中文
Back Server setup guides
Unturned server hosting10 min

Unturned Dedicated Server Setup and Complete Commands.dat Configuration Guide

Deploy an Unturned dedicated server: SteamCMD 1110390, UDP 27015~27017 forwarding, Commands.dat startup commands and maps, automatic Workshop downloads, and open-source LGSM management.

Unturned is a voxel-style zombie survival game with low resource use and extensive freedom. Its very low server hardware requirements and customizable weapons, vehicles, and large maps (such as PEI, Washington, and Russia) make self-hosted servers a classic choice for dormitories and groups of friends. This article covers deployment and key settings for its dedicated server.

1. Server hardware baseline (excellent support for low-spec hosts)

Specification 4~8-player cooperative group Public PvP server with 24+ players
CPU 2 cores / 2.5GHz+ 4 cores / 3.2GHz+
Memory (RAM) 4 GB physical RAM is enough for smooth operation 8 GB ~ 12 GB physical RAM
Storage 10 GB regular hard drive/SSD 25 GB SSD
Upload bandwidth 5 Mbps dedicated 20 Mbps dedicated

2. Install the dedicated server with SteamCMD

Download the dedicated server anonymously through SteamCMD (AppID 1110390):

Shell
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 1110390 validate +quit

After the download, the main executable is in the root directory: Unturned.exe.

3. Network port planning (watch the offsets)

Unturned uses three consecutive ports. If the configured base port is 27015, communication also occupies adjacent ports:

Port Protocol Purpose Router forwarding
27015 UDP Steam queries and lobby listings (QueryPort, base port) Required
27016 UDP Main direct client connection (BasePort + 1) Required
27017 UDP Internal fallback communication and pipeline (BasePort + 2) Recommended

4. Startup script and key Commands.dat commands

On first startup, use a command with an instance identifier:

Batch
@echo off
Unturned.exe -batchmode -nographics +secureserver/LanGameServer

After running, close the server and locate its command configuration at: Servers/LanGameServer/Server/Commands.dat

Edit the file, entering one control command per line:

Config
Name LanGame Unturned Survival
Port 27015
Password your_secure_password
MaxPlayers 16
Map Russia
Perspective Both
Mode Normal
Cheats Off
Cycle 1200
Timeout 10000

Common official map commands:

  • Map PEI (classic Prince Edward Island, a compact beginner map)
  • Map Washington (Washington, a medium-sized PVE/PVP map)
  • Map Russia (a vast Russian map with radiation zones and large military bases)
  • Map Germany (Germany, with an extensive underground tunnel network)

5. Choose an approach: manual configuration or LanGame Server Manager (LGSM)

Each new manually configured Unturned instance requires creating Servers/<ID> and managing the three-port offset forwarding rules.

We recommend the official open-source dedicated server management platform to automate routine administration:

LGSM provides:

  1. One-click instance cloning and start/stop: Easily create independent map instances, such as casual PEI and hardcore Russia servers running together.
  2. Visual Commands.dat forms: Switch maps and modes graphically, avoiding spacing errors from editing plain text directly.
  3. Automatic Workshop mod mapping: Maintains WorkshopDownloadConfig.json visually and downloads custom weapons and skins automatically.
  4. Self-healing watchdog: Monitors game process health in the background and restarts smoothly after unexpected crashes.