How to set up a Space Engineers server from scratch

What you need first

• An active Space Engineers plan on Fatality Servers. See our Space Engineers hosting plans.
• A Steam copy of Space Engineers for each player.
• Enough RAM — SE is a voxel-physics-heavy Unity-ish sim on Keen's VRAGE engine. 6 GB minimum for 4 players on a small flat world, 12-16 GB for 8-16 players with populated bases, 24+ GB for large-mod servers with many star systems.
• A basic SFTP client (FileZilla, WinSCP). Configs are XML.
• Your Steam64 ID — required to set yourself as admin. Find at steamid.io.

Deploy the server (1-click)

Our Space Engineers template runs SteamCMD to pull the dedicated server (App ID 298740), generates a default "Star System" world, writes starter configs, and opens UDP 27016 (game) + UDP 8766 (Steam) on your plan's IP.

1. Pick the SE template at checkout

   On the Space Engineers hosting page, pick a plan. Starter fits 4-8 players on a simple world; Community 12-16 with mods and multiple planets; Flagship for large modded RP or PvP servers.

2. Pick world template

   Wizard offers: Star System (default), Empty World, Learn To Survive, Crashed Red Ship, or "I'll upload my own". Pick and continue.

3. Wait for SteamCMD

   Server binary is ~2 GB. First install takes 3-5 minutes.

4. Confirm the server is listening

   2026-04-18 12:34:56.789 - Thread:   1 ->  Game ready... (Simulation)
   2026-04-18 12:34:56.891 - Thread:   1 ->  Server started: 0.0.0.0:27016
   2026-04-18 12:34:57.012 - Thread:   1 ->  Steam.API.SetGameDescription: Space Engineers
   2026-04-18 12:34:57.120 - Thread:   1 ->  Server name: My SE Server - Star System
   2026-04-18 12:34:57.200 - Thread:   1 ->  Public: True, Dedicated: True

File layout & where things go

/server-root/
├── DedicatedServer64/
│   ├── SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe (Windows)
│   ├── Content/                         — game assets (don't touch)
│   └── ...
├── Instance/                            — your server's data dir
│   ├── SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg    — main server config
│   ├── Saves/
│   │   └── <WorldName>/                — your actual world save
│   │       ├── Sandbox.sbc              — per-world state
│   │       ├── Sandbox_config.sbc       — per-world settings
│   │       ├── SANDBOX_0_0_0_.sbs       — the 3D world data
│   │       └── <other .sbs / .sbb>
│   ├── Mods/                            — Workshop mods (auto-downloaded)
│   └── Storage/                         — plugin data
└── Torch/                               — (if installed) Torch framework
    ├── Torch.Server.exe / TorchServer
    ├── Plugins/                         — Torch plugins
    └── Torch.cfg

Core SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg

Edit Instance/SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg. It's XML. Key values:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<MyConfigDedicated xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
                   xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">

  <SessionSettings>
    <GameMode>Survival</GameMode>
    <InventorySizeMultiplier>3</InventorySizeMultiplier>
    <AssemblerSpeedMultiplier>3</AssemblerSpeedMultiplier>
    <AssemblerEfficiencyMultiplier>3</AssemblerEfficiencyMultiplier>
    <RefinerySpeedMultiplier>3</RefinerySpeedMultiplier>
    <OnlineMode>PUBLIC</OnlineMode>   <!-- PUBLIC / FRIENDS / PRIVATE / OFFLINE -->
    <MaxPlayers>16</MaxPlayers>
    <MaxFloatingObjects>256</MaxFloatingObjects>
    <MaxGridSize>0</MaxGridSize>
    <MaxBlocksPerPlayer>100000</MaxBlocksPerPlayer>
    <TotalPCU>500000</TotalPCU>
    <EnablePCU>true</EnablePCU>
    <EnableBlockLimits>true</EnableBlockLimits>
    <EnableRemoteBlockRemoval>true</EnableRemoteBlockRemoval>

