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Dedicated Server Setup & Optimization - Vintage Story Wiki

Vintage Story Guide • Updated Jan 6, 2026

Vintage Story Dedicated Server Setup & Optimization

Setting up a Vintage Story dedicated server provides a persistent, high-performance world for you and your friends. Since the v1.20 "Re-Genesis" update, server requirements and networking protocols have evolved, making proper optimization more important than ever.

1. System Requirements & RAM Calculation

Vintage Story's engine is extremely detailed, requiring significant RAM for world generation and physics.

The Formula:

Total RAM = 1 GB (Base) + (300 MB * Player Count) + (Mod Overhead)

  • Vanilla (10 Players): 4 GB recommended.
  • Modded (10 Players): 6 GB+ recommended (increase mod overhead by ~30%).
  • Storage: An SSD is strictly required for version 1.20+. Running on an HDD will cause major lag spikes (stuttering) during autosaves and chunk generation.

2. Port Configuration (v1.20 Updates)

In older versions, Vintage Story only used TCP. In **v1.20 and newer**, it uses both TCP and UDP for improved latency.

  • Primary Port: 42420 (Standard Default)
  • Protocol: TCP AND UDP (Both must be open).

3. Server Configuration (serverconfig.json)

The serverconfig.json file is located in the server's data folder. Beyond basic settings, these flags are crucial for performance:

Setting Recommended Value Utility
MaxChunkRadius 8 to 12 Limits how far players can see (8 is best for performance).
TickTime 33.33 The default 30 TPS. Lowering this makes the game "slower" but saves CPU.
BlockUploadLimiter true Prevents specific players from hogging all bandwidth during chunk loading.
CompressPackets true Reduces network usage at the cost of slight CPU overhead.

4. Advanced Commands & Modding

Vintage Story features a powerful in-game administration system. You do not need to restart the server to install most mods.

Installing Mods via CLI

  1. Discover: Find the Mod ID on the VS ModDB.
  2. Install: Run /moddb install [ModID] in the server console.
  3. Update: Run /moddb update to fetch the latest versions of all installed mods.

5. Linux Optimization (UFW & Threads)

If running on Linux, you can squeeze more performance out of the engine:

Firewall Setup:

sudo ufw allow 42420/tcp
sudo ufw allow 42420/udp

CPU Tuning:

Find the MaxPhysicsThreads in serverconfig.json and set it to match your CPU's physical core count (e.g., 4 or 8) to allow more efficient collision and entity calculations.

6. Troubleshooting Connection Issues

  • "Authentication Failed": Ensure the server's VerifyPlayerAuth setting matches your needs (typically true for security).
  • Stuttering during saves: Increase the SaveInterval to 15 or 30 minutes, and ensure the server is on an SSD.
  • Version Mismatch: Vintage Story is picky about minor versions. Ensure both client and server are running the exact same version (e.g., 1.20.1).
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