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How to Start a Vintage Story Roleplay Server

Build a reliable Vintage Story roleplay server by planning the rules, importing a tested single-player world, configuring access and networking, installing compatible mods, and testing before launch.
Length11 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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The most reliable way to start a Vintage Story roleplay server is to design the roleplay rules first, build and test the world in single-player, then move that save into a dedicated server. After that, configure a password and whitelist, open TCP and UDP port 42420 if the server is on your home network, install compatible server mods, and test with a non-admin player before inviting the whole group.

You can run the server on your own Windows or Linux computer, or use monthly managed hosting when you need persistent uptime and do not want to maintain networking and server administration yourself.

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What you need before installing anything

A roleplay server is both a technical service and a social agreement. Decide the boundaries of the game before you create a world or publish an address. A clear premise also makes configuration and moderation decisions easier.

Choose a bounded setting

Pick a premise that tells players what kinds of characters and stories belong in the same world. Examples include a historical village, a low-fantasy frontier, a merchant settlement, or rival political factions. A setting does not need a large lore document; a one-page primer covering the location, time period, technology level, major tensions, and everyday expectations is enough to give character concepts a common frame.

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Write the rules that affect play

State whether combat, theft, player claims, faction conflict, and permanent character death are allowed. Explain whether players may use out-of-character chat in the game, which channel is reserved for it, and how an in-character scene can be paused when someone has a real-world problem. Decide how players give consent for escalating conflict and what happens when they disagree about an event.

  • Character limits, naming conventions, and whether duplicate occupations or identities are allowed.
  • Rules for factions, settlements, land claims, property, trade, and resource disputes.
  • Consent requirements for imprisonment, theft, violence, romance, and permanent consequences.
  • Moderator powers, evidence standards, appeals, and consequences for rule violations.
  • A separate place for technical support and conduct reports.

There is no universal official roleplay ruleset for Vintage Story. Treat these choices as your community’s operating agreement and publish them before the first event.

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Choose between self-hosting and managed hosting

A dedicated server can run on equipment you control. This gives you direct access to saves, configuration, logs, mods, and backups, but you are responsible for keeping the machine online and making the network reachable. The official dedicated-server documentation identifies monthly hosting as an alternative to running the server on personal equipment.

Decision area Self-hosted server Managed host
Files and configuration You work directly with the server data directory, saves, logs, configuration, and mod files. A control panel or file access may expose these tasks, depending on the host.
Uptime The world is available only while your computer, operating system, and internet connection remain available. The service is intended to keep the world online without your home computer running continuously.
Networking You may need router port forwarding and a host-firewall rule. The provider’s network is already arranged for hosted access, although you still configure the game server itself.
Backups You choose the backup schedule and storage location. Some services expose backup tools; confirm what is included before relying on them.
Mods and updates You control the exact files and the time of every update. A panel may simplify installing mods and changing settings, while update controls vary by service.
Capacity Player capacity and simulation performance are limited by your machine and connection. Player slots and CPU or memory limits depend on the selected plan.

If the group plays at scheduled times and someone can administer a computer, self-hosting offers the most control. If the world should remain available while the organizer is away, managed hosting removes much of the hardware and uptime burden. Verify current plan limits, backup behavior, supported Vintage Story release, and mod policy on any host before paying; those details change.

Install the dedicated server with a separate data path

Keep the server program files separate from the server data directory. The data path should contain the world saves, Mods directory, logs, and configuration. Separating these files makes backups, migrations, and version changes easier.

Windows

  1. Download the dedicated-server package that matches the Vintage Story release you intend to run.
  2. Place the server executable in a program folder and choose a distinct data folder for the server’s generated files.
  3. Run the dedicated-server executable once. The first launch creates the data folders and configuration files.
  4. Read the current dedicated-server documentation for the release’s .NET requirement and any launch arguments. Requirements and paths can change between releases.

Linux

  1. Download the matching dedicated-server package and the supplied server script.
  2. Choose a dedicated data path outside the program directory and confirm that the account running the service can write to it.
  3. Start the supplied script once so the server creates its folders and configuration.
  4. Check the startup output to verify that the intended data path is being used before importing a world or installing mods.

