Before you start
This guide covers the Windows dedicated-server path in Tavern. World progress lives on the server, while character progression is stored on players' clients.
Keep everyone's game version aligned with the server. Review Keen Games' current server guidance for your group size and leave headroom on the host PC. Have players preserve their character saves separately from the server world backup.
Use a Windows 10 or 11 x64 PC. Keep it on, awake, and connected while friends play, with enough memory left for Windows and your own game.
New to Tavern? Apply for the alpha. If you already have a server, keep a separate backup before linking or importing it.
Set up with Tavern
Name your shared world
Choose Enshrouded and Install a new server. Set the public server name and player slots, then review the world difficulty preset. Tavern includes gameplay choices in the shared setup and Game Config flows.
Choose player roles
Review the friend and administrator roles and their passwords. These roles have different permissions. Give friends the appropriate player-role password, not the administration password.
Choose a connection route
Select local network, direct, or optional Playit. Let Tavern prepare and verify the installation before starting, and check the exact name your group will use in the server browser.
Finish the review and choose Create server. When setup is complete, start it and follow any instructions Tavern shows. Join yourself, then ask a friend to try the connection your group will use.
Bring your friends
Find the server through Steam favorites
Add the selected join address to Steam Game Servers > Favorites, then choose it in Enshrouded's server browser. Keen Games documents this fallback when the server is not appearing in the in-game list.
Local, direct, or Playit
Use the local address at home, a verified public route for friends elsewhere, or the configured Playit address. Use the port shown for this server in Tavern. Keep Playit running if that is the chosen route.
Changing local ports
For custom ports, stop the selected server and open Networking > Ports. Edit its local ports, save, update any router or tunnel mappings, then start the server and use the updated address. Tavern keeps game-required adjacent ports together and checks for conflicts. These controls require a Tavern build with the Ports section.
Share the connection details from the right server in Tavern. For friends outside your home, test with someone on another network; joining from the host PC alone is not enough.
Make it your world
World difficulty and chat
Settings > Game Config includes the world preset, gameplay tuning, and voice/text options. Keen Games' configuration reference describes enshrouded_server.json. Make changes through Tavern and follow its restart guidance.
Building and administration permissions
Check which role can edit the world or base and which can kick or ban. A server being listed publicly does not mean every player should receive the same role or password.
Protect your progress
Tavern's world backup does not replace players' character backups. Preserve the complete selected world save data and server settings before updates or imports. When inspecting files, use the configured saveDirectory rather than assuming the installation's default savegame folder is always active.
In Backups, choose Create backup for this server. Wait for Activity to report completion and check that the backup appears in the list. Do this before updates, imports, or major changes.
Restoring replaces the current world data, so keep a copy of your latest progress first. Use Tavern's stop control and wait for shutdown before turning the PC off.
If something gets stuck
The world is not in the server list
Check the server version, name, and selected route. Add the exact join address to Steam favorites using Keen Games' instructions. Public discovery and a reachable friend connection are separate checks.
A player has the wrong permissions
Review which role password they used and the permissions configured for that role. Keep administration access private and avoid changing the world save to fix an access problem.
Do I need to leave my game open?
The dedicated server runs separately from your game client. The host PC, server, and selected connection route need to remain available while friends play.
Sources & testing status
Checked against Tavern's app source and the publisher resources below. Game support is in beta; your installed alpha may differ. This review did not include a new gameplay, restore, or outside-network join test.
- Keen Games: dedicated server configuration
- Keen Games: favorite a server by IP
- Keen Games: world and character save FAQ
The game's documentation may include features Tavern does not yet offer. Use the options available in your version of the app.