Core Keeper Admin Commands and Permissions
Core Keeper's supported dedicated-server workflow is the Steam Tools app and a Game ID. The official FAQ does not publish a universal server.cfg, RCON port, or admin-command file. This page keeps the reliable controls separate from version-sensitive community mods so an old snippet does not take down a live world.
Last verified: September 1, 2026. Verify current permissions in-game and in the mod's documentation. Pugstorm's official FAQ remains the source for dedicated-server startup and shutdown.
Documented dedicated-server controls
| Control | How to use it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Launch | Steam > Tools > Core Keeper Dedicated Server > Play | Starts the supported dedicated-server process and generates a Game ID. |
| Join | Core Keeper > Join Game > enter the current Game ID | Lets an invited player connect while the process is running. |
| Quit | Return to the dedicated-server command window and press q | Stops the server cleanly; back up before deleting or moving world files. |
| Permissions | Use the current in-game multiplayer/guest controls | Set access for the active world without assuming an undocumented JSON or RCON schema. |
Community command mods
Mods can add commands, moderation tools, or quality-of-life controls, but those commands are not part of the dedicated-server contract. If you use a community project such as a ChatCommands mod:
- Read its current documentation and compatibility notes.
- Install it on a disposable copy of the world first.
- Give every player the same mod/version instructions.
- Back up before enabling it and remove only the newest change if the world stops loading.
The Core Keeper mods guide covers the official modding documentation and Steam Workshop open beta. Do not present a mod's /op, /kick, /ban, ServerConfig.json, or RCON examples as built-in features unless the current first-party documentation explicitly confirms them.
Safe admin checklist
- Keep the Game ID private and rotate it by restarting the server if access needs to change.
- Keep a dated copy of the dedicated-server
worldsdirectory before an update or mod rollout. - Record who changed permissions and when; use the connection checklist if one player cannot join.
- Do not open random ports or paste a copied config while diagnosing a Game ID problem. The official launch guidance says port forwarding is not required for the supported flow.
Backups and recovery
Windows dedicated worlds are under C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\LocalLow\Pugstorm\Core Keeper\DedicatedServer\worlds; Linux uses ~/.config/unity3d/Pugstorm/Core Keeper/DedicatedServer/worlds. Stop the server with q, copy the directory, and test the backup before making destructive changes. See the troubleshooting guide for evidence to collect when a save fails.
Related Core Keeper guides
- Dedicated server setup and Game ID
- Mods and Workshop rollout
- Connection troubleshooting
- Server cost and sizing
- Road to the Maw roadmap
Want admin operations without maintaining a home process? Use managed Core Keeper hosting and keep the same backup-first discipline for permissions and mods.