Windrose Server Settings and Admin Commands (2026)

Windrose server settings live in two JSON files: ServerDescription.json for the server itself (name, password, invite code, player cap and connection mode) and one WorldDescription.json per world for the difficulty preset and the custom world parameters. There are no admin commands: the developer's dedicated server guide documents none and no patch notes up to 0.10.0.9 mention any, so everything you control as a server owner is in these two files, edited while the server is stopped.

This page is the reference for both files, based on that guide (last updated 18 May 2026 for game version 0.10.0.5.120) and the patch notes published since. Installing for the first time? The Windrose dedicated server setup guide walks you through it.

Where the files are

The server creates both on its first start, so start and stop it once before you edit. Three rules from the guide: edit only while the server is shut down, expect the server to correct some fields itself if it detects a problem, and keep in mind that the world parameter list and its value ranges may change in later builds.

ServerDescription.json fields

Here is the guide's example file with a custom code, password and name filled in. Your IDs, DeploymentId and P2pProxyAddress will differ: keep the values your own server generated, and leave the Version and DeploymentId keys at the top as they are.

{
  "Version": 1,
  "DeploymentId": "0.10.0.0.251-master-9f800c33",
  "ServerDescription_Persistent": {
    "PersistentServerId": "1B80182E460F727CEA080C8EEBB1EA0A",
    "InviteCode": "KestrelCrew",
    "IsPasswordProtected": true,
    "Password": "SaltyDog7",
    "ServerName": "Kestrel crew",
    "WorldIslandId": "DB57768A8A7746899683D0EEE91F97BF",
    "MaxPlayerCount": 4,
    "UserSelectedRegion": "EU",
    "P2pProxyAddress": "192.168.31.49",
    "UseDirectConnection": false,
    "DirectConnectionServerAddress": "",
    "DirectConnectionServerPort": 7777,
    "DirectConnectionProxyAddress": "0.0.0.0",
    "AutoLoadLatestBackupIfHasBroken": true,
    "CanLaunchMultipleServerInstances": false
  }
}

To switch to direct connection, change two values:

"UseDirectConnection": true,
"DirectConnectionServerPort": 7777,

With direct connection on, invite codes stop working and players join with the server's IP and port, so that port has to be reachable for TCP and UDP. The beginner guide compares the two modes and covers port forwarding.

WorldDescription.json fields

You can keep as many worlds as you like. The server loads the one named in WorldIslandId, so switching worlds means changing that field and restarting. Do not rename world folders: the save database relies on those IDs.

World parameters and preset values

These are the parameters the guide lists. Each JSON key is the tag WDS.Parameter. followed by the name in the first column. Medium is the default; the Easy and Hard columns come from the guide's preset examples.

In the file, the parameters sit under WorldSettings in three groups. This example keeps Medium values but lets enemies hit a little softer:

"WorldSettings": {
  "BoolParameters": {
    "{\"TagName\": \"WDS.Parameter.Coop.SharedQuests\"}": true,
    "{\"TagName\": \"WDS.Parameter.EasyExplore\"}": false
  },
  "FloatParameters": {
    "{\"TagName\": \"WDS.Parameter.MobHealthMultiplier\"}": 1,
    "{\"TagName\": \"WDS.Parameter.MobDamageMultiplier\"}": 0.8,
    "{\"TagName\": \"WDS.Parameter.ShipsHealthMultiplier\"}": 1,
    "{\"TagName\": \"WDS.Parameter.ShipsDamageMultiplier\"}": 1,
    "{\"TagName\": \"WDS.Parameter.BoardingDifficultyMultiplier\"}": 1,
    "{\"TagName\": \"WDS.Parameter.Coop.StatsCorrectionModifier\"}": 1,
    "{\"TagName\": \"WDS.Parameter.Coop.ShipStatsCorrectionModifier\"}": 0
  },
  "TagParameters": {
    "{\"TagName\": \"WDS.Parameter.CombatDifficulty\"}": {
      "TagName": "WDS.Parameter.CombatDifficulty.Normal"
    }
  }
}

Because one value no longer matches a preset, the guide's rule applies: the world shows as Custom after the next launch. The guide's own tip for custom worlds is to build the preset in the game first, then copy the resulting values into the server file.

Not in the list: a PvP switch, day length, resource respawn, loot or XP rates. Windrose is sold as a PvE game (its Steam page opens with "Embark on a PvE survival adventure"), and the guide documents no other world settings.

