How to host an Enshrouded server

The server holds a large, fully editable world whether anyone is in it or not. That is what the memory is for, and it means a private server for four friends still needs a genuinely capable machine — more than people expect from a game with a modest player cap.

How to install it

1. Check memory before you start. Enshrouded is the game most likely to simply refuse to run on an undersized machine.
2. Install Steam’s command-line tool, then the Enshrouded dedicated server using an anonymous login.
3. Run it once to generate its configuration file, then stop it.
4. Set the name, password and slot count, then start it again and let the world generate.

steamcmd \
  +force_install_dir /home/enshrouded/server \
  +login anonymous \
  +app_update 2278520 validate \
  +quit

# Open UDP 15636 (game) and 15637 (query).

How to configure it

{
    "name": "Your server name",
    "password": "choose-something",
    "saveDirectory": "./savegame",
    "logDirectory": "./logs",
    "ip": "0.0.0.0",
    "gamePort": 15636,
    "queryPort": 15637,
    "slotCount": 16
}

• One file, and it is short. Enshrouded is among the simpler servers to configure, which makes the memory requirement the only real hurdle.
• Roles and permissions are set per password. Different passwords can grant different levels of access, which is more useful than it first appears.
• Note where the save directory points before you set up backups. It is the only thing on the machine you cannot replace.

Written from experience running these servers. If something here no longer matches what you are seeing, tell us and we will recheck it.