Installing & Setting up a Private Server

This guide will help you download, install, & setup a private server. Why do this? Because running the game thru a private server gives better performance. I went from getting 20+ FPS in my Open World to a fairly solid 60+ FPS on my server. The server is installed on the same machine that I run the game on. YMMV. You may get better performance installing to a separate machine.

Edit: Changes

2/12/23 - Added missing info in Server initial setup & first run section.

Download & extract the steamcmd.exe

Extract to whatever directory you want - I use C:\steamcmd

https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd.zip

Download & install the server

Every week when they update the game you have to update the server also or you'll get an error.

Create 2 files in the steamcmd directory:
1) Icarus_Update.bat
this has only one line: SteamCMD.exe +runscript Icarus.txt
2) Icarus.txt
this contains the following lines:

force_install_dir "D:\IcarusServer\"
login anonymous
app_update 2089300 validate
quit

replace D:\IcarusServer\ with the directory where you want to install the server.
Make sure to create that directory first. It would be best NOT to put the directory
in Program Files - create a flat directory as I did.

Open a command prompt at the steamcmd directory by selecting the directory &
pressing shift/right click & select Open Command Prompt Here.

Type Icarus_Update & press enter.

The server files will download & install.
Quit the command prompt when finished.

Open router ports

Now you'll need to open 2 ports on your router.
Since router interface is different for each router, I can only give general guidance.

Login to your routers web interface. You'll need to know your routers ip address,
something like 192.168.0.1 but check your router or with your ISP to confirm.

Find the Port Forwarding section & open 17777 UDP & 27015 UDP to your computer ip.

If the computer your game is installed on has an ip of 192.18.0.10 then open the ports to
that ip. If you don't know your gaming pc ip, you can run ipconfig in a command prompt
to find it.

Server initial setup & first run

Switch to the server directory.
Right click IcarusServer.exe & create a shortcut.
In the Target box enter the following on one line:

D:\icarusserver\IcarusServer.exe -SteamServerName="MyServerName" -Port=17777 -QueryPort=27015 -Log

replace D:\IcarusServer\ with the directory where you installed the server.

Click apply & Ok.

Now run the server using the shortcut & wait until it shows - No player found

To finish setup, run the game, select your character & select Join.
Switch to the Dedicated Servers tab & search for your server name.
You should see your server with Prospect name as Server Lobby.
Double click it. Select YES to join.
You wiill then get a screen that has New & Load options - select New, then Open World.
Select a map, select Create New Open World & give it a name.
It doesn't matter what name because we won't be using this world,
it's just to finish initial setup.
Claim Prospect, then confirm loadout.
Select a drop point then select Drop Here.
Finally YES to Claim this prospect.
It might actually load or just return you to the Main Menu,
If it loads press Esc & select Exit to Desktop.
If it returns to the Main Menu instead of loading, Exit game,
Close server window.

Now while in the IcarusSever directory, double click Icarus, then Saved, Config, & Windows Server

You should see a file: ServerSettings.ini

Edit this file - there are 4 lines to change at this point:

SessionName= I just use the name of my server
JoinPassword= this is the password you enter to join your server
MaxPlayers=1 - from 1 to 8 if you want to allow others on the server - I use 1 since I'm playing solo
AdminPassword= this is for admin purposes only - never used & don't know if it does anything
Leave the rest for now & save it.

Get your Open World file

Go to the following directory:

C:\Users\Your PC login name\AppData\Local\Icarus\Saved\PlayerData\70285979157026453\Prospects

The long number will be different for you - it's your user ID for the game.

In this directory you'll find you Open World file along with other files with random names
if you've played any Prospect missions.
The file you want is the one that you named your Open World.
For instance, mine was named PlayOne so I copied the PlayOne.json file.

Copy this file to:

D:\icarusserver\Icarus\Saved\PlayerData\DedicatedServer\Prospects

replacing D:\icarusserver with the directory you installed the server in.

Delete the temporary world you created during Setup.

One last step. Go back to the ServerSetting.ini file & change

LoadProspect= to LoadProspect=YourWorldName & save.

Now test it

Run the IcarusServer shortcut to start the server and wait until it shows
-------- Server is now empty --------
Run the game in Steam.
After selecting your character Click Join & wait for the server list to populate.
Click the Dedicated Servers (Beta) tab & search for your server name.
Double click, select Join Prospect, & enter your password & profit!

Final thoughts

Keep in mind that this is beta so everything doesn't always work the first time.
If don't see your server in the list, close the game & server & restart everything.
It sometimes takes a time or two for it to show up.

If you need any help or find any errors in this guide please post a comment.

[Tino - StarCitizen]

This guide is no longer necessary. You can do everything directly in-game in the server lobby with a click.

@Vladi$lave @Rednar

[Rednar]

Does this works for prospect missions?

[Vladi$lave]

\Icarus\Saved\PlayerData\DedicatedServer\Prospects - I do not have this path, this folder was not created when the server was started, what should I do?

[Tino - StarCitizen]

You don't have to copy the open world from the local pc to the server. You can create this directly on the server. Maybe the instructions should be revised.

[DK75]

Install is fine (on dedicated server machine), now i need a guide for editing the world parameters.
Thx for the guide.

[Alexander]

Perfect, thanks!

[LiaNdrY]

@ur grandmaah - Dedicated servers on Unreal Engine and Unity use only 1 core, so the maximum frequency per core is preferable here than the number of cores, but it is better to choose at least 2 cores, because the load periodically jumps from one core to another, so as not to constantly heat one core.

[PhxAs5As5in]

@ur grandmaah - I would post this in the Bugs discussion area for the devs to see. Maybe one will respond.

[ur grandmaah]

Hello
i followed the instructions and everything works. Thanks for sharing!

But when i play with friends, the server gets laggy - even in the LAN. It seems to uses only 1 CPU Core. It reaches 50% on a dual core CPU and 25% on a quad core CPU. I put the Server on different machines and all have the same effect. I already checked the Windows settings, if there is something wrrong but it aint. Is there an option to set the cpu core count or something?

[Carlitos]

@Mi_Uk, to use the Public IP open the created shortcut and go to the Destination box and add -MULTIHOME=IP_Public:Port

Example: D:\icarussIcarusServer.exe -SteamServerName="MyServerName" -Port=17777 -QueryPort=27015 -Log -MULTIHOME=122.70.20:17777

You will see your server in the "Internet" tab.