The Tool Desk
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What you need before creating the server
A private server needs three things: the dedicated-server software, a machine that stays available while people play, and a way for players to authenticate to the world. The software is free and is available through the Steam Tools library or through SteamCMD. The documented SteamCMD application ID is 1963720.
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- Server machine: A Windows PC is the most straightforward option. Linux can run the server through a maintained Docker deployment.
- World data: Decide whether to create a new world or migrate an existing save. Back up the world before changing server files or moving it between installations.
- Join details: The server generates a Game ID. Share it only with the people you want to join; the setup documentation warns against posting a game code publicly.
- Access policy: Set a player limit, choose a recognizable world name, and use a password when you offer direct-IP access.
A temporary host is enough for an occasional group: the process and machine simply need to remain running during the session. An always-on PC, Linux box, or VPS is more suitable when players should be able to join without waiting for the host to start the server, but it adds operating-system updates, backups, and monitoring to your responsibilities.
Choose how players will connect
Core Keeper supports two practical networking modes. Select one before you configure the machine, because the firewall and router work are different.
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Steam Datagram Relay: the low-configuration choice
Leave the server port unset and use Steam Datagram Relay. The Docker deployment documentation states that an empty server-port setting uses SDR and does not require inbound router port forwarding. This is generally the easiest arrangement for a small private group: start the server, obtain its Game ID, and give that code to your friends privately.
SDR removes the need to expose a listening port on your home router, but it still depends on the relay service and on compatible client and server behavior. After a major game or server update, test joining from each platform your group uses rather than assuming an old setup will behave identically.
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Direct connection: more control, more network work
Set a port when you want players to connect through the server machine’s IP address and port. The server reference explains that setting -port enables direct connections. You must then allow the server through the operating-system firewall and forward the same port from the router to the server computer. Players use the reachable IP address, port, and the password you configured.
Direct mode is useful when you need a conventional endpoint or when relay connectivity is unsuitable. It also exposes a network endpoint and creates more opportunities for mistakes: a wrong bind address, blocked firewall rule, or router forwarding to the wrong machine will prevent outside players from connecting. Do not claim that a port is reachable until you have tested it from outside your home network.
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| Networking choice | Setup effort | Router forwarding | What players use | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDR | Low; keep the port unset | Not required according to the Docker deployment documentation | Private Game ID and the game’s normal join flow | Relies on relay service and supported platform behavior |
| Direct connection | Higher; firewall, bind address, and router configuration are required | Required for players outside the local network | Server IP, port, and password | More control, but the endpoint is exposed and troubleshooting is harder |
Install the dedicated server on Windows
Option 1: Steam Tools
- Open Steam and go to the Library. Filter the library to Tools, then find Core Keeper Dedicated Server and install it.
- Open the installed server from the Tools library. The package provides a server executable or startup script; use the one included with your installed version rather than renaming files.
- Keep the PowerShell or console window open while the server is online. The setup guide documents quitting from that window, so closing it ends the server process.
- Configure a recognizable world name, select the world index or seed for a new world, set a player limit, and choose whether to use SDR or a direct port.
- Watch the startup output for the Game ID. The setup guide also documents a
GameID.txtfile in deployments that create one. Copy the code accurately and send it privately to your players.
The first launch may take time while the world initializes. Wait for the server to finish loading before assuming that a missing world or Game ID indicates a failed installation.
Option 2: SteamCMD
SteamCMD is useful for a headless machine, scripted installation, or a server that does not use the regular Steam client. Use SteamCMD’s documented Core Keeper server installation procedure and the application ID 1963720. The key update operation is:
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsapp_update 1963720Run that operation within SteamCMD’s normal login and installation workflow, then start the executable or script that the downloaded server package provides. If SteamCMD reports a missing configuration or license while downloading, stop and verify that you used the Core Keeper dedicated-server method and the exact app ID; do not substitute the game client app.
Configure the world and access settings
You can supply settings as launch arguments. Keep the arguments in the server’s startup shortcut, script, or service definition so that a restart recreates the same configuration. The reference documents these options:
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| Argument | Purpose | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
-worldname |
Sets the displayed server name | Use a quoted value when the name contains spaces, for example -worldname 'Core Keeper Server'. |
-worldseed |
Sets the world-generation seed | It affects generation of a new world; changing it does not replace an already-created world’s terrain. |
-gameid |
Sets the join code | An invalid or omitted value causes a new Game ID to be generated. |
-password |
Sets the direct-connection password | Use this when offering direct-IP access; keep it separate from the Game ID and share it privately. |
-maxplayers |
Sets the connection limit | If omitted, the documented default is 8. |
-port |
Enables direct connections | The selected port must be reachable through the host firewall and, for internet players, the router. |
-ip |
Controls the local bind address when a port is set | The documented default is 0.0.0.0. |
-allowonlyplatform |
Restricts direct connections to a platform | The reference lists Steam, Epic, Microsoft, and GOG as supported values. The restriction is described for direct connections. |
Choose a player limit that your machine can sustain instead of leaving an unexpectedly large audience with an invitation. If you use a seed, record it with your world backup so you can identify the intended generation later. If you omit -gameid, treat the newly generated code as the authoritative one and replace any old code you may have written down.
Set up direct networking safely
- Choose a port and place it in the server’s startup arguments with
-port. - Allow the dedicated-server executable through the host operating system’s firewall for the required network profile.
