How to Set Up a SCUM Dedicated Server

A SCUM dedicated server keeps the island running for your whole community, whoever is online. It is a free download from Steam, Gamepires ships it for Windows only, and it is one of the heaviest servers you will run: an idle one with nobody on already holds about 10.6 GB of RAM.

Option 1: on Windows with SteamCMD

The SCUM Dedicated Server is a free, anonymous download from Steam, application 3792580, about 15.5 GB. You do not need to own the game on the server.

  1. Install SteamCMD, then run: +login anonymous +app_update 3792580 validate +quit.
  2. Start SCUM/Binaries/Win64/SCUMServer.exe with arguments such as -log -port=7777 -MaxPlayers=64.
  3. Open UDP 7777 and TCP 7779 in the firewall and forward them on the router.
  4. The first start writes ServerSettings.ini and the player lists in SCUM/Saved/Config/WindowsServer. Stop the server, edit them and start it again.
Tip:Back up SCUM/Saved/SaveFiles/SCUM.db. It is the only part that cannot be downloaded again. Copy it with SQLite's backup, or with the server stopped: the game keeps it open in WAL mode, and a plain file copy of a running database can be inconsistent.

Option 2: on Linux, under Wine

There is no native Linux build, but the Windows server runs under Wine. Download it with SteamCMD forced to the Windows build (+@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows) and start the same executable with wine. In our runs it needed no virtual display: it loads the island, writes its save and listens on its ports with no X server at all. Use a Wine with fsync or esync: without either, an idle Unreal server costs far more CPU.

Option 3: Docker

Our image, runonflux/scum-server-flux, packages all of this: it installs and updates the server with SteamCMD on every start, runs it under Wine, edits ServerSettings.ini and the lists from environment variables, keeps a consistent snapshot of the save, backs it up, follows game updates and restarts crashes in place. Its source is on GitHub, RunOnFlux/scum-server-flux. Give the container at least 12 GB of RAM and mount two volumes: one for the 15.5 GB install and one for the settings and snapshots.

Option 4: a managed server on Flux

Pick a plan, a region, a name and an admin, and deploy. There is nothing to install, no ports to forward, and the settings, player lists, rules and backups are in your browser.

  1. Choose 16, 32 or 64 Players on the pricing page.
  2. Name the server, add a join password if you want one and your SteamID64 as admin, and deploy.
  3. Wait for the first start: it downloads 15.5 GB and loads the island, which takes a while longer than a later start.
  4. Your players find it by name in the in-game server list.
Deploy a SCUM server

Frequently asked questions

Is the SCUM dedicated server free?

Yes. It is a free, anonymous download from Steam (application 3792580); you do not need to own the game on the server.

Does the SCUM server run on Linux?

Not natively: Gamepires ships it for Windows only. It runs on Linux under Wine, which is how our Docker image runs it.

How long does a SCUM server take to start?

In our runs, about a minute and a half to load the island once it is installed. The very first start also downloads 15.5 GB, which takes much longer.

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