your main gaming rig improves performance and lets the world stay online without leaving your primary PC running all the time.

Step 1: On the secondary machine, install Steam or SteamCMD and pull the StarRupture dedicated server tool, using either the Library “Tools” method or the SteamCMD app ID workflow.

Step 2: Copy or recreate your StartServer.bat (or edited SRServerWithLog.bat) so it lives alongside StarRuptureServerEOS.exe on that box.

Step 3: On your router, update port‑forward rules so UDP 7777 (and TCP 7777 if needed) now point to the new machine’s local IP rather than your main PC.

Step 4: Use a remote‑desktop tool of your choice to start and monitor the server console without having to plug in a dedicated screen.

If you prefer to avoid managing Windows at all, several third‑party game hosting providers now offer StarRupture instances with web-based control panels, automated backups, and DDoS protection. These services wrap the same dedicated server binaries behind a browser UI and remove the need to handle SteamCMD or port forwarding on your own router.

Backup saves and protect your StarRupture world

StarRupture stores world data inside the server’s directory in a “Saved” or similar folder. Protecting that directory prevents progress loss from crashes, bugs, or disk problems.

Step 1: Stop the dedicated server cleanly by closing the console window or using any in‑game shutdown option. Do not copy save files while the server is running.

Step 2: In the server install folder, locate the directory that holds worlds and profiles (commonly named Saved, Worlds, or similar).

Step 3: Copy this folder to another drive or compress it into a ZIP file and store it in cloud storage. Keep several older copies in case a bug corrupts the latest save.

Step 4: To restore, stop the server, replace the current world directory with the backup, then restart the server and run through “Manage Server → Load Game → Start” so the restored world becomes active.

Regular backups are especially important while the game is in Early Access and the dedicated server tools are still rough around the edges.

Common StarRupture server problems and what to check

Several issues come up repeatedly with early StarRupture servers. A quick checklist helps narrow them down.

• Stuck on “connecting” when joining: Confirm the server is in an active session, not idle. If you did not use “Manage Server” to create or load a world after starting the process, clients will hang or time out.
• Can connect from the same PC, but not from LAN: Windows Firewall is likely blocking incoming UDP on 7777. Add explicit inbound rules for both the executable and the port.
• LAN works, internet does not: Router forwarding is misconfigured or your ISP is blocking inbound ports. Verify port-forward rules, test with a different port if your router allows it, and consider CGNAT limitations.
• Restart leads to an empty map: The world save is still there, but the server defaulted to a blank session. Go back to “Manage Server”, connect, select your previous save, and use “Load Game” before anyone joins.
• “Manage Server” works but joining fails: Ensure TCP 7777 is also permitted and forwarded if you are using that feature through NAT, and consider simplifying the launch command by removing extra ports until you confirm a clean baseline.

Once the hardware, ports, and “Manage Server” dance are under control, a StarRupture dedicated server becomes the backbone of a persistent Arcadia‑7—your base runs when you log off, friends can drop in on their own time, and you are no longer fighting the tether. The setup still has rough edges, but a small amount of scripting and network work turns it into a reliable part of the game.