How to Host a Rising World Server (Dedicated Server Guide 2026)

To host a Rising World server, install the dedicated server with SteamCMD (app 339010, anonymous login), run RisingWorldServer.exe (or RisingWorldServer.x64 on Linux) once, then edit server.properties in the server folder: Server_Name, Server_Password, World_Name, World_GameMode, Settings_MaxPlayers and your Steam ID in Server_Admins. Open port 4255 TCP and UDP plus 4254 TCP for the server list. Game mode and seed only apply when a new world is created.

Which Rising World version are you hosting?

Rising World has two editions, and they do not mix. The current version (built on Unity) is what Steam installs today. The original Java version still exists on a legacy branch for groups with old worlds. Players can only join a server running the same edition as their game, and worlds do not convert between them. This guide covers the current version; the Java server uses a different server.properties with lowercase keys.

What do you need to run a Rising World server?

The current server no longer needs Java and no longer takes a RAM setting: it allocates memory as it needs it. JIW-Games suggests 1 to 2 GB for a small server and 4 to 8 GB for larger player counts.

Memory follows how much of the world is loaded, so ten players building in one town cost less than ten players in ten corners of the map. The developer also recommends restarting the server at least every 24 hours.

How do I install the Rising World dedicated server?

1. Install SteamCMD.
2. Download the server anonymously:

steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\risingworld-server +login anonymous +app_update 339010 validate +quit

3. Run RisingWorldServer.exe on Windows or ./RisingWorldServer.x64 on 64 bit Linux. It creates server.properties and the world on first start.
4. Stop it, edit server.properties, and start it again.

The developer's dedicated server setup thread is the reference for the current version. Launch arguments in the form +Settings_MaxPlayers=32 override the file, which is useful for testing.

What goes in server.properties?

The file is commented line by line. These are the keys most servers change:

Server_Name=Riverside Builders
Server_Password=oakbeam
Server_Port=4255
Server_Admins=76561198000000000;76561198000000001
Server_Visible=True
Server_Description=Survival, one plot per player, no griefing
World_Name=Riverside
World_GameMode=Survival
World_Seed=riverside2026
Settings_MaxPlayers=32
Settings_PeacefulMode=False
Settings_PvP=False
Settings_PvE=True

Restart after every change. Note the trap in that table: Settings_PvP and Settings_PvE only change how the server is advertised in the list, not whether players can hurt each other.

The gotcha: game mode and seed are fixed per world

World_GameMode and World_Seed are read once, when the world is created. Changing them on a server with an existing world does nothing, which is why "I switched to Creative and nothing happened" is such a common question.

To get a Creative world (or a new seed) and keep your Survival one:

1. Stop the server and back up the Worlds folder.
2. Set the new World_GameMode or World_Seed.
3. Set a new World_Name.
4. Start the server. It creates the new world and leaves the old folder untouched, so switching World_Name back brings the old world back.

What ports does a Rising World server use?

If you change Server_Port, the query port moves with it. See our port forwarding guide.

How do players join a Rising World server?

1. Open Multiplayer in Rising World.
2. Find the server by name in the list, or click Connect by IP at the bottom and enter the address with its port, for example 203.0.113.10:4255.
3. Type the password if there is one.

Windows, Mac and Linux players can share a server as long as everyone runs the same version.

How do I install plugins?

The current version has a Java plugin API, and plugins run on the server only. To install one:

1. Find or create the Plugins folder in the server folder.
2. Unzip the plugin. Every plugin needs its own subfolder with at least its .jar file, for example Plugins/ToolsAPI/ToolsAPI.jar plus any lib or assets folders it ships with.
3. If a download is just a .jar, make the subfolder yourself.
4. Restart and check the console for the plugin loading.

A .jar dropped straight into Plugins without its own folder is the classic reason a plugin never loads. Plugins written for the Java version do not work on the current version.

Moving an existing world onto it

Single player worlds are folders in Worlds inside the game's install folder (steamapps/common/RisingWorld/Worlds). Stop the server, upload the world's folder into the server's Worlds folder, set World_Name to the folder's exact name and start it. Full steps: how to move a Rising World save to a server.

Common problems

• Switched to Creative but still Survival: game mode only applies to new worlds. Use a new World_Name.
• Server not in the list: TCP 4254 (game port minus 1) is closed, or Server_Visible is False.
• Uploaded world replaced by a new one: World_Name does not match the folder name.
• Plugin does not load: it is not in its own subfolder, or it was made for the Java version.
• Friends cannot join: they run a different edition or version from the server.

FAQ

How many players can join a Rising World server?

Up to 64 with Settings_MaxPlayers. RAM and how spread out players build decide how many run smoothly.

How do I make myself admin on a Rising World server?

Add your Steam ID (UID) to Server_Admins in server.properties, separating several with semicolons, then restart.

Can I change the game mode of an existing Rising World world?

World_GameMode only applies when a world is created. Set a new World_Name to start a world in the other mode.

Can Java version players join the new version?

No. The two editions are separate, and the server's edition must match every player's game.

The easy option: host it with us

Rising World hosting on GamezServers starts at 9.99 USD a month for 4 GB, with 8 GB and 12 GB plans and 50% off the first month for new customers. Our panel writes the server name, password, world name, game mode and RCON settings into server.properties each time the server starts, so change those in the panel and the rest in the file manager. A Java Legacy server type keeps old worlds alive, plugins go up over SFTP, and there is a one click Backup before you swap worlds.