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Host Roguelike Adventures and Dungeons 2 (RAD2) as a modded Minecraft Java server running Forge. The reliable setup is either a managed Minecraft host with a one-click RAD2 installer or a self-hosted Docker deployment. Plan for roughly 8–10 GB of RAM, expose Minecraft’s default port 25565, and make every player install exactly the same RAD2 pack version through the CurseForge app.
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What a RAD2 server actually is
Roguelike Adventures and Dungeons 2 is a Minecraft modpack, not a separate game with its own dedicated-server program. A server is therefore a Minecraft Java Edition server with Forge and the RAD2 files installed. Players connect with a compatible Java Minecraft installation and the same modpack version on their computers.
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Most hosting listings identify RAD2 with Forge on Minecraft 1.16.5. A search result has mentioned a newer 1.18 release dated October 2026, but that release is not confirmed here. Before creating a world, check the pack’s current CurseForge release and select the same Minecraft, Forge and RAD2 versions everywhere. Treat the 1.16.5 combination as the established target only when the pack’s current release page confirms it.
There is no evidence of a standalone Steam or dedicated-game server option for RAD2. Instructions that describe a “RAD2 server” are referring to this modded Minecraft installation.
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- DELUXE COLLECTION — Includes Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition, three Bedrock add-ons, three exclusive Character Creator items, and 700 Minecoins.
- CREATE YOUR WORLD — Build whatever you imagine in an infinite world that’s unique in every playthrough.
- EXPLORE AND CRAFT — Discover biomes, resources, and mobs, then craft your way through a sandbox world filled with surprises.
- SURVIVE THE ADVENTURE — Face mysterious foes, travel across exciting landscapes, and venture into perilous dimensions.
- PLAY TOGETHER — Play cross-platform with friends in Bedrock Edition on console, mobile, and PC, or join community servers in Java Edition on PC, Mac, and Linux. Online console multiplayer requires a platform-specific subscription (sold separately).
Choose between managed hosting and Docker
Your first decision is whether the machine, networking and updates should be handled by a game-server provider or by you.
| Consideration | Managed Minecraft host | Self-hosted Docker |
|---|---|---|
| Initial setup | Usually the quickest route: stop the server, choose RAD2 in the host’s Game File or modpack selector, select a version and create a world. | Install Docker and Docker Compose, create a compose file, supply the Minecraft, Forge and modpack settings, then start the container. |
| Cost | Price depends on the provider and plan; no generally applicable RAD2 price is established. | No separate hosting fee, but you provide the computer, electricity, storage and Internet connection. |
| Port handling | The provider normally supplies a reachable game port and control panel. | You must bind the container port and forward it through your router or firewall. |
| Control | Convenient panel controls for files, versions, restarts and backups, with some limits imposed by the provider. | Direct control over files, environment variables, backups, logs and update timing. |
| Maintenance responsibility | The host manages the underlying machine; you still manage the modpack version, world and player permissions. | You are responsible for Docker, the operating system, Java/container settings, hardware capacity, security and networking. |
| Best fit | Players who want a server online quickly without configuring a router or Linux host. | Administrators who already run containers and want predictable, scriptable control. |
For a small group that wants to play rather than administer infrastructure, managed hosting is usually the lower-effort choice. Docker is appropriate when you need full control and can accept the networking and hardware work.
Hardware and software requirements
Memory and CPU
Published recommendations vary: one host lists 6 GB RAM as a minimum, another lists 8 GB, and another recommends 10 GB. A Docker example for five to ten players specifies at least 10 GB of RAM and four CPU cores. These are provider recommendations, not independent performance measurements. Use about 8–10 GB of RAM as a planning target for a smooth session, then leave additional memory for the operating system and other services.
Do not allocate all installed memory to Minecraft. On a self-hosted machine, reserve room for the operating system, Docker and monitoring. If the computer has 16 GB total, an allocation around 8–10 GB leaves useful headroom; the exact setting depends on what else runs on that computer.
Storage and connectivity
RAD2 installs a large set of mod files and generates a modded world during the first start. Use fast, reliable storage and keep free space for world growth, backups and logs. A wired connection is preferable for the host. Players need a stable route to the server; latency and upload capacity matter more than download speed once the pack is installed.
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- ULTIMATE COLLECTION — Includes Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition, five Bedrock add-ons, five exclusive Character Creator items, and 1000 Minecoins.
- CREATE YOUR WORLD — Build whatever you imagine in an infinite world that’s unique in every playthrough.
- EXPLORE AND CRAFT — Discover biomes, resources, and mobs, then craft your way through a sandbox world filled with surprises.
- SURVIVE THE ADVENTURE — Face mysterious foes, travel across exciting landscapes, and venture into perilous dimensions.
