How to Move a Barotrauma Campaign to a Dedicated Server

To move a Barotrauma campaign to a dedicated server, copy two files from %LocalAppData%\Daedalic Entertainment GmbH\Barotrauma\Multiplayer on the PC that hosted it: <name>.save and <name>_CharacterData.xml. Upload both to the server's Multiplayer save folder, enable the same mods in the same order, start the server, then pick Campaign, Load in the lobby. This works for multiplayer campaigns on the same game version. The crew keeps their jobs, skills, talents and inventories.

What you can and cannot move

Before you start

• End the round at an outpost and let the game save, then close Barotrauma. Campaigns save between rounds.
• Back up the whole Multiplayer folder.
• Match the version. The server must run the same Barotrauma version as the game that saved the campaign.
• List the mods. Note every mod enabled when the campaign was played, in order. The campaign expects the same content.

Step 1: Find the campaign on the host's PC

The quickest way: launch Barotrauma, choose Load Game, press Show in Folder, and open Multiplayer. Or go there directly:

If you set a custom save path in the game's settings, the saves are there instead.

Step 2: Find the server's save folder

This is where most moves go wrong: the server's save folder is usually not in the server folder. A Barotrauma dedicated server saves where the game would, under its user's profile. On a Linux server that is:

~/.local/share/Daedalic Entertainment GmbH/Barotrauma/Multiplayer

The .local folder starts with a dot, so most file managers and SFTP apps hide it. In FileZilla, turn on Server, Force showing hidden files. In WinSCP, press Ctrl + Alt + H. Some setups use a custom save path and keep saves in a Saves/Multiplayer folder next to the server instead.

If you are not sure, find out for certain: start the server, start a campaign round, let it save, stop the server, and look for the new .save file. That folder is where yours goes. If no Multiplayer folder exists yet, this also creates it.

Step 3: Stop the server and upload both files

Stop the server, then upload <name>.save and <name>_CharacterData.xml into that Multiplayer folder. Keep the names exactly as they are. The character file is matched to the campaign by its name prefix, so renaming one without the other separates the crew from the sub.

Step 4: Match the mods

Copy every mod the campaign used into the server's LocalMods folder and list them in config_player.xml in the same load order:

<regularpackages>
  <package path="LocalMods/Lua For Barotrauma/filelist.xml" />
  <package path="LocalMods/Neurotrauma/filelist.xml" />
</regularpackages>

Players are offered the server's mods when they join. A campaign that loads with a mod missing can lose modded items and talents, so restore the backup if anything looks wrong.

Step 5: Load the campaign from the lobby

1. Start the server and join it.
2. Make sure you have campaign rights. If not, use the server console: giverank <your name> admin.
3. In the lobby, choose Campaign as the game mode.
4. Pick Load Campaign, select your save and press Load.
5. Start the round.

Each player gets their character back when they join with the same Steam account they played with. Someone on a different account is treated as a new crew member.

Common problems

• The save is not in the Load list: it went into the wrong folder, usually the server folder instead of the hidden .local/share/.../Multiplayer folder.
• Everyone has fresh characters: _CharacterData.xml did not come across, or its name no longer matches the .save.
• One player lost their character: they joined on a different account than the one they played with.
• "Missing content" or the campaign fails to load: a mod is missing or on a different version. Copy the same versions into LocalMods and check the order.
• Settings keep reverting: you edited serversettings.xml while the server ran. It rewrites the file on shutdown. Stop, edit, start.

Moving it to GamezServers

On a Barotrauma server from GamezServers, click Backup, stop the server, and upload over the SFTP login in Settings or in the file manager, which also extracts zips and can download a file from a link straight to the server. The campaign then stays on the server, so the crew keeps sailing when the captain is offline. For mod setup and serversettings.xml, see how to host a Barotrauma server or the Barotrauma wiki's dedicated server page.

FAQ

Where are Barotrauma campaign saves stored?

Multiplayer campaigns are in %LocalAppData%\Daedalic Entertainment GmbH\Barotrauma\Multiplayer on Windows. Each campaign is a .save file plus a _CharacterData.xml file.

Will my friends keep their characters?

Yes, if _CharacterData.xml moves with the save and each friend joins with the same Steam account as before.

Can I move a single player campaign to a server?

No. Single player campaigns are a different save type and do not show up in the multiplayer lobby. Start a new multiplayer campaign on the server.

Why can't I see my uploaded campaign on the server?

It is in the wrong folder. The server reads its own Multiplayer save folder, which on Linux is the hidden .local/share/Daedalic Entertainment GmbH/Barotrauma/Multiplayer.