How to Host a Smalland Server (Dedicated Server Guide 2026)

Q: Why can't my friends see my Smalland server?

Their Cross Play setting is off, the browser filter is not on Public, or the server is on an older build after a patch. Check all three.

Q: Why didn't my settings change?

Settings only load on start. Save start-server.bat and restart the server.

Q: Can I keep my world if I change servers?

Yes. Copy the save from SMALLAND\Saved\SaveGames\ and set the same WORLDNAME on the new server.

To host a Smalland: Survive the Wilds server, download the free dedicated server with SteamCMD (app 808040), open start-server.bat and set SERVERNAME, WORLDNAME, PASSWORD and PORT, then run it and open UDP 7777. There are no ini files: every setting is a variable in that script. Smalland supports up to 10 players, has no join by IP, and players need Cross Play turned on to see dedicated servers.

What do you need to run a Smalland server?

Smalland is an Unreal Engine survival game, and its server is hungrier than the tiny theme suggests. The server is a free Windows download and does not need a copy of the game.

Group	RAM	Notes
2 to 4 players	6 GB	A small group starting out
5 to 8 players	8 GB	Where most groups land
Full 10 players, big bases, many tamed creatures	12 GB	Late game worlds

Give it a CPU with good single core speed and about 20 GB of disk. The server runs the whole world whether anyone is online or not, so a home PC hosting it needs to stay on for others to play.

How do I install the Smalland dedicated server?

Install SteamCMD in its own folder.
Download the server anonymously:

login anonymous
force_install_dir C:\smallandserver
app_update 808040 validate
quit

Open C:\smallandserver and find start-server.bat. This script is both the launcher and the config.
Edit it in a text editor (next section), save, and double click it to start the server.

Run the same app_update 808040 line after game patches. A server on an old build disappears from the list for players on the new one.

What settings go in start-server.bat?

Settings are set lines near the top of the script, which it passes to the server when it launches. Change the values, keep the names:

set SERVERNAME=Tiny Titans
set WORLDNAME=TinyTitans1
set PASSWORD=crew-only
set PORT=7777
set FRIENDLYFIRE=0
set PEACEFULMODE=0
set KEEPINVENTORY=0
set PRIVATE=0
set LENGTHOFDAYSECONDS=1800
set LENGTHOFSEASONSECONDS=10800
set CREATUREHEALTHMODIFIER=100
set CREATUREDAMAGEMODIFIER=100
set NOURISHMENTLOSSMODIFIER=100
set DETERIORATION=1

Variable	What it does	Notes
`SERVERNAME`	Name in the server browser	Make it unique, friends search for it
`WORLDNAME`	Which world save loads	A new name makes a new world
`PASSWORD`	Join password	Empty for none
`FRIENDLYFIRE`	`1` turns on PvP damage between players	`0` for co-op
`PEACEFULMODE`	`1` stops creatures attacking	Good for builders
`KEEPINVENTORY`	`1` keeps items on death	Takes the sting out of spiders
`PRIVATE`	`1` hides the game from the public list	See the join section first
`LENGTHOFDAYSECONDS`	Length of a day	Default 1800 (30 minutes)
`LENGTHOFSEASONSECONDS`	Length of a season	Default 10800 (3 hours)
`CREATUREHEALTHMODIFIER`	Creature health, as a percentage	100 is normal
`CREATUREDAMAGEMODIFIER`	Creature damage, as a percentage	50 halves it
`NOURISHMENTLOSSMODIFIER`	How fast hunger drops, as a percentage	0 turns hunger off
`DETERIORATION`	Whether things wear down over time	`0` turns it off

Settings load when the server starts, so restart after every change. If a change seems to do nothing, a missed restart is the usual reason.

Some options from the in game server screen are missing from the script. Players have added them by hand, for example a TamedCreaturesImmortal line plus a matching ?TamedCreaturesImmortal= entry on the script's parameter line, as described in this Steam bug report thread. Keep a copy of the original script before editing it that deeply, since updates can replace it.

Players riding a tamed insect through giant grass in Smalland Survive the Wilds

Good settings for a casual group

Smalland is punishing early on. For a group that wants a relaxed world:

Goal	Change
Fewer frustrating deaths	`KEEPINVENTORY=1`
Softer creatures	`CREATUREDAMAGEMODIFIER=60`
Less food management	`NOURISHMENTLOSSMODIFIER=50`
See seasons change in a short session	`LENGTHOFSEASONSECONDS=5400`
Just build	`PEACEFULMODE=1`

For a hard world, push CREATUREHEALTHMODIFIER and CREATUREDAMAGEMODIFIER to 150 or more and leave keep inventory off.

Where are Smalland world saves?

World saves live in the server folder under:

SMALLAND\Saved\SaveGames\

Each world is saved under its WORLDNAME. To keep two worlds, change WORLDNAME and restart: the old one stays on disk and comes back when you switch the name back.

Moving an existing world to the server

Stop the server.
Copy the world's save files from the PC that hosted it into SMALLAND\Saved\SaveGames\ on the server.
Set WORLDNAME to the save's exact name.
Start the server and check the world loads before inviting anyone.

Back up the save folder before big game patches, which can change save data.

What ports does a Smalland server use?

The server's game port is 7777 UDP, set by PORT. Many setups also open 7778 for queries, so forward UDP 7777 and 7778 and allow the server through the Windows firewall. See our port forwarding guide.

How do players join a Smalland server?

There is no direct connect or join by IP in Smalland, so the server browser is the only way in:

In the game's settings, turn on Cross Play. Players without it do not see dedicated servers at all.
Open the server browser and set the filter to Public.
Search for your exact SERVERNAME.
Join and enter the password.

Because there is no IP join, think twice about PRIVATE=1. A password keeps strangers out while still letting friends find the server by name.

FAQ

How many players can join a Smalland server?

Up to 10, which is the game's cap. Smalland servers suit friend groups more than big public communities.

Can I join a Smalland server by IP?

No. Smalland has no direct connect, so players find the server in the browser by its name.

Why can't my friends see my Smalland server?

Their Cross Play setting is off, the browser filter is not on Public, or the server is on an older build after a patch. Check all three.

Why didn't my settings change?

Settings only load on start. Save start-server.bat and restart the server.

Can I keep my world if I change servers?

Yes. Copy the save from SMALLAND\Saved\SaveGames\ and set the same WORLDNAME on the new server.

The easy option: host it with us

If keeping a Windows PC on for Smalland is the hard part, our Smalland hosting starts at 14.99 USD a month for 6 GB, with 8 GB and 12 GB plans for bigger groups. The panel has the friendly fire, peaceful mode, keep inventory, day and season length and creature modifier settings, and you can turn on sleep when empty so the world saves and stops after 4 days with nobody on. You get SFTP access to upload an existing world, new customers get 50% off the first month, and the group can split the bill.