Icarus Dedicated Server Setup 2026

Icarus Dedicated Server Setup 2025

Icarus is a session-based survival game from Dean Hall, creator of DayZ. Set up dedicated servers for timed prospects (missions) and persistent outposts on an alien planet.

Prerequisites

Hardware Requirements

Step 1: Install SteamCMD

SteamCMD is Valve's command-line tool for downloading game server files.

Windows Setup

1. Download SteamCMD from Valve's website
2. Extract to a folder (e.g., C:\steamcmd)
3. Run steamcmd.exe

Linux Setup (Ubuntu/Debian)

# Update packages
sudo apt-get update

# Install dependencies
sudo apt-get install lib32gcc-s1 libc6-i386

# Download SteamCMD
mkdir ~/steamcmd
cd ~/steamcmd
wget https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
tar -xvzf steamcmd_linux.tar.gz

Step 2: Download Icarus Server

Launch SteamCMD and run the following commands:

# Set installation directory
force_install_dir C:\IcarusServer  # Windows
# force_install_dir ~/icarusserver  # Linux

# Login anonymously
login anonymous

# Download Icarus dedicated server files
app_update 2089300 validate

# Exit SteamCMD
quit

Verify Installation

Check the server directory contains these files:

• IcarusServer.exe (Windows) or IcarusServer (Linux)
• Engine directory
• Content directory
• Icarus directory

Step 3: Configure Server

Basic Server Configuration

Create ServerSettings.ini in your server directory:

[ServerSettings]
# Server identification
ServerName="My Icarus Server"
ServerPassword=""
AdminPassword="your_secure_password_here"

# Session settings
MaxPlayers=8
GameMode=Prospect  # Prospect/Outpost/OpenWorld
SessionType=Timed  # Timed/Persistent

# Network settings
Port=17777
QueryPort=27015
ServerRegion=NA  # NA/EU/AS/SA/OC

# Server visibility
ListOnMasterServer=true
ServerVisibility=public  # public/friends-only/private

Prospect Configuration (Timed Missions)

[ProspectSettings]
# Mission parameters
ProspectName="Operation: First Light"
ProspectDifficulty=Normal  # Easy/Normal/Hard/Hardcore
TimeLimitHours=24  # Real-time hours for mission
ExtractionRequired=true  # Must extract to keep items

# Mission modifiers
WeatherSeverity=Normal  # Calm/Normal/Severe
WildlifeAggression=Normal  # Passive/Normal/Aggressive
ResourceAbundance=Normal  # Sparse/Normal/Abundant

# Player settings
StartingGear=Basic  # Basic/Advanced/None
DropPodLocation=Random  # Random/Fixed/Selected

Outpost Configuration (Persistent Bases)

[OutpostSettings]
# Outpost parameters
OutpostName="Persistent Base Alpha"
OutpostType=Forest  # Forest/Desert/Arctic/Canyon
PersistenceEnabled=true  # Save world state
AutoSaveInterval=300  # Save every 5 minutes

# Building rules
BuildingDecay=false  # Structures don't decay
WeatherDamage=false  # No weather damage to structures
WildlifeSpawning=true  # Animals spawn normally

# Resource settings
ResourceRespawnRate=1.0  # 1.0 = normal respawn
CropGrowthRate=1.0
AnimalRespawnRate=1.0

Step 4: Launch Server

Windows Launch

Create batch file start_server.bat:

@echo off
cd C:\IcarusServer
start IcarusServer.exe -log -Port=17777 -QueryPort=27015 -GameMode=Prospect

Linux Launch

Create shell script start_server.sh:

#!/bin/bash
cd ~/icarusserver
./IcarusServer -log -Port=17777 -QueryPort=27015 -GameMode=Prospect

Make executable: chmod +x start_server.sh

Command Line Arguments

Step 5: Port Forwarding

Open the following ports on your router and firewall:

Windows Firewall Rules

# Create inbound rule for Icarus
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Icarus Server" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 17777 -Action Allow
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Icarus Query" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 27015 -Action Allow

Linux UFW Rules

sudo ufw allow 17777/udp
sudo ufw allow 27015/udp
sudo ufw reload

Step 6: Admin Commands

In-Game Admin Commands

Type these in the normal chat window. Both / and \ work as the prefix. Log in first, because every other command is refused until you do.

There is no command to spawn items, teleport, change the weather or force a save. Lists containing those circulate widely and none of them match the game. For the full picture, including what Icarus does instead, see Icarus admin and console commands.

What Icarus calls RCON

Icarus has no Source-style remote console. There is no RCONEnabled, RCONPort or RCONPassword setting, and nothing is listening for an RCON client. The shipped ServerSettings.ini contains no RCON section at all.

What the official documentation calls RCON is the command surface above, entered through in-game chat or the server's own command window. If you have been looking for an RCON port to connect a tool to, that is why you cannot find one.

Step 7: Server Management

Automated Startup (Windows Service)

Create Windows Service using NSSM:

# Download NSSM from https://nssm.cc
nssm install IcarusServer "C:\IcarusServer\IcarusServer.exe"
nssm set IcarusServer AppParameters "-log -Port=17777 -GameMode=Prospect"
nssm set IcarusServer AppDirectory "C:\IcarusServer"
nssm start IcarusServer

Automated Startup (Linux Systemd)

Create /etc/systemd/system/icarus.service:

[Unit]
Description=Icarus Dedicated Server
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=icarus
WorkingDirectory=/home/icarus/server
ExecStart=/home/icarus/server/IcarusServer -log -Port=17777 -GameMode=Prospect
Restart=on-failure

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable service: sudo systemctl enable icarus

Backup Procedures

1. World Saves: Located in Saved/SaveGames/
2. Configuration: Backup all .ini files
3. Logs: Located in Saved/Logs/
4. Automated Backup Script: Run daily backups to cloud/remote storage

Troubleshooting

Next Steps

• Check detailed hardware requirements
• Learn about persistent outpost servers
• Configure timed prospect missions
• Optimize server performance
• Explore all configuration options

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