Dedicated Server Guide

Ships At Sea supports Dedicated Server, expanding multiplayer beyond the existing peer-to-peer system.

Overview

• Peer-to-Peer (P2P) multiplayer remains unchanged
  • Play with friends via Friends List
  • Supports up to 4 players
• Dedicated Servers (New)
  • Host or rent your own server
    • Rent servers from our partners
      • 4Players
      • Bisect Hosting
      • GPortal
  • No Friends List required
  • Supports up to 16 players
  • Ideal for building larger communities

Requirements

• A separate machine is required
  • ⚠️ You cannot run the game and the dedicated server on the same machine
• Open the following ports on your server machine:
  • 15000 (TCP/UDP)
  • 7777 (TCP/UDP)
• Ensure proper port forwarding on your router (Steps vary by router manufacturer)

Installing the Dedicated Server (Steam Client)

1. Open Steam
2. Go to Library
3. Select Tools from the filter
4. Search for Ships At Sea Dedicated Server
5. Install the tool

Running the Server

You can start the server manually via command line:
SasServer.exe -log

The -log parameter enables live logging output.

Installing via SteamCMD (Advanced)

If you prefer command-line installation:

1. Download SteamCMD: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamCMD
2. Extract steamcmd.zip to a folder
3. Open Command Prompt in that folder
4. Run: steamcmd
5. Log in: login anonymous (Or use your Steam account if required)
6. Download the Ships At Sea Dedicated Server: app_update 3951240 validate
7. After installation, navigate to: steamcmd\steamapps\common\Ships At Sea Dedicated Server
8. Start the server: SasServer.exe -log

Customizing Server Name

Step 1 – Locate Config Folder
steamapps\common\Ships At Sea Dedicated Server\SAS\Saved\Config\WindowsServer

Step 2 – Rename Settings File

Rename Example_DedicatedServerSettings.ini file to:
DedicatedServerSettings.ini

Edit the .ini file:

[/Script/Sas.DedicatedServerSettings]
DedicatedServerName=My Dedicated Server
MaxPlayers=16
DedicatedServerDescription=Dedicated server description

Replace with your preferred server name, adjust the amount of players you would like to host.

Step 3 – Restart Server

Restart the server to apply changes.
Your custom name will now appear in the server list.

Additional Notes

• Use -log to view server output
• Auto-save interval: every 5 minutes
• More configuration options coming in future updates
• Windows and Linux is supported
• Example configuration can be found under SAS\Saved\Config\WindowsServer
• A offline setup guide can be found in SAS\Binaries\Win64\Readme.txt

Troubleshooting – Cannot Connect

If your server appears in the list but players cannot connect:

Possible causes:

• Firewall is enabled and blocking in Windows 10/11
• Server is behind CG-NAT (no public IP from ISP)
• Ports are not properly forwarded:
• Port 7777 (TCP/UDP)
• Port 15000 (TCP/UDP)
• Server is not running on a separate machine

Coming Soon

• Password protection
• Expanded server management options
• Additional configuration settings