    <EnableCopyPaste>true</EnableCopyPaste>
    <EnableSpectator>false</EnableSpectator>
    <EnableCyberhounds>true</EnableCyberhounds>
    <EnableSpiders>true</EnableSpiders>
    <EnableWolfs>true</EnableWolfs>
    <EnableTurretsFriendlyFire>false</EnableTurretsFriendlyFire>
    <EnableSunRotation>true</EnableSunRotation>
    <EnableJetpack>true</EnableJetpack>

    <WeaponsEnabled>true</WeaponsEnabled>
    <ShowPlayerNamesOnHud>true</ShowPlayerNamesOnHud>
    <ThrusterDamage>true</ThrusterDamage>
    <CargoShipsEnabled>true</CargoShipsEnabled>
    <EnableEncounters>true</EnableEncounters>

    <AutoSaveInMinutes>5</AutoSaveInMinutes>
    <AutoHealing>true</AutoHealing>
    <DestructibleBlocks>true</DestructibleBlocks>
    <RealisticSound>false</RealisticSound>

    <PhysicsIterations>8</PhysicsIterations>
    <SyncDistance>3000</SyncDistance>
    <ViewDistance>15000</ViewDistance>
  </SessionSettings>

  <Mods>
    <ModItem>
      <Name>1521905890.sbm</Name>
      <PublishedFileId>1521905890</PublishedFileId>
      <FriendlyName>Build Info</FriendlyName>
    </ModItem>
  </Mods>

  <Administrators>
    <string>76561198012345678</string>
  </Administrators>
  <Moderators/>
  <Banned/>

  <ServerPort>27016</ServerPort>
  <SteamPort>8766</SteamPort>
  <ServerName>My SE Server [EU] - Star System</ServerName>
  <WorldName>MyWorld</WorldName>
  <PauseGameWhenEmpty>false</PauseGameWhenEmpty>

  <RemoteApiEnabled>true</RemoteApiEnabled>
  <RemoteSecurityKey>GENERATE-A-RANDOM-KEY</RemoteSecurityKey>
  <RemoteApiPort>8080</RemoteApiPort>

  <PremiumAnnouncement>false</PremiumAnnouncement>
  <ServerDescription>3x rates, PvE, active admins. Discord: ...</ServerDescription>
  <ServerPasswordHash/>
  <ServerPasswordSalt/>
  <IgnoreLastSession>false</IgnoreLastSession>
  <IsWorkshopMode>false</IsWorkshopMode>

</MyConfigDedicated>

Values to know:

• ServerName — server browser name. 64 chars.
• MaxPlayers — slot count. Realistic max is 16-32 per instance; PvP performance degrades past that.
• OnlineMode — PUBLIC to list, PRIVATE / FRIENDS to hide. Use ServerPasswordHash for a password instead of hiding.
• GameMode — Creative or Survival. Survival is the meat.
• InventorySizeMultiplier, AssemblerSpeedMultiplier, RefinerySpeedMultiplier — the three most-tweaked rate multipliers. 3x is a popular "boosted" setting.
• SyncDistance / ViewDistance — ranges for entity sync and culling. Higher = more content visible + more network/CPU load.
• PauseGameWhenEmpty — true saves massive CPU on small plans; means ships/refineries don't run overnight.
• RemoteApiEnabled + RemoteSecurityKey — enables the VRage Remote API over HTTP for admin tools like the Torch web console.

World settings — Sandbox_config.sbc

Everything in <SessionSettings> above is also mirrored into Saves/<WorldName>/Sandbox_config.sbc. For a running world, the Sandbox file is what actually applies — the dedicated.cfg is used for new worlds.

To change settings on an existing save, edit BOTH files (or use in-game admin tools).

Torch — why you should install it

Torch is a community-maintained wrapper around the SE dedicated server. It adds:

• A proper web admin UI with chat, player list, grid browser, plugin manager
• A plugin system (SourceMod-style) for adding server features
• Scheduled tasks (daily restart, auto-saves, announcements)
• Live profiling: which grids, which scripts, which players are eating sim speed
• Concealment — unloads distant grids to save CPU, auto-reloads when players approach

For any server you care about performance on, Torch is essentially mandatory. Vanilla SE dedicated has none of the above.

Install Torch

1. Download the latest Torch release

   From torchapi.com or github.com/TorchAPI/Torch/releases. Match your server's SE version (Torch releases lag a couple of weeks behind SE patches).