Do not treat a successful process launch as proof that the server is ready. Stop it after the initial folder creation and inspect the generated data directory. You should be able to identify the configuration file, the Saves directory, the Mods directory, and the log location.

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Build and import the roleplay world

The safest build sequence is to create and tune the world in single-player, where the advanced world-creation controls are easier to use, and then copy that save to the dedicated server. The Vintage Story Wiki describes this as the easiest way to create a custom server world: “The easiest way to create a custom world is to first create it in Single Player, using the advanced world creating options – and then upload it to use as your server world.”

Prepare the world in single-player

  1. Create a single-player world with the seed, climate, landform, temporal settings, and other advanced options appropriate to your setting.
  2. Enter the world and confirm that the spawn area, starting resources, world scale, and any planned landmarks support your premise.
  3. Build only the elements you want to ship as a shared starting point. Leave room for players to establish settlements and make choices.
  4. Exit the world normally so the save is written before you copy it.

Copy the save to the server

  1. Stop the dedicated server completely. Do not replace a save while the server process is still writing to it.
  2. Copy the single-player save into the dedicated server data directory’s Saves folder.
  3. Either rename the copied save to default.vcdbs or set SaveFileLocation in serverconfig.json to the chosen save filename.
  4. Start the server and watch the log for the selected world loading without errors.
  5. Join once as an administrator, confirm the spawn and settings, then stop the server again before making further file changes.

Keep the original single-player save untouched until the dedicated copy has been tested. It gives you a clean recovery point if a configuration change or mod update damages the server copy.

Set the server name, password, and whitelist

Open serverconfig.json in the server data directory and give the server a recognizable ServerName. Use a name that tells players which community and setting they are joining, rather than leaving the default label.

Password-protect the world

For a private roleplay community, set a strong password and distribute it only through the joining instructions. The server console also supports the documented command format:

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/serverconfig password <strong-password>

Use a password that is unique to this server. Changing it later requires updating the instructions for every legitimate player.

Use the whitelist as the membership boundary

Current dedicated-server behavior documented by the guide uses whitelist behavior by default. Add approved player accounts with the server’s documented whitelist commands, and remove accounts when a player leaves the community. Test the result with a non-admin account: an approved account should be able to join, while an account that is not on the list should be refused.

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Do not rely on a password alone for a private RP group. A password can be forwarded; a maintained whitelist gives moderators a direct membership control. Keep an administrator account separate from ordinary player accounts so moderation actions do not require granting every player elevated permissions.

Make the server reachable from the internet

Players outside your home network normally need the server’s listening port forwarded from the router to the host computer. The documented default is port 42420 for both TCP and UDP.

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  1. Give the host computer a stable local address, either through a reserved DHCP lease or another method appropriate to your network.
  2. Create router forwarding rules for TCP port 42420 and UDP port 42420, both directed to that computer.
  3. Allow the same port through the operating system’s host firewall when the firewall is enabled.
  4. Start the server and confirm that it is listening on the intended interface and port.
  5. Ask a second player to connect from outside the host’s local network, such as a mobile connection or another household.

A connection from the same home network does not prove that internet access works; some routers handle local loopback differently from external traffic. Test from an external network before announcing the launch address. If your internet provider uses carrier-grade NAT or blocks inbound connections, a home-hosted server may not be reachable even when the local firewall and forwarding rules are correct; managed hosting is the practical alternative in that situation.

Add mods without breaking the shared world

Install mod ZIP files in the server data directory’s Mods folder while the server is stopped. Build the launch pack around server-side or universal mods that match the exact Vintage Story version running on the server.

Know which players must install

  • Supported server mods can be offered to joining players automatically, reducing the amount of manual setup for the group.
  • Universal mods may need to be present on both server and client, depending on how the mod is packaged and supported.
  • Client-only mods require each player to install them separately; they cannot be supplied by the server as a substitute for client installation.

Read each mod’s release notes for its supported game versions and dependencies. A mod that works in single-player may still fail on a dedicated server if it is client-only or expects a different release.

Let configuration files generate once

Some mods create their configuration files only after the server has started once with the mod installed. Add the mod, start the server, wait for a clean startup, and then stop it before editing the generated configuration. Keep a copy of the original configuration so you can identify which change caused a problem.

