Option 1: on Windows with SteamCMD
The Forest Dedicated Server is a free, anonymous download from Steam, application 556450, about 1.8 GB. You do not need to own the game on the server.
- Install SteamCMD, then run: +login anonymous +app_update 556450 validate +quit.
- Write a config.cfg beside the server (the keys are in the settings guide). The server can write a template for itself, but a file you write works as well.
- Start TheForestDedicatedServer.exe with -batchmode -nographics -configfilepath <path to config.cfg> -savefolderpath <a folder for the saves>.
- Open UDP 8766, 27015 and 27016 in the firewall and forward them on the router.
- Join from the game: Multiplayer, Join Game, and find the server by its name.
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), give Wine a virtual display (Xvfb: the Unity player stops with "Failed to create batch mode window" without one), and start TheForestDedicatedServer.exe with the same arguments as on Windows.
Option 3: Docker
runonflux/theforest-server-flux, our image, installs and updates the Windows server with SteamCMD on every start, runs it under Wine 10 on a virtual display, writes config.cfg from environment variables (FOREST_SERVER_NAME, FOREST_PASSWORD, FOREST_ADMIN_PASSWORD, FOREST_MAX_PLAYERS, FOREST_DIFFICULTY, the three ports...), restarts onto new game builds and keeps backups. Its source is on GitHub, RunOnFlux/theforest-server-flux.
- Publish the three UDP ports; the image binds the numbers you give it.
- Keep two volumes: the saves and settings (/mnt/theforest/data), and the game install (/mnt/theforest/server) that is downloaded again if it is lost.
- Give it 4 GB of memory or more: an empty server holds about 1.5 GB and it grows with players and bases.
Ports
| Setting | Port | Protocol | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| serverSteamPort | 8766 | UDP | Steam's master server updater; published as the game's documentation asks |
| serverGamePort | 27015 | UDP | Game traffic: where players connect |
| serverQueryPort | 27016 | UDP | Steam's server query: the server list, and Steam favourites |
Option 4: a managed deploy on Flux
Deploy The Forest server on the Flux decentralized cloud, on that same image, with the ports opened and routed for you, DDoS protection included, and a dashboard with every server setting, five save slots, your co-op save uploaded, the admin password, a file browser, a live terminal and backups. Plans start at $6.49 a month.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Forest dedicated server free?
Yes. It is a free, anonymous download from Steam (application 556450); you do not need to own the game on the server.
Does The Forest server run on Linux?
Not natively: Endnight ships it for Windows only. It runs on Linux under Wine with a virtual display, which is how our Docker image runs it.
How long does The Forest server take to start?
About a minute once it is installed. The very first start also downloads about 1.8 GB, so it takes about two minutes in all.