2. Extract into the server root

   Torch ships as a ZIP containing Torch.Server.exe and its own DLLs. Drop it one level above the DedicatedServer64 folder.

3. Swap the startup command

   Stop launching SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe. Instead launch Torch.Server.exe -autostart. Our panel has a one-click "Enable Torch" toggle that handles this.

4. Install recommended plugins

   In the Torch web UI → Plugin Manager, install:

   • Essentials — /help, /tp, /homes, basic QoL commands
   • Concealment — auto-unload distant grids to save CPU
   • AutoModerator — automatic enforcement of PCU / block limits
   • BlockLimiter — per-block / per-subtype limits
   • WarheadManager — prevents abusive warhead spam

Installing Workshop mods & scenarios

SE mods live on the Steam Workshop (browse). The dedicated server auto-downloads mods listed in <Mods>.

1. Find the Workshop ID

   Workshop page URL ends with ?id=1521905890. That number is the PublishedFileId.

2. Add to the config's <Mods> section

   <Mods>
     <ModItem>
       <Name>1521905890.sbm</Name>
       <PublishedFileId>1521905890</PublishedFileId>
       <FriendlyName>Build Info</FriendlyName>
     </ModItem>
     <ModItem>
       <Name>1628037628.sbm</Name>
       <PublishedFileId>1628037628</PublishedFileId>
       <FriendlyName>Nanite Control Factory</FriendlyName>
     </ModItem>
   </Mods>

   Our panel has a Mods tab that manages this for you — paste Workshop IDs, it rebuilds the XML.

3. Also add the same mod list to the world

   Edit Saves/<WorldName>/Sandbox.sbc — find its <Mods> section and mirror the list. Otherwise the new mod won't take effect in an existing world.

4. Restart

   SteamCMD downloads missing mods on boot. Log shows Mod 'Build Info' (1521905890) downloaded.

Popular must-have mods

• Build Info — show block info (mass, power, cargo) on hover in build mode
• Text HUD API — dependency for many other mods
• Paint Gun — more granular painting than vanilla
• Nanite Control Factory — automated construction / repair drones
• AQD - Armor Ramps, AQD - Block Pack — hundreds of new cosmetic blocks
• Defense Shields — force-field shields for combat servers
• Easy Inventory — prefab loadouts for quick restocks
• Concealment (Torch plugin, not Workshop mod) — essential for perf

Scenarios

Scenarios are curated start states (e.g. "Frostbite", "Never Surrender", "Marek's Return"). Ship as Workshop items just like mods. Set IsWorkshopMode = true and WorkshopId to the scenario ID in the dedicated.cfg. Server generates a new world from the scenario on first boot.

Admins & moderators

Grant admin by adding Steam64 IDs to <Administrators> in SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg:

<Administrators>
  <string>76561198012345678</string>
  <string>76561199876543210</string>
</Administrators>
<Moderators>
  <string>76561198098765432</string>
</Moderators>

Admins have full control (F10 spawn menu, Space Master tools, spectator fly, ban). Moderators can kick/ban but not spawn ships.

In-game admin tools

• F10 — Space Master (spawn menu, teleport, fly spectator)
• Alt+F10 — admin menu (per-player control, permissions)
• ~ (console) — chat commands: /kick, /ban, /tpp, /save
• K menu → Build tools — cut/copy/paste grids (admins only in survival)

Torch admin UI

With Torch + Essentials plugin, admins also have access to a web console at http://YOUR-SERVER-IP:<torch-port>. Same commands via chat work there, plus grid inspection, cleanup wizards, and plugin management.

PCU, blocks-per-player, sim speed

PCU (Performance Cost Units) is Keen's budget system for capping how many "expensive" blocks a player can place. Different blocks have different PCU costs: a large thruster is 45 PCU, a refinery 150, a gyro 100.

Relevant settings:

• TotalPCU — total server-wide budget. Default 500000; bump to 1-2M for large-mod servers.
• EnablePCU — turns the system on/off. Off = unlimited (don't run off on public servers; one player will grief the sim).
• MaxBlocksPerPlayer — hard cap on raw block count per player, independent of PCU. 100000 is common.
• EnableBlockLimits — whether per-block-subtype limits from BlockLimiter plugin apply.