- Give the server machine a stable address on the local network, or create a DHCP reservation, so the router rule does not point to a different computer after a reboot.
- Forward the selected port from the router to that local address. Forward the same protocol and number that the server is configured to use; do not silently change one side.
- Start the server and confirm in its output that it has initialized the world and generated its Game ID.
- Test from a connection outside your home network. A test made from the same LAN can succeed even when the router does not permit outside traffic.
Only after the external test succeeds should you send players the IP address, port, password, and Game ID information they need. If you later return to SDR, remove the direct port from the startup configuration and retire the router forwarding rule.
Run the server on Linux with Docker
The maintained Docker example is appropriate when you want reproducible startup, Docker Compose, or a machine without a graphical desktop. Its important design choice is persistence: mount one directory for server files and a separate directory for server data. This keeps the world and generated settings outside the container layer so that recreating the container does not erase them.
Persistent layout
- Use a persistent mount for the server installation files.
- Use a second persistent mount for server data, including the
worldsdirectory. - Keep the Compose file and any environment configuration in a location covered by your backup plan.
- Allow the container to restart only after you have confirmed that both mounts point to the intended host directories.
The Docker deployment writes GameID.txt beside the executable. If players cannot find the join code, inspect the container logs and that file on the host-mounted server directory.
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Docker networking choices
For SDR, leave the server-port variable empty. Do not publish a host port merely because Docker makes port mappings available; the documented deployment uses an empty server port for relay networking. For direct mode, set the server port and publish the corresponding Docker port to the host, then perform the same host-firewall and router-forwarding work described for Windows.
Docker changes packaging, not the game’s access rules. A container that is stopped is still offline, a non-persistent mount can still lose a world, and a router that forwards to the wrong host will still block direct players.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Let Steam, Epic, GOG, and Microsoft Store players join
A SteamDB patch-note entry dated August 14, 2025 reports that PC players using Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG.com, and the Microsoft Store can play together on the same dedicated servers. The server reference names those platforms for the optional platform-filter argument as well.
Compatibility is version-sensitive. Have every player update the game before troubleshooting invitations, and recheck cross-platform behavior after a major game or dedicated-server update. If you deliberately set -allowonlyplatform, verify that the value matches the platform group you intend to admit; the flag is documented as applying to direct connections.
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Choose a host that matches your schedule
| Hosting pattern | Best for | Advantages | Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Windows host | Occasional sessions with a known host | Fastest installation and no separate machine | The host must start the process, keep the window open, and remain online |
| Always-on home machine | A group that joins throughout the day | World is available without coordinating a host’s play session | Power, updates, backups, firewall maintenance, and recovery after a reboot |
| Linux Docker host or VPS | Headless operation and repeatable deployments | Compose automation, persistent mounts, and easy service restarts | Container updates, storage management, access control, and any provider or network costs |
The dedicated-server software itself is free. Hardware, electricity, and any VPS service are separate costs that depend on the machine and provider, so no universal monthly price or performance guarantee applies.
Back up and migrate the world
Back up before changing launch arguments that affect worlds, migrating between Windows and Docker, or installing a major update. The setup guide documents a client save-backup hotkey, while dedicated-server data is kept in the server’s worlds directory. For Docker, back up the host directory mounted for server data rather than only the disposable container.
- Stop the server cleanly from its console or service manager.
- Copy the complete world data to a separate location with a date in the backup name.
- Record the world name, seed if applicable, Game ID, and launch arguments alongside the copy.
- Start the server and wait for initialization and a save before allowing players to make new progress.
- Keep at least one backup from before the change so that a damaged or incompatible world can be restored.
Troubleshoot the problems that occur most often
SteamCMD cannot download the server
If SteamCMD reports a missing configuration or license, verify the installation method and confirm that the app ID is 1963720. A client-game app ID or an incomplete SteamCMD invocation can produce a misleading download failure. Retry only after correcting the command and installation target.
Friends outside the house cannot connect
First identify the intended mode. With SDR, do not troubleshoot a router port that the server is not using; inspect the server output, Game ID, and client join flow instead. With direct mode, check the server’s -port value, the host firewall rule, the router’s destination address, and whether you tested from outside the local network. A mismatch in any one of those values blocks internet players.
The world does not appear
Wait for initialization and a save, then inspect the configured data path and the worlds directory. In Docker, confirm that the persistent data mount is attached to the same host directory used by the previous container. Restoring the latest known-good backup is safer than repeatedly starting and stopping a server against an uncertain path.
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Read the server’s startup output. In the Docker deployment, inspect GameID.txt beside the executable. If you supplied an invalid -gameid, the server is documented to generate a new ID; distribute that newly generated value instead of an old code.
Only some platforms can join
Check that every player is running a compatible current game version and that you did not restrict direct connections with an unintended -allowonlyplatform value. Cross-platform support reported for the August 14, 2025 patch should be treated as version-dependent after later updates.
Quick Recap
A repeatable private-server checklist
- Install Core Keeper Dedicated Server through Steam Tools or SteamCMD app
1963720. - Choose SDR by leaving the port unset, or choose direct mode and plan firewall and router changes.
- Set a world name, world index or seed for a new world, player limit, and any required password.
- Start the server and wait for initialization.
- Copy the generated Game ID from the console or
GameID.txt. - Share join details privately; never post the code publicly.
- Confirm the world is saving and back up the
worldsdata before major changes. - After updates, test a join from each platform your group uses.
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