How to Update a V Rising Server (and Keep BepInEx Mods Working)

To update a V Rising dedicated server, stop it, copy the save-data folder (your world in Saves/v4/<SaveName>/ plus Settings/), then run SteamCMD for app 1829350 in the server folder and start it again. Castles, servants and V Blood progress carry over. On a modded server, the game update does not update BepInEx or your plugins, and a plugin built for the old version can stop the server from starting, so check Thunderstore before you restart.

What an update changes and what it keeps

What goes where

Without -persistentDataPath, a Windows server keeps its data in %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Stunlock Studios\VRisingServer\.

Before you start

• Read the patch notes on V Rising's Steam news. Stunlock has called the game complete, but it still ships balance and bug fix patches.
• Check your plugins on Thunderstore. Each plugin page shows when it was last updated. Plugins and the BepInEx pack often need new builds after a game patch.
• Tell players. Steam updates their game, and they cannot join until the server matches.

Step 1: Stop the server

Stop it from the console or panel. The server saves on shutdown, so the newest autosave is complete.

Step 2: Back up first

Copy the whole save-data folder off the server. On a modded server, also copy BepInEx/plugins and BepInEx/config, so you can put your exact mod setup back.

Step 3: Run the update

From the server folder:

steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\vrisingserver +login anonymous +app_update 1829350 validate +quit

On Linux the server is the Windows build run through Wine, so add +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows before +login. Stunlock's dedicated server instructions say updating is as simple as running the install script again while the server is offline.

Step 4: Update BepInEx and plugins (modded servers)

1. On Thunderstore, check whether BepInExPack_V_Rising has a newer release than the one in your server folder. If it does, extract it over the server folder, keeping your BepInEx/config and BepInEx/plugins.
2. Download the newest release of each plugin and replace the old .dll files in BepInEx/plugins. Remove any plugin that has not been updated for this patch.
3. Many plugins also need a client copy. Players update theirs in r2modman or Thunderstore Mod Manager.

Step 5: Start and check the log

Start the server and wait for Startup Completed in the log. On a modded server the first start after an update can take longer while BepInEx rebuilds its generated files. Then join and check a castle heart before telling everyone.

The gotcha: the game updates itself, the mods do not

Most V Rising servers, self hosted scripts and panels alike, update the game every time they start. That is convenient for vanilla servers, but on a modded server it means a routine restart after a Stunlock patch installs the new game under plugins built for the old one. The server then fails to start or crashes on load, and it looks like the update broke the world. It did not: the save is fine, a plugin is not.

The fix is to find the plugin. Move everything out of BepInEx/plugins, start the server, and if it boots, add plugins back a few at a time. If BepInEx itself is the problem, the server fails even with no plugins, and you need the newer BepInEx pack. If nothing fixes it yet, run the server without mods until the authors catch up, since the world loads fine on the vanilla game.

Common problems

• Players cannot join after a patch: the server is still on the old version. Restart it so it updates, or run SteamCMD again.
• Modded server will not start after an update: a plugin or BepInEx does not support the new version yet. See the gotcha.
• Server loads a brand new world: SaveName does not match your folder in Saves/v4/. Fix the name and restart.
• Rules changed after the update: a GameSettingsPreset is set and overrides ServerGameSettings.json. Clear it for custom rules.
• Plugin settings reset: the plugin's config format changed in its update. Compare the new file in BepInEx/config with your backup and copy your values across.
• Still broken with no plugins installed: delete BepInEx/interop and BepInEx/cache so BepInEx rebuilds them, or update the BepInEx pack.

Updating on GamezServers

On a GamezServers V Rising server, Automatic Updates is on by default, so pressing Restart installs the newest V Rising before the server boots. Click Backup first. On the V Rising BepInEx server type, BepInEx is installed when the server is set up, and the plugins in BepInEx/plugins are yours to update from the Files tab or over SFTP. If plugins are not ready after a patch, switch the Server type to Standard in Settings until they are. On the Standard type, Save Name, Game Settings Preset and the other panel settings are passed to the server as overrides, so they win over the same values in ServerHostSettings.json. For mods, see how to install mods on a V Rising server.

FAQ

Does updating a V Rising server delete my world?

No. The update replaces program files, and your save in save-data/Saves/v4/ stays. Back it up first anyway.

Why did my modded V Rising server stop working after an update?

The game updated but BepInEx or a plugin was built for the old version. Update them from Thunderstore, or remove the plugins until their authors release new builds.

Do V Rising updates wipe servers?

Not usually. Balance and fix patches load your existing world from Saves/v4/. The exception was the 1.0 launch, whose v4 save format does not read Early Access saves.

How do I update a V Rising server automatically?

Run the SteamCMD update before every start in your start script, or use a host that updates on restart. Keep backups, since an automatic update on a modded server can break plugins.