SCUM is known for hardcore human metabolism simulation, complex firearm maintenance, and exploration of vast uninhabited areas. As Dedicated Server support expands rule customization, self-hosting lets a group tailor zombie counts, airdrop frequency, loot multipliers, and death drop penalties to its preferences. This article covers standard installation and configuration tuning for a SCUM server.
1. Server hardware baseline
| Specification | 4~8-player survival group | 20~40-player tribal PvP server |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 4 cores / 3.4GHz+ | 8~16 cores / 3.8GHz+ with high single-core performance |
| Memory (RAM) | 16 GB physical RAM | At least 32 GB physical RAM |
| Storage | 50 GB NVMe SSD | 120 GB NVMe SSD |
| Upload bandwidth | 15 Mbps dedicated | 50 Mbps dedicated |
2. Install the dedicated server with SteamCMD
Download the dedicated server anonymously through SteamCMD (AppID 3792580):
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 3792580 validate +quit
After the download, the main executable is:
SCUM/Binaries/Win64/SCUMServer.exe
3. Network port planning
| Default port | Protocol | Purpose | Router forwarding |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7777 | UDP | Main direct client data connection (GamePort) | Required |
| 27015 | UDP | Steam queries and lobby listings (QueryPort) | Required |
Example startup script (start_server.bat):
@echo off
set SERVER_DIR=C:\SCUMServer\SCUM\Binaries\Win64
cd /d "%SERVER_DIR%"
start SCUMServer.exe -log -Port=7777 -QueryPort=27015 -MaxPlayers=20
4. Tune key ServerSettings.ini settings
The configuration file is located at:
SCUM/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/ServerSettings.ini
[General]
ServerName=LanGame SCUM Dedicated
ServerPassword=your_secure_password
ServerAdminPassword=your_admin_password
MaxPlayers=20
[World]
; Loot drop multiplier (default 1.0; 1.5~2.0 recommended for groups to reduce unproductive downtime)
SpawnerProbabilityMultiplier=1.5
ExamineSpawnerProbabilityMultiplier=1.5
; Zombie counts and strength
MaxAllowedZombiesInWorld=64
MaxAllowedWildPawnsInWorld=32
; Airdrop supply crate interval (minutes)
AirdropFrequency=60
; Vehicle spawn limit
MaxAllowedVehiclesInWorld=32
5. Administrator permissions: ServerSettingsAdminUsers.ini
Enter the administrator's 64-bit SteamID in ServerSettingsAdminUsers.ini alongside the configuration file:
[AdminUsers]
76561198000000000
Administrators can press T in-game to enter commands beginning with # (such as #SpawnItem <item name>, #Teleport, and #ListPlayers).
6. Choose an approach: manual configuration or LanGame Server Manager (LGSM)
Manual SCUM maintenance involves many INI fields, and complex metabolism calculations can cause memory to accumulate over time.
We recommend the official open-source dedicated server management platform to automate routine administration:
- Tool overview and client: LanGame Server Manager (LGSM) product page
- Open-source repository: GitHub - SZSLGJCOM/LanGame-Server-Manager
LGSM provides:
- Visual metabolism and loot panel: Adjust zombie spawn density, vehicle limits, and loot multipliers graphically.
- Multiple-port connectivity checks: Validates 7777 and 27015 automatically to prevent disappearing from lobbies.
- Live database backups: Archives character metabolism and vehicle/building saves (
SCUM.db) automatically, with one-click restoration. - Self-healing supervision: Monitors process health in the background and restarts smoothly after unexpected hangs or crashes.