Hosting options

First thing first, you need to choose how you want to host your dedicated server!

Dedicated servers can be hosted:

• via our third party hosting partner Shockbyte, 
• on a computer you own at home,
• on a computer in the cloud that you setup yourself.

Hosting at Shockbyte

If you opt to use our hosting partner Shockbyte, simply go to their website to rent a RuneScape: Dragonwilds dedicated server.

You will need to enter some configuration values. To do so, go to the config page:

Then click on RuneScape: Dragonwilds Settings

and edit the settings in here. More info about Config Settings can be found in a following section named "Configuration Values".

Optionally, you can set the World to one from your personal library. More info can be found in a following section named "World Management".

Once you have set those values, write down your World Name and start the server.

You can now play! Find your server by following the steps in the section "Finding My Dedicated Server".

Hosting at home

Prerequisites

Dedicated servers will only run on 64-bit OS. Both Windows and Linux are supported.

RAM required is 2Gb + 1Gb per player. The server can support up to 6 players as of 0.11 (March 2026). So, for 6 players, you'd need 8Gb. Two players would need 4Gb.

Ports

Dedicated Servers use ports starting with 7777 by default. The second server will use 7778 and so on. You must ensure that the port(s) can be reached directly. This means your Firewall, Router(s) and ISP must forward those ports for UDP. 

Please note that:

• every router between you and your ISP will need port forwarding.
• some ISPs will prevent you from doing port forwarding altogether. Some will have admin tools that allow you to do it. Others will require you to contact their Client Support.
• This website portforward.com has a lot of details on how to forward ports.
• if your server appears in the list of servers for other players, but is not joinable, then Port Forwarding likely failed somewhere.

Installing the game

The game is distributed via Steam or Steam Command. Simply acquire the free product "RuneScape: Dragonwilds - Dedicated Servers" on Steam.

You can download the product from Steam directly, or use this cmd line to do so:

steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\MyInstallFolder +login anonymous +app_update 4019830 +quit

Next, simply run via Steam, or locate RSDragonwilds.exe in the dedicated server product folder and run it.

We advise to add the following launch options when running:

-log -NewConsole

so you get a console feedback telling you exactly what's happening on the server. To do so:

1. go to Steam > RuneScape: Dragonwilds Dedicated Server.

2. Right click and select Properties

   

    

3. Set your launch option to -log -NewConsole

Ensuring versions match

If you cannot see your Dedicated Server any more, use the logs to ensure that the version it runs matches the one your game does.

This is likely to happen any time an update or hotfix is released.

You can find the version your Dedicated Server runs at the top of its logs.

You can find the version your client runs in the top left corner.

Hosting in the cloud

We're working with Cloud server providers to get accurate documentation and details - we'll be linking them here once we have them. 

Configuration values

Dedicated Servers require several values to be set before they can function properly.

Changing those values while the server is running will result in those changes being lost.

Linux configuration values can be found under:

Files > RSDragonwilds > Saved > Config > Linux > DedicatedServer.ini

Windows configuration values will need to be copied from linux and created in:

Files > RSDragonwilds > Saved > Config > WindowsServer > DedicatedServer.ini

Mandatory configuration values are:

• Owner ID: this is your RuneScape: Dragonwilds Player ID. It can be found in game at the bottom of the Settings Menu. Don't hesitate to use the copy button to add it to your clipboard. The server will not start without your owner ID.

  

• Server Name: the name of your server, no matter what world it may run.
• Default World Name: upon startup, your Dedicated Server will create a default world. This configuration value allows you to decide how you want it to be named.
• Admin password: anyone who knows this password can enter the Server Management tab in the Pause Menu > Settings menu. They will be considered as Admins until the Admin Password is changed again. You can see the list of people who have used the Admin Password to enter the Server Management screen by going to Files > RSDragonwilds > Saved > Config > Linux > DedicatedServer.ini.

Optional configuration values are:

• world password: will supersede any password stored in the world. Can be left empty if you want anyone to be able to join your world. 

Finding My Dedicated Server

It's time to play! To find your dedicated server, go to the Public tab of the Worlds screen:

Then in the search tab, enter your exact World name, case sensitive.

After a few seconds, your server should appear.

If you cannot find your server:

• please make sure your server and clients use the latest version of the game available. Shockbyte servers just need to restart to update automatically!
• please make sure that the world name you searched is the one your server is currently running.
• please make sure the mandatory config variables have been set.
• finally, look at the log - it should tell you how your server is doing.

Once you have found your dedicated server, just join and enjoy!

World management

When a Dedicated Server starts, it loads the latest .sav file available in RSDragonwilds/Saved/Savegames. If the folder doesn't contain a .sav file, the dedicated server will create a default Standard world with the default config.ini values applied.

How to: move a world to my dedicated server

1. Ensure your Dedicated Server is stopped.
2. Back up every file from RSDragonwilds/Saved/Savegames to a safe location (on the dedicated server drive, your own drive or the cloud).
3. Empty RSDragonwilds/Saved/Savegames
4. Copy your local world .sav file from your hard drive:
   C:\Users\your_username\AppData\Local\RSDragonwilds\Saved\SaveGames 
   to your dedicated server hard drive:
   RSDragonwilds/Saved/Savegames.
5. Start the server. Done!

How to: create a new world with custom settings

1. Run your local RuneScape: Dragonwilds via Steam.
2. Create a new world with all the custom settings you need (Standard, Custom, Creative, etc).
3. Enter the world.
4. Exit the world.
5. Back up every file from RSDragonwilds/Saved/Savegames to a safe location (on the dedicated server drive, your own drive or the cloud).
6. Empty RSDragonwilds/Saved/Savegames
7. Copy your local world .sav file from your hard drive:
   C:\Users\your_username\AppData\Local\RSDragonwilds\Saved\SaveGames 
   to your dedicated server hard drive:
   RSDragonwilds/Saved/Savegames.
8. Start the server. Done!

How to: back up saves

1. Go to RSDragonwilds/Saved/Savegames
2. Copy any world save you want to back up elsewhere on the Dedicated Server drive, on your personal computer or in the cloud.
3. You can rename the files to include the backup save in their names to makes things simpler.

User management

Dedicated Servers divides users in three categories:

• Owner, the person whose Player ID matches the Owner ID set in config.
• Admin, whoever entered the admin password successfully when entering the Server Management page.
• regular users.

Owners can Ban and Unban anyone, offline or online.

Admins can Ban regular regular users who are online. Admins cannot Unban.

Logging

Logs can be found in:

.../RSDragonwilds/Saved/Logs/RSDragonwilds.log

Logs are an excellent tool to understand what is happening with your server.

Known issues

• Inviting a player to your Dedicated Server via Steam Invites doesn't currently connect as intended.
• Changing dedicatedserver.ini values while the server is running will result in those changes being lost.