Getting Started with Your Stormworks: Build and Rescue Server

Introduction

Stormworks: Build and Rescue is one of those games that's way more fun than it has any right to be. You're designing vehicles from scratch – boats, helicopters, planes, whatever – and then using them to pull off rescue missions in an open-world ocean environment. The physics engine does all the heavy lifting, which means your creations either work beautifully or sink like a rock. Both outcomes are entertaining.

Running a dedicated server means you and your mates can hop on whenever you want, build stuff together, and tackle missions without needing one person to keep their game open 24/7. I've found it makes a huge difference for groups that play regularly.

This guide covers everything from ordering your server to actually getting connected and playing. If you want to dig into the more advanced config stuff later, we've got a Server Configuration Guide that picks up where this one leaves off.

Why Bother With a Dedicated Server?

Stormworks does have peer-to-peer multiplayer through Steam, and it works fine for quick sessions. But a dedicated server is a different beast entirely.

Your world stays running even when you're not online. Friends can jump in, keep working on vehicles, run missions – the world just persists. Physics calculations run on dedicated hardware instead of fighting for resources with someone's game client, which honestly makes a noticeable difference when you've got complex builds loaded in. You also get full control over the server settings, player management, weather, all of it.

Worth mentioning: Stormworks supports up to 32 players on a server. So if you're running big group sessions or vehicle showcases, you've got room.

One thing to note – Stormworks is PC/Steam only. No crossplay, no console versions to worry about.

Ordering Your Server

Head over to the Stormworks: Build and Rescue page on our site. Pick your player slots, check out the available upgrades – extra RAM is worth considering if you plan on running complex vehicle builds or large saves. There's also dedicated IP and CPU upgrade options if you want them.

Once you've completed your order, provisioning is automatic. Shouldn't take long at all.

Accessing Your Server

After provisioning wraps up:

1. Log in to the control panel at control.low.ms.
2. Find your server in the dashboard – you'll see the IP address, port, and current status right there.
3. Hit the Start button if it's not already running.
4. Make a note of your IP and port. You'll need these to connect.

The default port for Stormworks is 25564 (UDP). The server actually uses three consecutive ports, so keep that in mind if you're doing any firewall stuff on your end.

Connecting to Your Server

Two ways to get in.

Direct Connect

1. Launch Stormworks from Steam.
2. From the main menu, hit Multiplayer.
3. Select Join by IP.
4. Type in the IP address and port from your control panel (something like 203.0.113.10:25564).
5. Enter the password if you've set one.
6. Connect. That's it.

Server Browser

If your server's set to public, it'll show up in the in-game browser:

1. Main menu, Multiplayer.
2. Browse the Public Servers list or search for your server name.
3. Select it and join.

By default the server name is just "Stormworks" – you'll probably want to change that in server_config.xml so you can actually find it. You can edit this through Configuration Files in the control panel sidebar.

First Steps After Connecting

Once you're in, you'll spawn on a starting island. This is your home base – it's got a workbench for building vehicles and some basic facilities. The base_island setting in the config controls which island you start on, but the default is perfectly fine for getting going.

Build something simple first. Seriously. A basic boat with a seat, engine, and propeller is a great first project. You can get fancy later. Once you've got something that floats (hopefully), try picking up a rescue mission from the mission board. That's where the game really clicks – designing a vehicle for a specific job and then finding out if your design actually holds up.

Managing Your Server

Most of what you need is in the control panel sidebar. Here's the stuff you'll use most:

• Web Console – this is where you run commands and see server output in real time. Essential.
• Configuration Files – for editing server_config.xml. This is where all your server settings live.
• File Manager – for browsing your server files, uploading things, that sort of stuff.
• Cloud Backup / Cloud Restore – back up your world. Do this regularly. Trust me.
• Steam Update – keeps your server on the latest version.
• Log Viewer – handy when something goes wrong and you need to figure out why.

Useful Admin Commands

Run these in the Web Console. Important: these all use peer IDs, not player names.

• ?save – quick save. ?save mysavename to save with a specific name.
• ?kick <peer_id> – boot someone.
• ?ban <peer_id> – permanent boot.
• ?add_admin <peer_id> – give someone admin rights.
• ?remove_admin <peer_id> – take them away.
• ?add_auth <peer_id> – authorise a player (lets them spawn vehicles and such).
• ?remove_auth <peer_id> – remove authorisation.

That's the full set of vanilla commands. You might see other commands mentioned online like ?unban or ?clear_vehicles – those don't exist in the base game. Some are from addons like Carsa's Commands, which is a separate thing entirely.

Setting a Password

Open server_config.xml through Configuration Files in the sidebar. Find the password field and set it to whatever you want. Restart the server for it to take effect. Anyone joining will need to enter the password, which is nice for keeping randoms out.

Inviting Friends

Just send them your IP and port from the control panel. If you've set a password, send that too. They connect via Join by IP in the multiplayer menu and they're in.

Troubleshooting

Can't connect? Double-check the IP and port. Make sure the server's actually running – check the status in the control panel. Stormworks uses UDP on port 25564 (plus the next two ports), so if you've got a strict local firewall, that could be the issue.

Server not showing in browser? It needs to be set to public with no password. Also give it a minute – it can take a little while to appear in the list.

Lag or physics issues? Stormworks physics run server-side, so server performance matters. If you've got a ton of complex vehicles loaded, that'll eat resources. Consider cleaning up unused vehicles or looking at a RAM upgrade if things are consistently rough.

Server crashing? Check the Log Viewer for error messages. Often it's a corrupt save or a vehicle that's causing problems. If you can't figure it out, restoring from a Cloud Backup is usually the fastest fix.

For more detailed troubleshooting, check our Stormworks Troubleshooting Guide. And if you want to get into the weeds with server settings – day/night cycle length, weather overrides, all that – the Server Configuration Guide has you covered.