Applying world changes

1. Stop the server.
2. Edit the WorldDescription.json of the world you want to change, inside R5\Saved\SaveProfiles\Default\RocksDB_v2\.
3. Open Command Prompt in the server's root folder, where R5WorldDescriptionUpdater.exe sits.
4. Run the updater with the path to that world file. The guide's example:

R5WorldDescriptionUpdater.exe R5\Saved\SaveProfiles\Default\RocksDB_v2\0.10.0\Worlds\796AE3C6113C451DE5BD791D70E4A52B\WorldDescription.json

5. Start the server again.

The guide lists the updater as a required step, so do not skip it. Until patch 0.10.0.6 of 18 May 2026 a bug prevented dedicated server owners from changing these settings, so advice from April may be out of date. The updater is a Windows .exe, and the guide does not describe an equivalent for the Docker image.

Admin commands: what you can do instead

The developer documents no console or chat commands for server owners, and lists of /kick, /ban, /tp or /give commands that circulate for Windrose do not come from its documentation. This is what you do have:

• Lock the server: set a password, and change it (plus the invite code) with the server stopped when someone should no longer get in.
• Cap the crew: MaxPlayerCount.
• Tune the challenge: the world parameters above.
• Switch worlds: point WorldIslandId at another world ID and restart.
• Protect the saves: keep AutoLoadLatestBackupIfHasBroken on and make your own backups.

Saves and backups

A dedicated server only stores world data. According to the guide, player character data is not saved on the server, so a server backup covers the world, not your crew's characters.

Since patch 0.10.0.5.120 the game backs up its data on its own; the patch notes say every 10 minutes of gameplay and on exit. With AutoLoadLatestBackupIfHasBroken set to true, the server tries to restore from those backups when it finds a broken save at launch.

Those backups sit on the same disk as the world, so keep copies of your own:

1. Stop the server.
2. Copy the whole R5\Saved\SaveProfiles folder to another drive or machine. The developer recommends backing up the entire folder.
3. Put the date in the name of each copy and keep a few generations.

Moving saves over FTP? The official FAQ reports saves getting corrupted when transferred with FileZilla and suggests trying another FTP client.

To restore, stop the server, put the copied folders back and start it. If the server then generates a new world, WorldIslandId does not match the world folder. If the ID is right and it still builds a new world, the FAQ says some save data may be corrupted, and its recovery steps for dedicated servers apply.

Updates and version matching

The server and the game must run the same version, or players may not be able to join at all. Update the server after every game patch: rerun app_update 4129620 validate in SteamCMD or, if you copied the server from the game files, move your old R5\Saved folder into the new WindroseServer folder. Back up before each update.

The 0.10.0.5.120 update moved saves to a new format. According to the FAQ, the migration normally happens on the first launch after updating, and the pre-update saves stay in RocksDB. Patches after the guide's game version:

• 0.10.0.6 (18 May 2026) fixed world settings on dedicated servers, blocked multiple instances on one PC and added SaveWorkflow.md to the server folder.
• 0.10.0.7 (25 June 2026) added Docker images with Linux server support.
• 0.10.0.8 (8 July 2026) and 0.10.0.9 (25 August 2026) fixed ship combat bugs. Their notes mention no changes to the config files.

Next up is Ashlands, the first major update. Its release window was shown in a trailer at the Triple-i Initiative on 8 October 2026, and the official posts give no date in writing. Plan a backup and a server update for the day it lands.

Hosting it with us

On our Windrose servers both files are in the panel's file manager and reachable over FTP, so you edit them the same way, with the server stopped. The Windows server build runs under Wine on our Linux nodes, set up for you. World changes still need the updater step from the guide; if you cannot run it from the panel, ask our support. Every plan includes two backups and DDoS protection. Brigantine (8 GB, €10.20 a month) fits the developer's 2-player figure and Galleon (16 GB, €20.50) covers 3 to 10 players. See the Windrose server plans.

FAQ

Does Windrose have admin commands? None that the developer documents. Its dedicated server guide lists no commands, and no patch notes up to 0.10.0.9 add any. You manage the server through ServerDescription.json and WorldDescription.json.

Is there a PvP setting for a Windrose server? No. Windrose is a PvE game and neither config file has a PvP option. The world parameters cover enemies, enemy ships, boarding, co-op scaling and map markers.

Why does my Windrose server create a new world? WorldIslandId in ServerDescription.json does not match any world folder, so the server makes a fresh one. Set it to the exact folder name of your world and restart. If the ID is right, the save may be damaged; follow the recovery steps in the official FAQ.

Why don't my WorldDescription.json changes show up? Edit the file with the server stopped, then run R5WorldDescriptionUpdater.exe with the path to the world file before you start the server again. On builds before 0.10.0.6 a bug blocked these changes on dedicated servers.

How do I change the maximum number of players? Set MaxPlayerCount in ServerDescription.json with the server stopped. The developer recommends groups of up to 4 for the best experience and lists 16 GB of RAM for 10 players.

Related guides: Windrose server hosting: setup, ports and costs, Windrose dedicated server setup with SteamCMD and Game server security, DDoS protection and backups