How to setup a dedicated server for Factorio
Publisher: Psychz Networks, March 29,2021Factorio is a construction and management simulation game developed by the Czech studio Wube Software. This game allows you to build and maintain factories. You will be mining resources, researching technologies, building infrastructure, automating production, and fighting enemies. Factorio also supports multiplayer, allowing many players to cooperate and assist each other or work against each other.
In the following article, we will see how to deploy Factorio on a Windows 2019 Server Edition dedicated server.
The Minimum system requirements for running the game
- 4GB RAM
- DirectX 10.1 capable GPU with 512 MB VRAM - GeForce GTX 260, Radeon HD 4850 or Intel HD Graphics 5500
- Dual core 3GHz+ processor
- 1920x1080 screen resolution
- 3 GB of disk space
- A 64-bit operating system
Important Notes
- You need to purchase a license to download and install Factorio. You can always download the demo version of the game and buy the license later.
- All game instances need the installation of the same game-versions and mods.
- Factorio servers use port 34197. The port can be changed in the config file.
- Factorio uses UDP only. Make sure no firewall or anti-virus is blocking the UDP-packets.
Download the setup
We are downloading and setting up Factorio version 1.1.30 on a dedicated server which can be started using the --start-server command line option. You can run Factorio --help to get a list of all command-line arguments that Factorio accepts.
You can download the latest version of Factorio from the source website. Refer to the following link https://www.factorio.com/download
Run the installation file and complete the setup. By default, the game is installed at the following location C:\Program Files\Factorio.
Starting the server
Multiplayer games can be joined, hosted while playing, or hosted by a dedicated server. Multiplayer games can be advertised to other players on the same LAN or worldwide.
You will need to create your save file before you start the server, as the dedicated server needs a save file to be provided. This can easily be done using the --create command-line argument. For example:
This creates a new save, as if by clicking the New Game button in the GUI.
This starts with a server that will host the file created on the previous line.
Changing Map settings
There are several JSON configuration files that Factorio can make use of to change the server and map settings:
map-gen-settings to set parameters used by the map generator such as width and height, ore patch frequency and size, etc.
map-settings to control pollution spread, better expansion and evolution, and more
server-settings which consolidated several command-line options into a single file
Example files for each of these parameters are included in the data subdirectory.
The --map-gen-settings and --map-settings options must be used with the --create option when you create a new map. For example:
Starting the Factorio server requires you to specify the location of the server-settings.json file. By default, this is in the Factorio data folder. For example, to start Factorio using the most recent saved map, you would run:
On windows, it may be useful to start the server with a .bat file. The bat file should have the following content:
Use the Multiplayer button in the Play menu to start playing a multiplayer game, choose New or Load or Scenarios to host and play, or Browse or Play on LAN to connect to an already-running game. The host can also choose not to advertise the game at all, in which case you'll need the server's (public or otherwise reachable) IP address; you can then Connect directly to that to join the game.
Joining the server
Joining by IP
To join a multiplayer game by IP, you will need to know a valid server's public IP. You can find this through social media, websites, or by word of mouth. After acquiring the IP and port, go to play -> Multiplayer -> Connect to the server and provide all the information it asks for.
If the server has been set up correctly to accept public connections, you should join the game.
Joining via server list
Factorio's devs keep a list of all public servers that declare themselves to the service, allowing players to join directly through Factorio. Most of these servers will be password-requiring, but many completely public servers can be connected to. To participate via server list:
- Go to Play -> Multiplayer -> Browse public games.
- Provide your Factorio.com login if asked, and a list of public servers will appear.
- Select one.
Congratulations!! You have successfully installed and launched Factorio on your Windows server. You can invite your friends or other online players by sharing your public IP address so they can look up your server online and join the game. A Factorio server can be joined by selecting the Multiplayer option on the main menu, selecting a character, and entering the server's IP and port.
We hope you have found this guide helpful and could successfully deploy Factorio on your Windows server. Please click on the up-vote button to show your appreciation.