- PLAY TOGETHER — Play cross-platform with friends in Bedrock Edition on console, mobile, and PC, or join community servers in Java Edition on PC, Mac, and Linux. Online console multiplayer requires a platform-specific subscription (sold separately).
Client requirements
Every player needs Minecraft Java Edition, the RAD2 pack installed locally, and the exact pack version selected by the server. The easiest installation route described by hosting guides is the CurseForge app. Some guides also recommend increasing the launcher’s allocated memory for smoother client play, particularly when the pack is rendering a busy world.
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Control-panel labels differ, but the installation sequence is consistent. Take a backup before changing an existing server’s modpack or version; changing the pack can make an old world incompatible.
- Create or open the Minecraft Java server. Choose a plan that can provide roughly 8–10 GB of usable memory for your expected player count.
- Stop the server completely. Do not change modpack files while the process is still running, because files may be locked or partially written.
- Open the Game File, Modpack or similar installation section. Use the host’s dropdown or installer rather than uploading an arbitrary client profile.
- Select Roguelike Adventures and Dungeons 2. Confirm that the listed Minecraft and Forge versions match the RAD2 release you intend to use. If the panel asks you to change the version, accept the change only after checking the pack’s current release information.
- Apply the installation prompts. The panel may replace existing server files. Read whether it preserves or deletes the current world and mods before confirming.
- Generate a new world when prompted. A fresh world is the safest option after a new pack installation. Keep an independent backup of any world you want to preserve.
- Start the server and watch the console. The first boot can take several minutes while the host downloads or installs pack files and generates the modded world. A roughly five-minute first start is reported in one Docker example; timing varies with storage, CPU, network and host load.
- Record the address and port. Use the endpoint shown by the host panel. If it supplies a non-default port, players must enter that port with the address.
After the console reports that the server is ready, connect with one test client before inviting everyone. This catches a wrong pack version, missing files or an inaccessible endpoint without putting the whole group through troubleshooting.
Run RAD2 with Docker
A community Docker image named manfromdownunder/docker-minecraft-rad2 is designed to run RAD2 from a Docker Compose configuration. The image uses environment variables for the Minecraft version, Forge version and modpack URL, and exposes settings such as MAX_PLAYERS and DIFFICULTY. Read the image’s current documentation for the exact variable names and supported values before creating the file; do not assume a variable from another Minecraft image will work.
Prepare the host
- Install a current Docker Engine and the Docker Compose plugin on a supported Linux, Windows or macOS host.
- Create a dedicated directory for the server and restrict access to it. Keep the world and configuration on persistent storage rather than inside a disposable container layer.
- Confirm that the host has approximately 8–10 GB of RAM available for the server. The cited Docker example uses 10 GB and four CPU cores for five to ten players.
- Choose the exact RAD2 release, Minecraft version and Forge version. The pack listings most commonly target Minecraft 1.16.5 with Forge, but verify the active release before setting variables.
Define the Compose settings
In the Compose file, configure the image, persistent volume, restart policy and the image-documented environment variables for Minecraft, Forge and the RAD2 download URL. Set MAX_PLAYERS to your intended capacity and DIFFICULTY to the desired game difficulty. Keep the values in one file so you can audit or reproduce the installation. Do not paste a client-only CurseForge profile into the server directory; use the server package or download method expected by the image.
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- CREATE YOUR WORLD — Build whatever you imagine in an infinite world that is unique in every playthrough.
- EXPLORE AND CRAFT — Discover biomes, resources, and mobs, then craft your way through a sandbox world full of surprises.
- SURVIVAL ADVENTURES — Face mysterious foes, travel across varied landscapes, and venture into perilous dimensions.
- PLAY TOGETHER — Play solo or join friends in local split-screen and cross-platform play across console, mobile, and PC. Online multiplayer supports up to 8 players.
- COMMUNITY PLAY — Connect with players on community servers, or subscribe to Realms Plus (sold separately) to play with up to 10 friends on a private server.
Start and inspect the container
- From the directory containing the Compose file, run
docker compose up -d. - Follow the startup output with
docker compose logs -f. The initial run may spend several minutes downloading files, installing Forge and generating the world. - Wait for the server-ready message before connecting. If the container repeatedly restarts, stop it, inspect the first error in the logs and correct the version, URL, memory or file-permission setting.
- Use
docker compose stopfor a clean shutdown anddocker compose startto resume. Before changing versions, stop the container and back up the persistent world directory.
Docker gives you control but does not remove Minecraft administration. You still need to patch the host, protect the management interface, back up the world and ensure the container’s Java and Forge combination is supported by the selected RAD2 release.
Configure ports, firewall and RCON
The default Minecraft Java port is TCP 25565. A managed provider may expose it for you; on a home or office network, forward TCP 25565 from the router to the server’s local address and allow it through the host firewall. Give the server a stable local address so the forwarding rule does not break after a DHCP lease changes.