Sim speed (SS)

SE's single most-important number. 1.0 = real-time. Below 1.0 = everyone feels slow motion, physics break, grids drift. Target > 0.95 always. Below 0.5 is unplayable.

Monitor sim speed via:

• In-game: F3 shows server sim speed in top-right
• Torch web UI: real-time graph + which grid is eating most CPU
• Chat command (Essentials plugin): !ss

Common sim speed killers:

1. Unconcealed abandoned grids — install Torch Concealment plugin
2. Voxel physics on huge asteroid bases — limit Max Voxel Age via AutoModerator
3. Programmable block scripts with tight loops — blacklist specific known-bad scripts
4. Rotor / piston lag from janky ships — limit via BlockLimiter

Connect and test

1. Launch Space Engineers on your PC

   Main menu → Join Game.

2. Find your server

   Filter by name. With OnlineMode = PUBLIC, shows up within 2-5 minutes.

3. Or use direct connect

   Bottom-left: Connect to IP → YOUR-SERVER-IP:27016.

4. Verify admin tools

   Press F10. If the Space Master menu opens, your Steam64 is in <Administrators>. If not, reload perms or restart the server after adding.

Common errors and fixes

Server doesn't appear in browser

• OnlineMode is not PUBLIC — flip it
• UDP 27016 or 8766 blocked — check panel firewall
• Wait 2-5 minutes for master-list indexing
• Direct-connect by IP first to confirm the server is reachable at all

"Connection failed: Could not connect" in the launcher

• Wrong port — SE defaults to 27016, not 27015
• Server still loading — boot time on modded worlds is 3-8 minutes before accepting connections
• Mod mismatch — if the world uses Workshop mods and the client can't reach Workshop, join fails silently. Have the player log in to Steam and retry.

Mods not downloading

• SteamCMD path issue — check server logs for Workshop download failed
• Mod is private / deleted from Workshop — replace with a different mod
• Mod list in Sandbox.sbc doesn't match SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg — sync both

Sim speed drops below 0.5

1. Install Torch + Concealment plugin if you haven't
2. Open Torch web UI → Performance tab → identify the top-3 heaviest grids
3. Either delete them, or contact the owner to reduce block count
4. If it's mod-related (check "Top scripts" in Essentials plugin): disable the offending mod
5. If it's unavoidable due to player base size: upgrade plan to a higher-clock CPU

Server crashes on world load

• Out of memory — check RAM usage, upgrade if hitting cap
• Corrupt save — rollback from the panel's backup tab (daily snapshots + 30-day retention)
• Mod incompatibility after SE update — try disabling mods one at a time
• Check Instance/Saves/<World>/<timestamp>.log for the exact exception

"Session world is corrupted" on boot

• Autosave interrupted mid-write — SE's save is non-atomic, a disk-full or sudden crash mid-save corrupts the .sbs
• Rollback to the last clean backup
• Mitigation: lower AutoSaveInMinutes to 5; we also run rolling filesystem snapshots outside of SE's own save

Players see "grids frozen in space"

Torch Concealment is working as intended — grid is unloaded for CPU savings. When a player gets within proximity, the grid auto-reloads and resumes. If this is causing complaints, widen the concealment radius or exclude specific grids (active factories) from concealment.

PCU cap hit / players can't place new blocks

• Per-player PCU maxed out — admin can raise via EnableBlockLimits config or BlockLimiter plugin tweaks
• Total server PCU maxed out — raise TotalPCU or do a cleanup pass on abandoned grids
• Player grief by placing huge battery banks to hoard PCU — use AutoModerator plugin to catch these

Torch doesn't start after SE update

Torch lags SE releases by days/weeks. Options:

• Roll back SE server to the previous version via SteamCMD -beta 1_XXX_XXX until Torch updates
• Wait for the Torch release that supports the new SE build
• In the meantime, run vanilla SE dedicated — slower but functional

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Stuck on something specific? Email support with your server IP, the last 200 lines of the SE or Torch log, and your SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg — we'll usually have an answer within the hour.