How to Move a Sons of the Forest Save to a Dedicated Server

To move a Sons of the Forest save to a dedicated server, copy the numbered save folder from %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Endnight\SonsOfTheForest\Saves\<SteamID>\Multiplayer\ and upload it into the server's Saves/DedicatedServer/Multiplayer/ folder. Set SaveSlot to that folder's number, keep SaveMode on Continue, and restart. The island, bases and storage carry over. The host's personal inventory does not, so put your gear in storage before the last save. Single player saves must be hosted once in co-op first.

What you can and cannot move

Before you start

• Store the host's gear. Put weapons, ammo and resources into storage or hand them to another player, then save at a tent or shelter.
• Quit to the menu so the save is final, then close the game.
• Back up the whole Saves folder.
• Match versions. The server auto updates on restart, and your game should be on the same build.

Step 1: Find the save on your PC

Each save is a folder with a long number as its name. If you have several, the one with the newest Date modified is usually your current island.

Step 2: Convert a single player save (only if needed)

The server only loads multiplayer saves. To convert:

1. Copy the save's numbered folder from Singleplayer into Multiplayer.
2. Start the game, choose Multiplayer, then Host, and load that save.
3. Save once at a tent or shelter and quit.

Now it is a co-op save, ready to upload.

Step 3: Upload to the server

The dedicated server keeps saves in its user data folder, under Saves/DedicatedServer/Multiplayer/. On GamezServers the user data folder is serverconfig, so the full path is serverconfig/Saves/DedicatedServer/Multiplayer/.

1. Stop the server.
2. Upload the numbered folder (zip it first if it is big, then extract it on the server).
3. Rename it to a simple slot number, for example 0000000001, if it does not already match the slot you want.

Step 4: Match SaveSlot and SaveMode

Open serverconfig/dedicatedserver.cfg and check:

"SaveSlot": 1,
"SaveMode": "Continue",

On GamezServers, set Save Slot in Settings to the folder's name exactly, for example 0000000001, leading zeros included. Start the server and join from Multiplayer, then Join, with the Source toggle set to Dedicated.

The gotcha: SaveMode New wipes your slot

SaveMode decides what the server does with the slot on startup. Continue loads the save in SaveSlot, or creates one if the slot is empty. New starts a fresh game in that slot every time and overwrites what is there, including the island you just uploaded. If someone set it to New to reset an old world and forgot to change it back, your upload is gone on the next start.

So before starting: SaveMode on Continue, and the folder name matching the slot. If the numbers do not match, the server does not search for your save. It finds an empty slot and starts a new island, which looks exactly like a failed upload. The Gamemode setting also only applies to new saves, so changing it does nothing to an uploaded island. The Dedicated Server Configuration Guide on Steam covers every key in dedicatedserver.cfg.

What happens to characters

The host's inventory, clothing and stats live in player files inside the co-op save (such as PlayerInventorySaveData and PlayerStateSaveData), tied to being the local host. A dedicated server has no host, so those files do not become anyone's character, and the host usually starts with an empty inventory. That is why you store the gear first.

Friends who joined as guests often fare better, but do not count on it. Storage boxes, racks and everything built into the world always come across, so a quick trip to the stash puts everyone back in business.

To give yourself admin rights on the server, add your SteamID64 to serverconfig/ownerswhitelist.txt and restart.

Common problems

• Server starts a new island: SaveSlot does not match the folder name, or the folder is not directly inside Saves/DedicatedServer/Multiplayer/.
• Upload disappeared after a restart: SaveMode was New. Restore from backup and set it to Continue.
• Host has an empty inventory: expected. Retrieve the gear from storage.
• Cannot find the server: set the Source toggle to Dedicated in the join list.
• Players cannot join after a patch: restart the server so it updates to the new build.

On GamezServers

A Sons of the Forest server from GamezServers has an SFTP login in Settings and a file manager that uploads zips, extracts them and can download a file from a link straight to the server. Click Backup before swapping saves, set Save Slot, and the island stays up for everyone with no host needed. For the other settings, see Sons of the Forest server settings explained.

FAQ

Where are Sons of the Forest saves stored?

In %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Endnight\SonsOfTheForest\Saves\<SteamID>\, split into Multiplayer, Singleplayer and MultiplayerClient folders of numbered saves.

Will the host keep their inventory?

Usually not. The host's character is saved as the local player and does not carry over, so store everything in chests before the move.

Can I move a single player save to a dedicated server?

Yes. Copy it into the Multiplayer folder, host it once in co-op and save, then upload it like any co-op save.

Why did my server create a new world?

The Save Slot number does not match your folder name, or SaveMode is set to New.