Icarus Dedicated Server Settings Explained (ServerSettings.ini)

An Icarus dedicated server is configured in Icarus/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/ServerSettings.ini, under the [/Script/Icarus.DedicatedServerSettings] header. It has 12 keys: JoinPassword, AdminPassword and MaxPlayers (1 to 8) for access, LoadProspect, CreateProspect and ResumeProspect for which save runs, and ShutdownIfEmptyFor and ShutdownIfNotJoinedFor, which send an empty server back to the lobby after 300 seconds by default.

Where is ServerSettings.ini?

The file is created on the first start of the server. On a default Windows install it sits under your user profile:

%localappdata%\Icarus\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\ServerSettings.ini

If you start the server with -UserDir= pointing somewhere else, the Saved folder (and this file) moves there. On hosted servers it is usually under Icarus/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/ in the file manager. Prospect saves live next to it in Saved/PlayerData/DedicatedServer/Prospects/.

Stop the server before editing. Icarus can write its own values back to the file, for example LastProspectName, and a running server may overwrite your changes.

What does the default file look like?

This is the template from RocketWerkz's official dedicated server repository:

[/Script/Icarus.DedicatedServerSettings]
SessionName=
JoinPassword=
MaxPlayers=
AdminPassword=
ShutdownIfNotJoinedFor=300.000000
ShutdownIfEmptyFor=300.000000
AllowNonAdminsToLaunchProspects=True
AllowNonAdminsToDeleteProspects=False
LoadProspect=
CreateProspect=
ResumeProspect=True
LastProspectName=

Every key has to stay under that header line. A key placed above it, or under a misspelled header, is silently ignored.

What does each key do?

Why is AdminPassword the most important setting?

If AdminPassword is empty, the official docs say a player typing /AdminLogin with no password gets admin rights. On any server that is not completely private, that means anyone who knows the command can kick your friends, return everyone to the lobby or ban players. Set it first:

AdminPassword=SomethingLongAndPrivate

Then, in game, type this in chat:

/AdminLogin SomethingLongAndPrivate

Once logged in, admins have these commands from RocketWerkz's RCON command list:

How do the shutdown timers work?

These two keys confuse more people than anything else in the file. Icarus does not really "shut down" when they run out. It saves, leaves the prospect and goes back to the lobby, which pauses the world.

• ShutdownIfNotJoinedFor=300 means: if a prospect loads and nobody joins within 5 minutes, return to the lobby.
• ShutdownIfEmptyFor=300 means: once the last player leaves, wait 5 minutes, then return to the lobby.

A negative value turns the timer off, so the prospect keeps running with nobody on:

ShutdownIfNotJoinedFor=-1
ShutdownIfEmptyFor=-1

Which should you pick?

If players keep landing in the lobby after a restart, check ResumeProspect=True and that LastProspectName matches a prospect that still exists.

How do you load or create a prospect at startup?

Three keys decide what the server runs after it starts:

1. CreateProspect makes a new prospect and launches it.
2. LoadProspect loads a saved prospect by name.
3. ResumeProspect=True reloads whatever ran last.

CreateProspect takes four values: the prospect type, difficulty from 1 (easy) to 4 (extreme), a hardcore flag (True disables respawns) and a save name. The official example creates the tutorial prospect on hard:

CreateProspect=Tier1_Forest_Recon_0 3 false TestProspect01

Clear CreateProspect after the first boot. If you leave it set, the server can try to create the prospect again on the next start. For most groups the simpler route is to leave both CreateProspect and LoadProspect empty, start the server, join, pick an open world prospect from the lobby in game, and let ResumeProspect bring it back after every restart.

AllowNonAdminsToLaunchProspects=True is fine for a trusted friend group. On a public or semi public server, set it to False so only admins can switch the world, and keep AllowNonAdminsToDeleteProspects=False.

Which launch options sit alongside the file?

Some settings are command line only:

A full walk through of installing and running the server is in our Icarus dedicated server guide.

What does a good friend group config look like?

[/Script/Icarus.DedicatedServerSettings]
SessionName=
JoinPassword=crewonly
MaxPlayers=8
AdminPassword=SomethingLongAndPrivate
ShutdownIfNotJoinedFor=-1
ShutdownIfEmptyFor=-1
AllowNonAdminsToLaunchProspects=False
AllowNonAdminsToDeleteProspects=False
LoadProspect=
CreateProspect=
ResumeProspect=True
LastProspectName=

That keeps an open world outpost running for whoever logs in, behind a password, with only admins able to change or delete the world.

FAQ

How many players can an Icarus dedicated server have?

Eight. MaxPlayers accepts 1 to 8, and an empty value uses the game default of 8.

Why does my Icarus server keep going back to the lobby?

The shutdown timers. By default the server returns to the lobby 300 seconds after the last player leaves, or if nobody joins a loaded prospect in that time. Set ShutdownIfEmptyFor and ShutdownIfNotJoinedFor to -1 to keep it running.

Why does SessionName not change my server name?

RocketWerkz's documentation says SessionName currently does nothing. Set the name with the -SteamServerName= launch option instead.

How do I become admin on an Icarus server?

Set AdminPassword in ServerSettings.ini, restart, then type /AdminLogin followed by the password in chat.

Where are Icarus dedicated server prospects saved?

In Saved/PlayerData/DedicatedServer/Prospects/. Back up that folder before game updates or before deleting anything from the lobby.

The easy option

Our Icarus servers set the server name, query port and auto updates in the panel and give you ServerSettings.ini in the file manager, so the password, admin password and shutdown timers are a quick edit and a restart. Backups run before game updates, which matters when a prospect holds months of your crew's work.