V Rising Server Guide

Peer-to-Peer: Quick, Free, Limited

This is the "default" multiplayer mode. The host player runs the game and the server simultaneously on their PC. The host must be online for others to play. When the host logs off, the world pauses. Works fine for a small group of friends playing together, but performance degrades quickly above 4 players because the host's PC is running both the game client AND the server logic.

Limitations: Max 4 players. Host lag affects everyone. No persistence when host is offline. Cannot run mods easily.

Dedicated Server: Full Control, Maximum Players

A dedicated server runs separately from the game client — it's a standalone program that hosts the world 24/7. Players connect and disconnect freely, and the world keeps running even when nobody is online (your castle can be raided at 4 AM). This is how all serious V Rising communities operate.

Advantages: 40+ players. 24/7 uptime. Custom settings. Mod support. Better performance (server isn't also rendering graphics). The rest of this guide focuses on dedicated servers.

Step 1: Install SteamCMD

SteamCMD is Valve's command-line tool for downloading dedicated server files. You need this to download the V Rising server without installing Steam.

Windows: Download from Valve's CDN, extract to C:\steamcmd\.

Linux: sudo apt install steamcmd (Ubuntu/Debian) or use your distro's package manager.

Step 2: Download V Rising Dedicated Server

Open SteamCMD and run:

App ID 1829350 is the V Rising Dedicated Server tool. The validate flag ensures all files are downloaded correctly.

Step 3: Configure Server Settings

Two configuration files control your server:

Step 4: Configure Firewall & Port Forwarding

V Rising requires these UDP ports to be open:

Windows Firewall: Add inbound rules for all 4 ports (UDP). Router: Forward these ports to your server's local IP address. If you're using a hosting provider, the provider handles this for you.

Step 5: Start the Server

Windows: Run VRisingServer.exe from the install directory.

Linux: Run ./VRisingServer.sh or use systemd for automatic startup. See the Performance Optimization section → for systemd service setup.

The server console will show initialization messages. When you see "Server is ready" — your server is live and players can connect.

Step 6: Connect to Your Server

Players connect via: Direct Connect (enter IP:port in the game client) or Server Browser (if ListOnMasterServer is true in your config). For a private server, share the IP and password with your group.

Each active player consumes approximately 150-250 MB of RAM depending on world complexity (castles, servants, territory). Each additional castle on the map adds server memory overhead. Plan your RAM based on player count, not the minimum specs.

When choosing a hosting provider, compare these factors:

Self-Hosted vs. Paid Hosting

Making Your Server Private

In ServerHostSettings.json, add these settings:

• Password: Required to join. Share only with your group.
• ListOnMasterServer: false — Your server won't appear in the public server browser. Only players with the direct IP and password can connect. This is the strongest privacy setting.
• MaxUsers: Set to your group size. Fewer slots = less server resource consumption.
• SaveInterval: How often (in seconds) the world saves. 120 seconds is a good balance — frequent enough that crashes lose minimal progress, not so frequent that saving causes lag spikes.

Co-op Specific Settings

For co-op PvE play with friends, configure ServerGameSettings.json:

• GameModeType: "PvE" — No player damage. Prevents accidental (or intentional) friendly fire.
• CastleDamageMode: "Never" — Castles are indestructible. Your builds are safe when you're offline.
• DropTableModifier_General: 1.5 — 1.5x loot. Less grinding, more vampire action.
• CraftRateModifier: 1.5 — Faster crafting. Nobody wants to wait 10 minutes for a single piece of armor in a co-op session.
• BloodDrainModifier: 0.5 — Blood essence drains at half speed. Less feeding, more playing.

ServerHostSettings.json — Key Settings

ServerGameSettings.json — Key Settings

How to Become Admin

Add your Steam64 ID to the adminlist.txt file in the server's save directory. Find your Steam64 ID at steamid.io. One Steam ID per line. Restart the server after editing.

Command Reference

1. Use an SSD

Never run a V Rising server on an HDD. World saves write hundreds of MB to disk — on an HDD, this causes noticeable lag spikes every save interval. An NVMe SSD is ideal; SATA SSD is minimum.

2. Set Up Automatic Restarts

V Rising servers have memory leaks over long uptimes — RAM usage slowly climbs until performance degrades or the server crashes. Schedule a daily restart at off-peak hours (e.g., 4 AM local time).

Windows: Use Task Scheduler to kill and restart VRisingServer.exe daily.
Linux: Use a systemd service with a cron job for daily restarts.

3. Limit Castle Count

Castles are the biggest performance drain on V Rising servers. Each castle adds AI pathfinding (servants), territory calculations, and structure loading. Set a reasonable castle limit per player (1-3) in server settings. Unlimited castles will bring any server to its knees at 20+ players.

4. Monitor RAM Usage

Watch your server's RAM over time. If it grows 100-200 MB per day without dropping after restarts, you have a memory leak — update to the latest server version. If RAM usage is consistently above 80%, upgrade your hardware or reduce player slots.

5. Network Optimization

• Use a wired Ethernet connection — WiFi adds unpredictable latency spikes.
• Set server TickRate to 30 (default) or lower. Higher tick rate = smoother combat but more bandwidth and CPU usage.
• If players report rubberbanding, check your upload bandwidth saturation. Each player consumes 50-100 Kbps on average, spiking to 500+ Kbps during large PvP fights.