Revision history

v2.0: August 2026 — Fully revised for the new server setup. Adding a port allocation and typing in the query port by hand are no longer necessary (both are configured automatically). Added the automatic admin password, how to join, and how to tune the save intervals.
v1.0: August 2024 — First edition

From ordering to a server you can play on

Once your payment goes through, the server is built automatically and handed over already set up. We email you as soon as it is ready.

During the build we take care of the following for you. There is nothing you need to prepare.

Downloading the game server and verifying that the files are complete
Assigning the three ports the server needs (game / query / maintenance)
Generating an admin password unique to your server

There is no port forwarding to set up and nothing to configure on your router. You can start playing on the server exactly as it arrives.

Logging in to the game panel

Everything to do with your server is done in the game panel, which runs in your browser.

Using the details in your order confirmation email, log in to the game panel.
After logging in, select your Soulmask server.
The menu on the left takes you to Console, Files, Backups, Network, Schedules, Startup and the other screens.

The panel is available in English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and other languages. You can switch language in your account settings after logging in.

The settings to fill in first

Server settings live on the Startup screen of the game panel. What you type is saved automatically and takes effect the next time the server starts.

The Startup screen of the game panel, showing Server Name, Admin Password, Server Password, Max Players, Save Time Interval and Backup Interval — The Startup screen and the settings you will use most

Setting	What it does
Server Name	The name shown in the in-game server browser. If you leave it empty, the server name from the game panel is used as-is. A name your friends can spot easily makes the server quicker to find in the list.
Admin Password	The administrator password. If you leave it empty, a password unique to your server is generated automatically on the first boot. See "Finding the admin password" for how to look it up. You can also type in a password of your own. To change it later, edit the same field and restart the server.
Server Password	The password players are asked for when joining. If you leave it empty, the server is public and anyone can join. Set a password here if you only want to play with friends.
Max Players	The maximum number of players who can be connected at once. The default is 20. Keep it within the limit of your plan. If you need a higher limit, move to a higher plan.
Save Time Interval	How often in-game objects are written to the database (in seconds).
Backup Interval	How often the database is written out to disk (in seconds).
Auto Update	Checks for a game update every time the server starts and picks it up automatically if one has been released. Enabled by default.

The admin password is the key to full control of your server. Do not share it with others and do not post it publicly.

Leave Query Port and Maintenance Port empty. When they are empty the correct values are used automatically — see the next section.

The ports are already set up

A Soulmask server uses a few ports besides the game port itself. They are all assigned automatically when your server is built. You can see them on the Network screen of the game panel.

The Network screen of the game panel. Three ports are assigned automatically; the second one, the query port, is what you add to Steam favourites — The Network screen. Three ports are assigned automatically (the values shown are an example)

Position	Role	Number
1st (primary)	Game port	—
2nd	Query port (this is the one you add to Steam favourites)	game port +1
3rd	Maintenance port	game port +2

This has changed since our earlier guide. The 2024 instructions asked you to add one allocation and type the number into Query Port by hand. That is no longer necessary. All three ports are assigned from the start, and Query Port and Maintenance Port work correctly when left empty. Please do not add extra allocations or retype the numbers.

Starting the server

When you are done with the settings, press Start on the Console screen of the game panel.

The first boot downloads the game data and generates the world, so it takes a while to finish.
Once the status turns to Online, the server itself is running.
It is then registered in the in-game server browser. It can take a few minutes to appear in the list.
Whenever you change a setting, restart the server to apply it.

After booting, the server re-registers itself with the server list every two minutes. If it is not in the list yet, wait a moment and search for your server name again.

You may see a lot of red error lines scroll past in the console while the server boots. These come from the game engine as it loads assets, and they appear on a healthy boot too. If the status is Online and your server shows up in the in-game list, there is nothing wrong.

Joining the server

Option 1: find it in the in-game server browser (recommended)

This is the simplest way in.

Launch Soulmask.
Open the server list (server browser).
Type your server name into the search box.
Select your server and join. If you set a Server Password, you enter it here.

The name shown is Server Name from the Startup screen — or, if that is empty, the server name in the panel. Share it with your friends so nobody has to hunt for it.

Option 2: add it to your Steam favourites

If searching every time gets tedious, you can save the server in the Steam server list.

Open the Steam client and choose View → Game Servers from the menu.
Open the Favorites tab and click Add a Server.
Enter the second port (the query port) shown on the Network screen of the game panel, in the form IP address:port.

This is the step people get wrong. You add the query port (the second one), not the game port (the first one). Entering the game port will not work.
Example: if the game port is 203.0.113.25:28100, the address to add in Steam is 203.0.113.25:28101.

Finding the admin password

If you leave Admin Password empty, a password unique to your server is generated automatically on the first boot. The same password is never reused across servers.

You can read the generated password from the Files screen of the game panel.

Open the Files screen in the game panel.
Open admin_password.txt in the top-level (home) directory.
The string inside is your server’s admin password.

The Files screen of the game panel. admin_password.txt in the home directory holds the admin password — The Files screen and `admin_password.txt` in the home directory

To use a password of your own, type it into Admin Password on the Startup screen and restart the server.

Take care that the admin password does not end up on screen while streaming or sharing your screen. If someone else learns it, set a new one on the Startup screen.

If the server feels heavy

A Soulmask server persists your world in two stages. You can change both intervals on the Startup screen of the game panel. Both are text fields in seconds — not dropdowns.

Setting	What it controls	Default
Save Time Interval	How often in-game objects are written to the database	600 seconds (10 min)
Backup Interval	How often the database is written out to disk	960 seconds (16 min)

If the game stutters each time it saves — a longer interval means saving runs less often. The trade-off is that an unexpected stop rolls back more.
If you want more frequent save points — use a shorter interval. Saving then runs more often.

We also recommend setting up a daily automatic restart. It keeps the slowdown that builds up over long uptimes from showing.

After changing a setting, restart the server. The new values are not used until it restarts.

Backups and restoring

You can take a backup at any time from the Backups screen of the game panel. How many generations you can keep depends on your plan.

A backup contains your world data and settings (everything under WS/Saved). The game binaries are not included.
The world itself is stored under WS/Saved/Worlds/Dedicated/.
With the Schedules screen you can also take backups automatically at a set time.

For how to restore, see "Restoring from a backup".

Take and restore backups with the server stopped. Doing it while the server is running can mix in half-written data.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	What to check
The server does not appear in the list	It can take a few minutes after booting for a server to appear. The server re-registers every two minutes, so wait a moment and search by your server name again. Also check that the status in the game panel is Online.
Steam will not accept the server address	Check that you are using the query port (the second entry on the Network screen). The game port (the first entry) cannot be added.
I do not know the admin password	Look at `admin_password.txt` in the home directory on the Files screen.
There are red errors in the console	They come from the game engine as it loads assets and appear on a healthy boot too. If the status is Online and you can join from the in-game list, there is nothing wrong.
I changed a setting and nothing happened	Settings on the Startup screen are applied when the server restarts. Please restart it.
I want to raise the player limit	Max Players can go up to the limit of your plan. To raise the limit itself, move to a higher plan. Your server data is kept and billing is handled with a prorated payment.

If that does not solve it, send us a support ticket from the client portal. We answer in English, Japanese, Korean and Chinese.

Next steps

log in to the game panel — how the panel works
a daily automatic restart — automatic restarts and backups
Restoring from a backup
Soulmask dedicated servers — plans and pricing