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To download a V Rising world, open Load Game, select the world, and choose Go to Directory. Copy the entire session folder—not just one autosave—then place it in the matching Saves folder on the destination computer or server. You can transfer the folder as a ZIP archive using Google Drive, Dropbox, WeTransfer, or an external USB drive. Keep the folder structure and use the destination server’s current persistence-version directory.
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This procedure works for a private hosted world and for a Windows dedicated server. World progress such as castles, territories, explored map areas, and shared construction moves with the save. Individual player inventories, levels, powers, and other character data remain associated with each player’s Steam or PlayStation account.
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Choose the transfer method before touching the files
The correct destination depends on whether you are moving a client-hosted private game or migrating to a dedicated server. Use this table as a quick decision guide.
| Situation | Source location | Destination | What moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downloading a private world for backup | Open the world’s folder with Load Game > Go to Directory | Another drive, USB device, or ZIP archive | Complete world state at the time of the copy |
| Another player will host the same private world | Local Saves or Steam-ID-specific CloudSaves folder |
The new host’s corresponding V Rising save location | World, castles, territories, shared progress, and map status |
| Private world to a Windows dedicated server | Session folder opened from the in-game directory command | <PersistentDataPath>Saves<current persistence version> |
World state, with server settings adjusted for the dedicated host |
| Existing dedicated server to another machine | %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowStunlock StudiosVRisingServerSaves, unless -persistentDataPath changes it |
The same relative Saves structure under the new persistent-data path |
Dedicated-server world and its autosaves |
Persistence-version folders can change when the save format changes. Do not force a folder named v3 if your installation uses a different version; use the version folder that exists on the destination installation.
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Back up the world safely
A save can change while the game or server is writing an autosave. Copying during that write can leave an incomplete archive. Make a clean copy first.
- For a private game, leave the world and close V Rising before copying. For a dedicated server, stop the server process or ensure nobody is playing while the copy is made.
- Open Load Game, highlight the world, and select Go to Directory. This opens the exact session folder used by that installation.
- Copy the complete folder to a separate backup location. Do not select only
AutoSave_0.save.gz; the session metadata and settings files are part of the save. - Create a ZIP archive of the copied folder if you need to send it to another computer. Open the ZIP once after creation and verify that it contains the session folder and its files.
- Give the backup a date-based name, such as
castle-world-2026-10-14.zip. Keep at least one untouched copy before patching or changing server settings.
Stunlock recommends frequent backups, especially before installing a game update or starting a server after an update. A backup lets you recover from hardware failure, a lost cloud server, or a corrupted save state.
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The in-game method is the safest
Folder names vary by installation and persistence version, so the most reliable route is the game itself:
- Start V Rising.
- Open Load Game.
- Select the world you want to download.
- Click Go to Directory.
- Copy the session folder shown in File Explorer.
This method avoids guessing which Steam account, cloud setting, or persistence-version folder contains the active world.
Client-hosted local saves
Client-hosted worlds are commonly stored under:
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowStunlock StudiosVRisingSavesOn installations using cloud saves, the corresponding location is:
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%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowStunlock StudiosVRisingCloudSaves<SteamID>The <SteamID> directory is specific to the account. If you see both paths, use the folder identified by Go to Directory rather than copying both indiscriminately.
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Official 1.0.x instructions describe a persistence folder such as v3, followed by a GUID-named session folder. A typical session contains files like these:
| File or folder | Purpose | Copy it? |
|---|---|---|
| GUID-named session folder | Container for one world | Yes—copy the entire folder |
AutoSave_0.save.gz |
Compressed world save data | Yes, along with the other autosaves |
ServerGameSettings.json |
Gameplay rules for the world | Usually yes; see the dedicated-server settings exception below |
ServerHostSettings.json |
Host/server configuration | Copy for a private handoff; optionally remove for a dedicated server that supplies its own host settings |
SessionId.json |
Session identity metadata | Yes |
StartDate.json |
World start-date metadata | Yes |
There may be additional autosaves or metadata. Preserve them unless you have a specific reason to prune older files. If you retain only one autosave, keep the newest verified file and retain your original archive separately.
Dedicated-server location and custom paths
A Windows dedicated server normally stores worlds in:
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowStunlock StudiosVRisingServerSavesIf the server was launched with -persistentDataPath, it uses that custom path instead. The save is then under that path’s Saves subfolder. Check the server launch command or service definition before deciding where to upload a world.
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Transfer the archive to another computer
A ZIP keeps the session folder together and reduces the chance of omitting metadata. Stunlock lists Google Drive, Dropbox, WeTransfer, and an external USB drive as transfer methods.
- Right-click the backed-up session folder and create a ZIP archive.
- Transfer the ZIP through your chosen method. For a USB drive, safely eject it after copying.
- On the destination computer, copy the ZIP to a local folder before extracting. Do not run the game directly from a cloud-sync folder or removable drive.
- Extract the archive and confirm that the expected session files are directly inside the session folder, not buried under an extra nested directory.
- Compare the extracted folder size with the source copy. A drastically smaller archive or a missing
.save.gzfile indicates an incomplete transfer.
Keep the original ZIP until the destination world has loaded successfully and you have made a new backup there.
Move a private save to another private host
Stunlock’s July 2, 2025 private-server guide confirms that players can manually transfer a private server save so another player can host the same world with shared progress intact.
Current host: package the world
- Close V Rising after leaving the world.
- Use Load Game > Go to Directory, or locate the active folder under the local
Savesor account-specificCloudSavespath. - Copy the complete save folder to a temporary location.
- Compress that folder into a ZIP archive. Include all autosaves and JSON metadata.
