Sons Of The Forest¶

The runtime downloads the Windows dedicated server through Steam and runs it inside its server container. First boot can take longer than a native Linux server. See Staging games for evaluation limits.

Requirements¶

Start with 4 CPU cores and 8 GiB memory. Allow free disk space for game downloads, compatibility-runtime files, saves, logs, and backups. Monitor resources before increasing the player count.

Launch and settings¶

1. Choose Sons Of The Forest from Staging and select a suitable host.
2. Keep the offered launch defaults for the first test.
3. Launch and watch the logs while Steam installs the dedicated server.
4. After the configuration is generated, stop the server and use Files & Backups to set its name, join password, and intended save settings.
5. Restart and inspect the logs before attempting a client connection.

The staging defaults use SaveMode=Continue and skip the external network accessibility self-test so the server can initialize for local evaluation. This does not establish public-port accessibility, listing, or client joins. The publisher warns that SaveMode=new overwrites the selected slot each restart; preserve the continuing-save setting when testing persistence.

The game uses separate UDP routes, commonly 8766, 27016, and 9700 inside the container. Use the public mappings shown on the server page. The Endnight dedicated-server guide describes these routes and the generated configuration.

Connect¶

For later client evaluation, open the game's Multiplayer → Dedicated server browser and locate the configured server. Use the displayed public endpoint for a direct or favorites workflow when the client offers one. Listing, relay joining, and save selection must be checked manually; a running process does not confirm any of them.

Persistent data and backups¶

Persistent storage is mounted at /serverdata. Backups target /serverdata/serverfiles/userdata, preserving generated configuration and saves without the installed game binaries. The local restart check preserved configuration and confirmed that the server loaded its existing initial save. Save archive bytes changed during autosave; player progression and backup restoration remain untested. Back up before changing save settings, game version, or content, and test restoration before reusing a valuable save.

Server Actions¶

Game-specific Server Actions are unavailable during staging. Platform lifecycle, logs, settings, files, and backup controls remain subject to your permissions.

Mods & Content¶

The content page records desired identifiers only. It does not install, verify, or roll back Sons Of The Forest mods. Use vanilla for the first client evaluation; manual changes need compatible files and a backup.