Empyrion Dedicated-Server Performance
Empyrion load follows the galaxy, not only the player count. A small group spread over multiple planets can cost more than the same group in one base, because active playfields, structures, NPCs and scenario systems keep being simulated.
Size by the world you intend to run
| Use case | Starting RAM | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Small vanilla co-op | 8 GB | One or two active playfields. |
| Reforged Eden 2 faction | 12 GB | Scenario systems and players spread across planets. |
| Busy public galaxy | 16 GB+ | Many playfields, entities and concurrent joins. |
When the server starts lagging
- Record whether the lag follows one playfield or the whole galaxy.
- Check RAM pressure and CPU saturation during the incident, not after a quiet restart.
- Ask whether a large base, factory, drone fight or NPC-heavy area was just loaded.
- Reduce simultaneous playfields and heavy scenario activity before reducing slots blindly.
- Back up before deleting abandoned structures or changing scenario performance settings.
A higher player limit is not a performance upgrade. It is a promise that the hardware must keep when the advertised slots are actually full and spread across the galaxy.
Supercraft plans are sized around high-clock nodes and the intended player tier. See Empyrion server hosting or the Reforged Eden 2 scenario guide.