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Freeze the launch pack

Record every mod name, exact version, dependency, and configuration change in a plain text manifest. Do not update several mods at once during an active story arc. Make a dated world backup before any mod or game-version upgrade, and test the upgraded copy before replacing the live server.

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Design the roleplay operating model

Technical access controls do not create roleplay by themselves. Players need to know how the community handles time, conflict, moderation, and events.

Character creation

Provide a short application or registration form that captures the character’s name, background, goals, affiliations, and any restrictions relevant to the setting. Explain what information remains private from other players and what becomes public in the setting. Set a maximum number of active characters per player if multiple-character play could create conflicts of interest.

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Consent and escalation

Define a predictable escalation ladder: conversation, mediated dispute, non-lethal confrontation, and only then consequences such as imprisonment or permanent death if your group has agreed to them. Require explicit consent for outcomes that remove a player’s agency or permanently alter a character. Give players an out-of-character channel for pausing a scene without turning a disagreement into an in-world event.

Moderation and records

Name the people who can interpret rules, pause an event, reverse a technical loss, or remove a player. Tell players how to report a problem and what evidence moderators need. Keep a private incident log with dates, involved accounts, decisions, and any follow-up. Publish the rule and the decision, not private personal details.

Events and communication

Set a realistic event cadence before launch. A weekly scheduled event is easier to sustain than a promise of constant activity. Publish the time zone, expected session length, preparation needed, and what happens when a player cannot attend. Give the community a setting primer, joining instructions, rules, and a support contact in one easy-to-find location.

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Launch checklist

Complete this checklist in order immediately before opening the server to the full group:

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  1. Start the server and verify that the intended save loads without errors.
  2. Join with a non-admin account and test the password, whitelist, spawn, chat, and ordinary permissions.
  3. Confirm that every required mod loads cleanly and that supported server mods are offered to clients as expected.
  4. Test the advertised address from outside the host’s local network.
  5. Create and store a dated backup before inviting the whole group.
  6. Publish the setting primer, character rules, conflict and consent policy, moderation process, joining steps, and support contact.
  7. Schedule the opening event and tell players what they should do if they cannot attend.

Troubleshoot the problems that stop most first launches

The server loads a new or wrong world

Stop the server and check that the intended save is inside the server data path’s Saves directory. Confirm that the filename is default.vcdbs or that SaveFileLocation points to the copied filename in serverconfig.json. Restart and read the log for the save name rather than assuming the copy succeeded.

Friends cannot connect from outside

Check both TCP and UDP forwarding for port 42420, confirm that each rule points to the current local address of the host, and verify the operating-system firewall. Test from an external network. If local players can connect but external players cannot, the fault is usually forwarding, firewall policy, the advertised address, or an upstream NAT restriction rather than the world save.

A legitimate player is rejected

Check the password being used and the account’s whitelist entry. Confirm that the player is joining the server instance whose configuration you edited; a second installation with a different data path can make a correct change appear ineffective.

A mod is missing or causes startup errors

Verify that the ZIP is in the server data Mods directory, that its version matches the running game, and that required dependencies are present. Restart after changing the mod set. If the mod is client-only, each player must install it locally. If no configuration file exists, start the server once with the mod installed so it can generate one, then stop the server before editing.

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Changes disappear after a restart

Make configuration and mod changes while the server is stopped, and confirm that you edited the active data path rather than the program folder. Keep dated backups and a change log so you can restore the last known-good state.

Backups, updates, and long-term maintenance

Choose a backup schedule before the first event. At minimum, create a dated copy before every game-version update, mod update, major build project, or administrative change. Store a second copy outside the live server machine so a disk failure does not destroy both the world and its backup.

When updating, freeze the live server, announce a maintenance window, stop the process cleanly, back up the save and configuration, update one component at a time, and start the server while watching the log. Test joining, world loading, permissions, and the critical roleplay mods with an administrator before reopening the server. Keep the previous program files and backup until the group has completed a normal session on the new version.

Exact commands, defaults, .NET requirements, and mod compatibility can change with Vintage Story releases. Recheck the current dedicated-server and multiplayer documentation for the version you download instead of copying an old command or path from an earlier tutorial.

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