Host your own server - The easy way (On Microsoft Windows)

A step by step guide to easily run your own server on a Windows operating system.

Note: You must have the ability to forward ports from your internet router to the computer you run the server software on.

Report issues with the plugin at Git Hub[github.com]

System Requirements

Minimum System Requirements

• Windows 10 - Legally Licensed
  
• 16 GB Memory
  
• AMD or Intel Desktop Processor. No mobile processors. At least 3.0 GHz and 4 cores.
  
• 4 GB Free Disk Space
  
• Local Admin Permissions

Recommended System Requirements

• Windows 11 - Legally Licensed
  
• 32 GB Memory
  
• AMD or Intel Desktop Processor with 3.0 GHz or more, 4 or more cores
  
• 8 GB Free Disk Space
  
• Local Admin Permissions

.NET Framework 4.7.2
https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet-framework/net472

Optional: Host a legacy server
Follow the same steps, but use the legacy plugin here https://github.com/menix1337/WindowsGSM.TheIsleLegacy

Network and Internet Requirements

Network Requirements

• Wired network connection from router/firewall to desktop PC/Host machine - 1 Gbps

Internet Requirements

• 10Mbps upload and download speeds.
  
• The faster the speeds, the more stable the server connection will be.
  
• Access to Router/Firewall for port forwarding/hair-pinning

Download WindowsGSM Desktop

Download Instructions

• Go to https://windowsgsm.com/products/windowsgsm-desktop/
  
• Select Download WindowsGSM Desktop
  
• If prompted, select "Save".
  
• Save to your default downloads folder - Should be C:\Users\(username)\Downloads

Copy the file

• Right click on the file.
  
• Select Copy

Create Your Server Folder

Create Your Server Folder
The path used is for example only. Adjust your file path as needed.

• From the previous section - in File Explorer, at the very top of the window replace C:\Users\(username)\Downloads with C:\ and press enter.

• Click on "New"
  
• Select Folder
  
  
  
• Rename the folder to Game Server
  
• Go into the folder.
  
• Right click in the empty folder display, select "Paste"
  
• You should now have WindowsGSM.exe in the C:\Game Server folder.
  
  

Download The Isle - Evrima WindowsGSM Plugin

Download WindowsGSM Plugin

• Go To https://windowsgsm.com/products/windowsgsm-plugins/
  
• Search for WindowsGSM.TheIsle by ksduster (As of this writing, it is on page 2)
  
• From the github page, Select the "Code" drop down and select Download ZIP.
  
  
  
• Save the file to your downloads folder
  
• Do not extract the zip file

Adding The Plugin & Installing The Server

Adding The Plugin

• From C:\Game Server - double click on WindowsGSM.exe
  
• When prompted by User Account Control to run as Administrator - Select Yes
  
• Once it is open, go to the Plugin icon at the lower left corner above the gearbox
  
  
• Select Import Plugin located at the top right corner of the window.
  
  
  
• Go to your downloads folder, and select WindowsGSM.TheIsle-main.zip
  
• Click OK
  
• Wait while it installs. It can take a few moments for the screen to update.
  
• Once it is done, it will update similar to below
  

Installing The Server

• At the top left corner, select "Servers" and select Install GameServer
  
  
  
• From the Game Server drop down, scroll down and select "The Isle Evrima Dedicated Server [TheIsle.cs]"
  
  
  
• Enter the Public name you want to assign your server. Be unique, this will be in the server list under the unofficial servers.
  
• After naming your server, push the Install button
  
  
• Be patient while it downloads and installs all the needed requirements to host the server.
  
  
• Once the server is done, the install window will go away and you will see the server in the main window similar to below.
  
  
  
  
  
  

Enable Port Forwarding

Enable Port Forwarding

Due to the high number of different vendors/products - I can't provide specific instructions for your situation
• Enable Port forwarding on your router/firewall.
  
  
• Refer to the port number listed for your server in the main window of WindowsGSM.
  
• In our previous example we use port 6777
  
  
• Check your manufactures documentation regarding logging in and enabling port forwarding.
  
  
• Some Internet Service Providers block ports, so not all ports will be available. Contact your ISP for more details about your service.

Here is a quick video for the basics on networking and port forwarding

Start Your Server

Start Your Server

• Click once on your server in the main window.
  
• Enable the slider to "Embed Console"
  
  
  
• Push the green Start button
  
• Be patient - the server start process takes several minutes.
  
  
• If you get text similar to below, it is working correctly

LogWorldPartition: Display: WorldPartition initialize started...
LogWorldPartition: Display: WorldPartition initialize took 681 us
LogTheIsleNetwork: Display: Already bound anti-cheat and network failure events

• After about 4 to 8 minutes, you should see the following show in the log file:
  LogTheIsleNetwork: Display: Session started succesfully!
  
  
• You can now open your The Isle - Evrima, and select the "Unofficial" servers

Note
It is recommended to wait at least 2 minutes past the time the session started succesfully.
If you get a blank screen when connecting you tried connecting to soon.

Once successful, you can verify you connected to the correct server by pushing TAB


Game.ini location
If you followed our examples your Game.ini will be located at
C:\Game Server\servers\1\serverfiles\TheIsle\Saved\Config\WindowsServer

For more advanced instructions for configuring your server options, view the ReadMe at https://github.com/ksduster/WindowsGSM.TheIsle

Plugin Support

Report issues on github or my discord please

If you have issues with the plugin, please report them on the github for the WindowsGSM.TheIsle plugin. https://github.com/ksduster/WindowsGSM.TheIsle/issues/new

Discord is: https://discord.gg/CTg6xqt9f3
Some issues may be specific to the plugin or the way it handles information passed to it, and in order to track those issues they must be submitted in github so I can fix them.