How to Create a PixARK Server Guide (2024)

Creating a PixARK game server is an easy process that can be done from either a dedicated server or your home computer.

Option #1: Renting a PixARK server (see example control panel below!)

Option #2: Creating a PixARK Server From Your Home Computer or Dedicated Server

Server Requirements

Windows 7, 8, 8.1, Server 2008, Server 2012 & 64-Bit

Quad Core processor (requires up to 2 full cores)

Up to 16GB memory (currently uses around 6GB memory minimum and up to 15GB of memory for a full server)

2GB disk space (install folder)

Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015

Step 1: Fetching Game Server files from SteamCMD

The best method to get dedicated server game files is via SteamCMD.

1. Create a folder where you wish to store your PixARK game server hosting files in
2. Inside of the folder, create a folder called SteamCMD and place the newly downloading SteamCMD.exe file within it
3. Create a batch file named SteamCMD.bat within the SteamCMD folder
4. Place the following code in this batch file:

@echo off

start "" steamcmd.exe +login username password +force_install_dir "C:\Some\Path\Where\You\Want\Game\Server\Files\To\Go" +app_update 824360 validate +quit

1. Change the "Username" and "Password" with your steam login info
2. Change the Path of the C:\ drive to the location of your PixARK server folder you created earlier
3. Right-click SteamCMD.bat and Run as Administrator
4. Your game server files should start downloading now

(alternate method): Locating Game Server Files on Hard Drive

You can host PixARK directly from the game itself. If you want to change any settings, locate your common folder:

1. Right-click PixARK from Steam, select Properties
2. Click Local Files tab
3. Click Browse Local Files button

Step 2: Setting up a PixARK Dedicated Server

1. Create a batch file named PixARKServer.bat or Launch.bat in your newly created PixARK server folder from step 1
2. Place the following code in this batch file:

start "" /NORMAL "C:\pixarkserver\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\PixARKServer.exe" "CubeWorld_Light?listen?MaxPlayers=YOURMAXPLAYERS?Port=27015?QueryPort=27016?RCONPort=27017?SessionName=YOURHOSTNAME?ServerAdminPassword=YOURADMINPASSWORD?CULTUREFORCOOKING=en" -NoBattlEye -NoHangDetection -CubePort=27018 -cubeworld=YOURWORLDNAME -cubeworld=YOURRANDOMSEED -nosteamclient -game -server -log

1. Make sure to set your MaxPlayers, SessionName, and ServerAdminPassword to what you would like those set as.
2. Once this is completed you should have a list of server files along with the .bat file you created in the server folder.

This .bat file will let you launch the server

Step 3: Port Forwarding

Add an incoming rule to your Windows Firewall to allow UDP port 27015 as well as 27016, and 7777 (or whichever port you decide to use).

You may additionally need to add a forwarding rule to your network router. You can use PortForward.com to read how to do this.

Configuring your PixARK Game Server!

Now comes the fun part, setting up your PixARK game server to your liking.

To modify game server settings you can open the ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/Game.ini Along with
the config settings within ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/GameUserSettings.ini

You can modify settings in here (in addition to the launch line) - these settings overwrite your launch line settings:

GameUserSettings.ini

[/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameUserSettings]MasterAudioVolume=1.000000MusicAudioVolume=1.000000SFXAudioVolume=1.000000CameraShakeScale=1.000000bFirstPersonRiding=FalsebThirdPersonPlayer=FalsebShowStatusNotificationMessages=TrueTrueSkyQuality=0.270000FOVMultiplier=1.000000GroundClutterDensity=1.000000bFilmGrain=FalsebMotionBlur=TruebUseDFAO=TruebUseSSAO=TruebShowChatBox=TruebCameraViewBob=TruebInvertLookY=FalsebFloatingNames=TruebChatBubbles=TruebHideServerInfo=FalsebJoinNotifications=FalsebCraftablesShowAllItems=TrueLookLeftRightSensitivity=1.000000LookUpDownSensitivity=1.000000GraphicsQuality=2ActiveLingeringWorldTiles=10bUseVSync=FalseResolutionSizeX=1280ResolutionSizeY=720LastUserConfirmedResolutionSizeX=1280LastUserConfirmedResolutionSizeY=720WindowPosX=-1WindowPosY=-1bUseDesktopResolutionForFullscreen=FalseFullscreenMode=2LastConfirmedFullscreenMode=2Version=5[ScalabilityGroups]sg.ResolutionQuality=100sg.ViewDistanceQuality=3sg.AntiAliasingQuality=3sg.ShadowQuality=3sg.PostProcessQuality=3sg.TextureQuality=3sg.EffectsQuality=3sg.TrueSkyQuality=3sg.GroundClutterQuality=3sg.IBLQuality=1sg.HeightFieldShadowQuality=3[AdminPassword]ServerAdminPassword=YOURADMINPASSWORDServerPassword=YOURSERVERPASSWORD[/Script/Engine.GameSession]MaxPlayers=5[ServerSettings]ShowMapPlayerLocation=TrueServerHardcore=FalseGlobalVoiceChat=FalseProximityChat=FalseNoTributeDownloads=FalseAllowThirdPersonPlayer=FalseAlwaysNotifyPlayerLeft=FalseDontAlwaysNotifyPlayerJoined=TrueServerPVE=FalseServerCrosshair=TrueServerForceNoHUD=FalseDifficultyOffset=0

Make sure you change the data in the config towards the bottom or else you may run into issues. Once youhave these set you should be on your way to joining your server.

Items to Edit: (below)[AdminPassword]ServerAdminPassword=YOURADMINPASSWORDServerPassword=YOURSERVERPASSWORD[/Script/Engine.GameSession]MaxPlayers=5[ServerSettings]ShowMapPlayerLocation=TrueServerHardcore=FalseGlobalVoiceChat=FalseProximityChat=FalseNoTributeDownloads=FalseAllowThirdPersonPlayer=FalseAlwaysNotifyPlayerLeft=FalseDontAlwaysNotifyPlayerJoined=TrueServerPVE=FalseServerCrosshair=TrueServerForceNoHUD=FalseDifficultyOffset=0

Locating and Joining your server

These methods currently do not work - the only join method is via in-game server list until bugs are fixed

1. First make sure your server is running by running the PixArkServer.bat file as admin (If the CMD window is already up for it then you are fine)
2. Head into steam and click on the view tab at the top left
3. From there select servers and a new panel will show up
4. Hit the Lan tab at the top and the filter button at the bottom
5. Set the filter to ARK
6. If your server shows up there then you know it is running and ready to roll

How to Join Your Server (SurvivalServers.com Customers)

These methods currently do not work - the only join method is via in-game server list until bugs are fixed

Method 1. Finding your server hosted by survivalservers.com

STEP 1: Update your server to the newest PixARK version using the update/validate option on the panel, then click the green update button at the bottom. * If you are not a Survival Servers customer ask your game server host about this.

1. Once you are sure the server is updated and shows started on the panel. Head into the game
2. In the game click Join and then look for your server in the Unofficial Server listings (Note if you have a password set on your server. Make sure to check the "Show Password Protected" box)
3. You can also use the Name Filter at the top of the list to find your server faster.

Location of World Save Data

The location of the saved folder will very depending how you are hosting it.If you are hosting with survivalservers.com then your save data location will looklike the following.

ShooterGame/Saved/SavedPixArkXXXX (with the XXXX being a set of numbers)

If you are hosting a PixARK server locally then your directory will probably look similaronly it will not have the numbers on the end.

ShooterGame/Saved/SavedPixArk

If you are with another hosting company then you will want to contact them for information on where thesave data is located.

Running Admin Commands

For admin commands they are pretty much used the same way ARK Survival Evolved uses them. The login
method is the same in terms of logging in and running.

Press the Tab or ` (tilda) key on your keyboard

Type:

enablecheats password(With password being the admin password you have set)

You can now run admin commands in game. For a full list of commands you view the Admin Commands

Tools

Coming soon.