Solace Crafting servercfg.dat Settings Explained

servercfg.dat is the Solace Crafting dedicated server's only config file. Despite the extension it is plain JSON, and it lives in the game's user data folder (AppData\LocalLow\Big Kitty Games\Solace Crafting on Windows, ~/.config/unity3d/Big Kitty Games/Solace Crafting on Linux), not in the install folder. It holds 14 keys: server name and description, game and query ports, private mode and password, Steam ID checks, player cap, admin and moderator passwords, which world to load, and an auto restart value. Stop the server before editing it, and restart to apply changes.

Below is every key, what it does, sensible values and the mistakes that cause most "my setting did nothing" posts.

The full file

This is the complete set of keys a current server config uses, with the defaults most setups start from:

{
    "name": "Solace Crafting Server",
    "description": "",
    "port": 27015,
    "steamQueryPort": 27016,
    "isPrivate": false,
    "password": "",
    "requireSteamID": true,
    "maxPlayers": 12,
    "allowAdmin": false,
    "adminPassword": "password",
    "allowModerator": false,
    "moderatorPassword": "password",
    "worldSaveToUse": "MultiplayerWorld",
    "autoRestart": 0
}

Every key at a glance

Name and description

name is what players search for in the server list, so make it distinctive. A generic name like "Solace Server" sits among others with the same idea. description is a line of flavor or rules. Keep both short, and avoid characters that need escaping in JSON, such as straight double quotes inside the text.

port and steamQueryPort

port is where game traffic goes. steamQueryPort answers Steam's server list queries, so a server can be joinable but invisible if only the first port is reachable. Two servers on one machine need two different pairs, such as 27015/27016 and 27025/27026.

If you host at home, forward both ports to the server machine. On a rented server, the host assigns the port, and port has to match it exactly or nobody can connect.

isPrivate and password

These work as a pair. password only does something when isPrivate is true. Setting a password on a public server leaves it open, which is the most common mistake in this file.

For a friends only server:

"isPrivate": true,
"password": "lanternfish",

Early dedicated server builds did not enforce passwords at all, and the developer said so in the official hosting thread. Current builds expose the setting, but test it once with a friend after setting it up, rather than assuming.

requireSteamID

Leave this true. As the name says, it makes the server require a Steam ID from every player who joins, which ties each connection to a real Steam account. Only turn it off for local testing, and turn it back on afterwards.

maxPlayers

Defaults to 12. You can raise it, but the cost is memory, not just slots. Solace Crafting's world has no edge and difficulty grows with distance, so players naturally spread out, and every area someone is standing in has to stay loaded on the server. Twelve people scattered in twelve directions is a heavier load than twelve people in one town. If you raise the cap, watch memory use during a busy evening.

allowAdmin, allowModerator and their passwords

These turn on admin and moderator logins protected by the matching passwords. The developer stated in the original hosting thread that admin and moderator features were not enabled yet in early builds. The fields remain in the config, so check the current patch notes and test before you rely on them for moderation.

Whatever you do, never leave adminPassword or moderatorPassword set to password with the matching allow key set to true. Anyone who has read this file would know it.

worldSaveToUse

The name of the folder inside Worlds that the server loads. The default is MultiplayerWorld. Two uses:

• Keep several worlds in Worlds and switch between them by changing this value and restarting.
• Bring an existing world by copying its folder into Worlds and setting this to the folder name.

If the name does not match a folder, the server starts a new world, which looks like your progress vanished. It did not: the old folder is still there. Fix the name and restart.

autoRestart

0 leaves automatic restarts off. The value is not documented in detail publicly, so the safe approach is to leave it at 0 and schedule restarts yourself, during a quiet hour. A restart every day or two clears memory that builds up over long sessions. Our guide on how often to restart a game server covers why.

Three ready configs

Private co-op for four friends:

"name": "Ember Hollow",
"isPrivate": true,
"password": "change-this",
"maxPlayers": 4,

Small public server:

"name": "Ember Hollow | Friendly PvE",
"description": "Share the portals. No griefing.",
"isPrivate": false,
"maxPlayers": 10,

A second world on the same machine:

"port": 27025,
"steamQueryPort": 27026,
"worldSaveToUse": "SecondFrontier",

Mistakes that make settings "not work"

Editing it on a hosted server

On a GamezServers Solace Crafting server, the file is at .config/unity3d/Big Kitty Games/Solace Crafting/servercfg.dat in the file manager. Stop the server, edit, save, start, and the live console shows the server starting with your settings. Set port to the port in your panel. A one click backup before you change worldSaveToUse makes switching worlds risk free. For the full setup, see our Solace Crafting hosting guide.

FAQ

Why is it called servercfg.dat if it is JSON?

That is just the file name the game uses. Open it with any text editor and treat it as JSON.

How do I make a Solace Crafting server private?

Set isPrivate to true and put a password in password, then restart. Test it with a friend.

Why did my world reset after editing the config?

worldSaveToUse probably no longer matches the world's folder name. Correct it and restart. The old world is still in Worlds.

Can I change the port?

Yes. Change port and steamQueryPort, then forward the new numbers. On a host, match the port you were given.