How to Move a VEIN Save to a Dedicated Server

To move a VEIN save to a dedicated server, copy your save from %LOCALAPPDATA%\Vein\Saved\SaveGames\ on your PC into the server's Vein/Saved/SaveGames/ folder and give it the server's own save name (Server.vns on most servers), replacing the server's file. Start the server and the world loads. Your rules do not come with it: a dedicated server keeps PvP, loot and XP settings in Engine.ini, not in the save. Server and players must be on the same VEIN build.

What you can and cannot move

What goes where

Press Windows + R and paste %LOCALAPPDATA%\Vein\Saved\SaveGames to open the folder. Sort by date if you have several saves, and pick the one you played last. VEIN 0.024 brought in a new save system that upgrades old saves automatically, and some servers on current builds show a server.save with a manifest.save beside it instead of Server.vns. Whatever the names, the rule is the same: your save takes the place of the server's own files, with the same names.

Before you start

• Quit to the main menu and close VEIN on the PC that hosted the save, so the file is fully written.
• Back up the SaveGames folder. A bad upload overwrites the only copy on the server.
• Match the build. VEIN is in Early Access and patches often. Restart the server with auto update on so it is on the same build as your game.
• Note your rules. Write down the PvP, loot and XP settings you used, because you will set them again.

Step 1: Stop the server and back it up

Stop the server. If it has been running, it already has its own save in Vein/Saved/SaveGames/ with a fresh world. Note the exact file names it uses, then back them up or download them in case you want that world later.

Step 2: Upload and rename the save

Upload your save into Vein/Saved/SaveGames/. Delete the server's old save, then rename yours to the name the server used, exact spelling and capitals. On most servers that is Server.vns. The dedicated server only loads its own save name, so a MyTown.vns sitting next to it is simply ignored. If a Server.bak.vns is left over from an earlier crash, move it out of the folder so it cannot be confused with your upload.

Step 3: Set your rules in Engine.ini

Open Vein/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/Engine.ini with the server stopped and add your rules under [ConsoleVariables]:

[ConsoleVariables]
vein.PvP=0
vein.Scarcity.Difficulty=2.0

Use the values you wrote down earlier. Admins can also change PvP, loot scarcity and XP rates live from the in game admin menu once the server is running.

Step 4: Add admins and start

In Game.ini, under [/Script/Vein.VeinGameSession], add each admin's SteamID64:

[/Script/Vein.VeinGameSession]
SuperAdminSteamIDs=76561198000000000
AdminSteamIDs=76561198000000001

Start the server and watch the console for Created session GameSession., then join. The server browser can take a few minutes to list it, so friends can also connect through the console with open and the address.

The gotcha: the save does not carry your settings

Since 0.016 Hotfix 5, a VEIN dedicated server keeps its settings in console variables, not in the save. That surprises nearly everyone who moves a world: the base and loot arrive exactly as left, but PvP, zombie and scarcity settings fall back to the server's defaults, because they never lived in the save. Moving between servers works the same way, which is why you copy Engine.ini and Game.ini along with the save.

On GamezServers, a few Game.ini values come from the panel instead: Server Name, Server Password, Max players and Public Server are written into Game.ini at every start, so change those in the panel. Admin lists in Game.ini and everything in Engine.ini are yours to edit.

What happens to characters

Characters are saved inside the save file, separately from the map, so they usually come along with the world. Have the person who hosted join first and check their character before everyone else logs in. If a character does not show up, the world is still intact and a new character can walk back to the base. A bad autosave on a server can damage characters while leaving buildings alone, so keep backups going.

Common problems

• Server starts a brand new town: your file does not have the server's save name (usually Server.vns), or it went into the wrong folder. It must be in Vein/Saved/SaveGames/.
• PvP or loot settings are wrong: they were never in the save. Set them in Engine.ini or the admin menu.
• Friends kicked or refused after a patch: the server is on an older build. Restart it so auto update pulls the same version.
• Admin menu greyed out: your SteamID64 is not in AdminSteamIDs or SuperAdminSteamIDs, or the server was not restarted after the edit.
• Wrong password: VEIN passwords are case sensitive. Copy it from the panel exactly.

Moving it to GamezServers

On a VEIN server from GamezServers, upload and rename the save in the file manager, or use SFTP (login in Settings); the file manager also does zips, extract and downloading a file from a link straight to the server. Click Backup before replacing the server's save. Your town then stays up without anyone's PC on. For ports, admins and the panel, see how to host a VEIN server.

FAQ

Where are VEIN save files stored?

In %LOCALAPPDATA%\Vein\Saved\SaveGames\ on Windows. Some installs keep them in the game folder under Vein\Saved\SaveGames.

What does the VEIN server save file have to be called?

The same name as the server's own save in Vein/Saved/SaveGames/, which is Server.vns on most servers. Any other name is ignored.

Why did my VEIN server settings reset after moving the save?

Dedicated servers keep settings in Engine.ini console variables, not in the save. Set them again on the new server.

Will my friends keep their characters?

Usually yes, because characters are stored in the save file. Check with one player first, and keep a backup of the original file.