Can't Start Coop Server: Loading Infinitely After Loading Planets

[Paul Odyssey]

Hey guys, I'm having trouble starting a Coop server. More specifically:

• The Empryion Dedicated Server launches normally, when I make a new game that's a coop server.
  
• I connect to the server.
  
• It starts and finishes loading planets.
  
• It then just says "loading" infinitely.

Notes/Things I've tried:

• I've correctly port-forwarded 30000-30004 (It's easy to check online)
  
• I've completely turned off my firewall.
  
• I've set the "EmpyrionDedicated.exe" to run as administrator via the Compatibility tab in Properties.
  
• I've tried leaving the server up and reconnecting (by closing the original game), starting the game up again, and connecting via localhost ip 127.0.0.1. Outcome: Stil infinitely loads.
  
• I've tried reinstalling and verifying integrity of files. Outcome: Same.
  
• (Because Steam won't let me relaunch only the game client because it counts the server as the game still running) I've tried opening the steam game client and empyrion.exe, use empyrion.exe to launch the coop server, close empyrion.exe, and then connect to localhost via the steam client. Outcome: Same.
  
• Note: If I try to run empyrion from steam, it won't even open the dedicated server, and fails to connect. (This might be something I could try fixing)

What can I do? I want to enjoy this game with my friends.

[ZeroG Bandit]

Hey Silly, can you go thru exactly how you start up your dedicated server and then game client? I try to start both from an admin-instance of Empyrion.exe but I'm still getting stuck loading after planets. I'm soooooo close, can see the player connected on the server and everything!

[ZeroG Bandit]

WOW. I figured this out so I'm going to post it here if anyone else has a similar problem. My dedicated server dedicated.yaml file had EAC enabled but my client and my friend's client both had it disabled, so we were able to connect but not load in. I changed that in the yaml file and immediately was able to drop into the server.

[Paul Odyssey]

Wow that's weird but awesome. I didn't have to change my yaml files to get it to work. Have you ever touched those before, or were that installed that way?

[ToTaL]

I'm having trouble starting a Coop server. (etc)

Ok so there's a couple of things i learned while digging around for a solution.

1. The dedicated co-op server needs 16gb ram.

2. Load up the game go to, at the main menu, go to Options / MISC / Start with EAC = NO and reload the game when prompted.

3. Newer versions may not not load co-op, it can be hit-and-miss.

** Sometimes making a copy of the current game and try loading co-op again, your friends will have to download some files, since it kind of behaves like a different save file **
This worked a few times, but is a painful process because you have to download the game files again.

4. Verify your games files ..
Go to steam Library page,
Right click Empyrion / left click properties / left click installed files / Verify integrity of game files.

I'm sure there are other things you can do, uninstalling the entire game is a bit drastic, but it may also help if nothing else has worked. Think about the time taken and the effectiveness of each method, some will work, some won't.. who knows why co-op is so buggy.

5. The only other option left is to rent a dedicated server, starting from around $16 for a 10 slot server.