ICARUS Dedicated Server Performance Tuning

ICARUS Dedicated Server Performance Tuning

ICARUS dedicated servers are not as resource-intensive as some other survival games, but proper tuning helps ensure a smooth experience for all players.

Hardware Requirements

ICARUS dedicated servers are relatively lightweight compared to games like ARK or Valheim, but RAM usage increases with the number of active players and the complexity of the loaded prospect.

Player Count and Performance

ICARUS has a hard cap of 8 players per prospect session. Even at the maximum, the server should perform well on the recommended hardware.

However, if you experience lag with fewer players:

1. Check RAM usage — ensure the server has at least 4 GB available (not just allocated)
2. Check CPU usage — high CPU may indicate the server is running on a single-core plan
3. Check your network — confirm upload bandwidth is sufficient for active players

Reducing Auto-Shutdown Overhead

If ShutdownIfNotJoinedFor is set to a non-zero value, the server spends cycles monitoring player counts. On low-resource servers, setting this to 0 and letting the server run continuously is actually more efficient than repeated stop/start cycles:

ShutdownIfNotJoinedFor=0

Launch Flags for Performance

Use the -log flag to get console output for monitoring. Do not use unnecessary launch flags that add overhead.

The full recommended launch command:

wine64 IcarusServer-Win64-Shipping.exe -SteamServerName="My ICARUS Server" -log

Avoid adding debug flags like -debug or -verbose in production — they increase log output and can marginally impact performance.

Storage: Use SSD Where Possible

ICARUS loads prospect saves (.json files) on startup and saves periodically during play. An SSD significantly reduces load times and save lag compared to a traditional HDD, especially during prospect transitions.

Network Optimization

ICARUS uses UDP for game traffic (port 17777). Ensure your network does not have rate limiting or QoS rules that deprioritize UDP traffic, which can cause intermittent lag spikes.

If players report high latency despite the server having good specs:

• Verify the server region is close to your player base
• Check for packet loss using ping or mtr to the server IP
• Confirm UDP 17777 is not being throttled by your ISP or hosting provider

Wine Performance on Linux

Since ICARUS runs under Wine on Linux, Wine configuration can affect performance:

• Use Wine 7.0+ or Proton for best compatibility
• Ensure wine64 is up to date: wine --version
• Wine itself adds a small overhead; if performance is critical, a Windows server environment eliminates this overhead

DustBowl.Games' WISP panel manages Wine configuration automatically, so no manual tuning is needed for servers hosted with us.

Monitoring Server Health

Check the server log file at Icarus\Saved\Logs\ for performance warnings or errors. The log is also accessible via the -log flag in the server console.

Related

• ICARUS Dedicated Server Troubleshooting Guide
• ICARUS Dedicated Server Port Forwarding
• Host an ICARUS server with DustBowl.Games