The Docker example also maps port 25575 for RCON, Minecraft’s remote console protocol. RCON is optional for ordinary play. If you enable it, use a strong password, restrict access to trusted addresses or a VPN, and never expose an unauthenticated management port to the public Internet. Players do not need RCON to join the game.
Connection test
- On the host’s local network, test the server with its private address and port.
- From outside the network, test using the public address and 25565, or the custom port supplied by the host.
- If local connections work but outside connections fail, check router forwarding, the firewall, carrier-grade NAT and whether your Internet provider blocks inbound connections.
- If no one can connect, confirm that the server process is listening on the port shown in its configuration and that the container port is published to the host.
Install and synchronize the player pack
Server and client files must match. Have every player install RAD2 through the CurseForge app or the distribution method specified by the pack, then select the same RAD2 version, Minecraft version and Forge version used by the server.
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- Find Roguelike Adventures and Dungeons 2 and install the server-selected release.
- In the launcher profile, verify the Minecraft and Forge versions instead of relying only on the pack name.
- Launch the profile once so required client files finish downloading.
- Join using the server address and port. Do not add individual mods from a different pack version to “fix” a mismatch; reinstall the exact profile instead.
A client that reports missing mods, incompatible Forge, registry errors or a failure during the handshake is usually on a different pack release than the server. Compare the version shown in the launcher with the server panel or Compose settings before changing anything else.
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Set difficulty, permissions and game mode
Difficulty, player permissions and game mode are controlled by server configuration files or a host control panel. On Docker, the example exposes DIFFICULTY and MAX_PLAYERS as environment variables. On a managed host, use the corresponding control-panel fields or edit the server properties and permission files while the server is stopped.
Change one setting at a time, restart cleanly and verify it in-game. Keep operator privileges limited to trusted administrators. Record configuration changes so a replacement host or restored backup can reproduce the same rules.
First-start procedure and routine operation
Why the first boot is slow
RAD2 is not ready immediately after the server process launches. The server has to install or unpack the modpack, initialize Forge and generate a modded world. Several minutes is normal on the first run; interrupting it can leave an incomplete installation. Wait for a ready state in the console rather than judging readiness from the process merely being active.
Backups
Stop the server before making a full world backup so region files are not changing during the copy. Keep at least one backup away from the server machine. Before changing the RAD2, Minecraft or Forge version, create a dated backup and test that you can restore it.
Updates
Do not update only the server or only the clients. Choose a specific RAD2 release, update the server, then have every player install that same release. A newer pack release may require a new world or a migration plan; the safest approach is to preserve the old world and test the update on a copy.
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Troubleshooting common failures
The server stops during startup
- Check the earliest error in the console or Docker logs, not just the final shutdown line.
- Verify the Minecraft, Forge and RAD2 versions are a supported combination.
- Confirm that the modpack download URL is valid and that the server can reach it.
- Increase available memory toward the 8–10 GB planning range if the process is killed under load, while leaving headroom for the operating system.
- Remove an incomplete installation only after backing up the world, then reinstall the pack cleanly.
Players receive a mod or registry mismatch
Compare the complete profile versions on the client and server. Reinstall the client profile at the server’s exact release rather than mixing individual mods. If the server was upgraded, make sure every player closed the old launcher profile before reconnecting.
Players cannot reach the server
Confirm the address and port, test locally, then test externally. Check TCP 25565 forwarding, the host firewall and whether the server is bound to the expected network interface. A Docker deployment also needs the container port published to the host. RCON’s 25575 mapping does not replace the gameplay port.
The world loads slowly or players time out
Allow the first world generation to finish before inviting players. Check available RAM, CPU and storage activity, reduce unnecessary concurrent services on a self-hosted machine and avoid setting MAX_PLAYERS higher than the hardware can support. Provider recommendations are only planning guidance; actual performance depends on world complexity and simultaneous activity.
A version change breaks the existing world
Stop the server, restore the pre-update backup if necessary and test the new pack on a copy of the world. If the release notes or installer require a new world, generate one rather than forcing old files into an incompatible server. Keep the original world untouched until the new installation has been verified.
Quick Recap
Practical launch checklist
- Confirm the current RAD2 release and its Minecraft/Forge target from the pack’s release page.
- Choose managed hosting or Docker based on who will handle hardware and networking.
- Provide approximately 8–10 GB RAM; the Docker five-to-ten-player example uses 10 GB and four cores.
- Install the server pack, stop before changing files, and generate a new world when required.
- Expose TCP 25565, or use the managed host’s supplied endpoint.
- Keep RCON on 25575 private if you enable it.
- Install the identical RAD2 profile on every player’s computer.
- Wait for the first installation and world generation to finish before testing connections.
- Back up the world before updates, configuration changes or experiments.
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