- Send the ZIP to the new host using a drive, transfer service, or external USB storage.
New host: install and launch the world
- Install the same V Rising edition and update level where practical. A save-format change may require the persistence-version folder created by the newer installation.
- Extract the ZIP into the corresponding local
SavesorCloudSaveslocation. Preserve the session-folder level; do not rename individual files. - Start V Rising and open Continue Game.
- Select the transferred save and start the session.
- Verify a castle, a known territory, and a previously explored map area before inviting other players.
The world and structures transfer, including castles, territories, and map status. Each player’s inventory, character level, powers, and other account-bound character information remain tied to that player’s Steam or PlayStation account. A new host cannot use the old host’s character simply by receiving the world folder.
Migrate a private world to a Windows dedicated server
A dedicated server needs the session folder in its own persistence tree and must be told which folder to load. Follow these steps in order.
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1. Capture a clean source copy
Use Load Game > Go to Directory on the private world. Stop all writing, then copy the entire session folder to a staging directory. Keep the untouched source copy in case the first launch fails.
2. Prepare host settings
If the destination server already supplies its own host configuration, you may remove ServerHostSettings.json from the copied session folder. This prevents private-host settings from overriding the dedicated server’s network and host configuration. Keep ServerGameSettings.json if you want the world’s gameplay rules to travel with it, subject to the conflict check below.
3. Choose a folder name
The source session folder may have a long GUID name. You can leave it unchanged, or rename it to a simple name such as myworld. If you rename it, use exactly that name in the server’s -saveName argument.
4. Copy into the server persistence tree
Place the folder at:
<PersistentDataPath>Saves<current persistence version>myworldReplace <PersistentDataPath> with the server’s actual default or -persistentDataPath location. Replace the version component with the folder created by that installation; do not assume it is always v3.
5. Set the save name
Launch the dedicated server with:
-saveName myworldThe value must match the copied folder name exactly, including capitalization where the server distinguishes it.
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6. Prevent settings overrides
Set GameSettingsPreset to an empty value. Also check the default and local override settings folders for a conflicting ServerGameSettings.json. Remove or rename a conflicting override so the copied world settings can be used. If you intentionally want new server rules, make a separate backup first and document every changed setting.
7. Test before inviting players
- Start the server and watch its log for a successful world load rather than a new-world initialization.
- Join alone and confirm the expected castle, map exploration, and territory ownership.
- Stop the server cleanly and make a fresh backup from the destination path.
- Only then reconnect the rest of the group.
Keep or remove autosaves?
Keeping every autosave gives you rollback options if the newest file is damaged. It also makes the archive larger. For a first migration, keep all autosaves. After the destination world has loaded and been backed up, you can archive older copies separately and retain the newest known-good set in the active folder.
Cloud-save cautions after the move
Cloud synchronization can make a deleted local file reappear. If Cloud Saves is enabled, remove an obsolete world through the in-game Load Game interface while V Rising is running. Do not rely on manually deleting the folder in File Explorer; a cloud service may restore it on the next sync.
Before deleting anything, confirm that the transferred world opens on the destination and that your backup ZIP is readable. If you need both copies temporarily, give them distinct names and avoid launching the wrong one.
Troubleshoot a missing or incorrect world
| Symptom | Likely cause | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| The world does not appear in Continue Game | The folder is one level too deep, in the wrong Saves/CloudSaves path, or under an unsupported persistence version |
Use Go to Directory on the destination, then place the session folder at that exact level and use the version folder created by that installation |
| The dedicated server starts a fresh world | -saveName does not match the folder name, or the folder is under the wrong persistent-data path |
Rename the folder or change -saveName so they match, and verify whether -persistentDataPath redirects the server |
| The world loads with unexpected rules | A default or local override ServerGameSettings.json is taking precedence, or GameSettingsPreset is set |
Empty GameSettingsPreset and remove the conflicting override before restarting |
| Castles and map progress are present, but a player is missing levels or items | Character data is account-bound rather than stored as transferable shared world progress | Have that player join with the same Steam or PlayStation account used for the original character |
| The old save returns after manual deletion | Cloud synchronization restored it | Delete the world from the in-game Load Game screen while the game is running |
| The archive extracts but the game reports corruption | The copy was made while the server was writing, or the archive omitted metadata/autosaves | Stop the source server, restore the untouched backup, create a new complete ZIP, and retry |
Check the migration before considering it complete
- The destination uses the intended persistence-version folder.
- The session folder is not nested inside an additional folder created by extraction.
- The dedicated server’s
-saveNamematches the folder name. GameSettingsPresetis empty when the copied world settings should control the server.- No unwanted
ServerGameSettings.jsonoverride is masking the copied settings. - A known castle, territory, and explored area are visible after joining.
- Each player has joined with the correct Steam or PlayStation account.
- A new backup exists on the destination machine before normal play resumes.
If you do not want to run the dedicated server yourself
Self-hosting requires the V Rising Dedicated Server application, available from Steam’s Tools section, plus a machine that remains available to players. Stunlock’s November 27, 2024 hosting article identifies managed hosting as an alternative and names PocketHost as a service for renting and managing a V Rising server. Regardless of provider, you still need to upload the complete session folder, select the matching persistence path, set the save name, and verify the loaded world before deleting the source backup.
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Recommended backup routine
- Keep a dated ZIP before every game patch and before the first server start after a patch.
- Store one copy on the host machine and another on a separate drive or transfer service.
- Retain the last known-good archive after each successful migration.
- When replacing an active world, stop the server first and never overwrite your only backup.
- Periodically open a backup on a test installation so you know the archive is complete rather than merely present.
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