Dedicated Server

[SoGaPit]

We want to run a dedicated server on a different pc, but the Valheim Server is not listed under Steam tools like other dedicated server software. I don't want to purchase a seperate copy just to run a server. Any plan to add the dedicated server to the steam tools, or is there a way to download the Dedicated server on my main PC that i own valheim on, and copy the server software over with a flash drive? I see it is under tools but it only is showing up on PC that i have purchased Valheim on.

[LongSShot69]

It should be listed under tools. I just installed Steam on the machine I was going to host from and ran the Dedicated server install. Then create your config file to launch it.

[SoGaPit]

It only shows if you use the same steam account as the one you purchased it with. We use a different steam account for our game server, and it does not show the Valheim Dedicated Server. :(

[Teotwawki]

This reddit thread indicates that it can be run without steam, by either forcibly logging out of steam after running the server or using a bat file to bypass the need for the steam login.

https://www.reddit.com/r/valheim/comments/ljl8d2/can_i_host_a_dedicated_server_on_another_pc_with/

Good luck.

[SoGaPit]

I'll Give that a try. Hopefully the Devs, will add the Dedicated Server to the Steam Tools for anyone to run a server not just accounts that purchased it. :)

[Mr. Scoot]

You can use SteamCMD (https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd.zip) to download and host a dedicated server without having to own the game.

The quick and dirty steps

1) Download and extract SteamCMD
2) Launch steamcmd
3) type "login anonymous" (without quotes)
4) type "app_update 896660" (without quotes)
5) launch the server from steamcmd\steamapps\common\Valheim dedicated server

If the game patches and server needs to be updated shut down the server and repeat steps 2-4

[Kiirozu]

^
Please use steamcmd instead...

[Arc]

Server packages on Steam are handled 2 different ways (well 3, you can combine both)):
- Either the package is free to anyone, meaning it is available to "anonymous" login
- Or the package is manually, by the developer, granted to base game owner (logged in account) and is therefore not available to other logged in accounts not owning the base package.
- An outlier case exist when the package is granted to all logged in users, this is something ive personally not seen much as "anonymous" login exist.

I also recommend to just use SteamCMD with anonymous login to maintain your servers as you can script it easily (commandline arg "-runscript scriptName.txt" for SteamCMD.exe), it will not have Steam service running so it will not interfere with server in any way (running multiple of the same game is not possible while Steam is running, this also applies to servers).

[Mharr]

So how did the Valheim server fall into this state where it is freely available to everyone, but unlisted so you need to know the command line incantations? Is it a bug?

[Arc]

Originally posted by Mharr:

So how did the Valheim server fall into this state where it is freely available to everyone, but unlisted so you need to know the command line incantations? Is it a bug?

Granting a package to logged in user has to be done by the developer, most will not bother as the use case is simply not there for non-owners when Anonymous login exists.

Most devs treat server owners as "experienced" so this is basically a non-issue for them :3

[Romaq]

https://github.com/Nimdy/Dedicated_Valheim_Server_Script handles everything for me on Linux, and I believe there are instructions for setting up a dedicated Valheim server on WIndows also. No second account needed.

[Snipe]

The PC has nothing to do with your purchase, only the Steam account does. So any PC that logs in, to the Steam Account that owns Valheim, can download and install the Dedicated server from the Tools list. Also the Hosting PC does NOT need to be logged into Steam to run the server.

This will work with as many servers as you wish. They do not need separate owned copies of the game.