For an ICARUS dedicated server, start with a modern multi-core x86-64 machine, at least 16 GB of RAM and more than 70 GB of usable storage, then add headroom for concurrent players, saved worlds, logs, updates and backups. The 16 GB RAM, 32 GB recommended RAM, Intel i5-8400 minimum CPU, Intel i7-9700 recommended CPU and 70 GB storage figures published on the Steam listing are PC client requirements from the 2021-era release baseline. They are useful reference points, not a complete server-sizing table. RocketWerkz’s dedicated-server documentation gives installation and port details but does not publish fixed CPU or RAM allocations for specific player counts, so peak monitoring is essential.
What are the published ICARUS requirements?
The official Steam listing describes the computer needed to run the game client. RocketWerkz’s dedicated-server documentation covers deployment and configuration, but it does not turn those client figures into a guaranteed hardware specification for a server. Treat the published numbers as a floor for planning, not as a promise that a particular number of players will run smoothly.
| Component | Steam client baseline | Meaning for a dedicated server |
|---|---|---|
| Memory | 16 GB minimum; 32 GB recommended | Context only. The server needs additional margin for worlds, saves, logs, updates, configuration and other services. |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-8400 minimum; Intel Core i7-9700 recommended | These are client examples, not mandatory server models. Prefer a recent x86-64 CPU with strong per-core performance and spare multi-core capacity. |
| Storage | 70 GB available | Baseline installation space. Add room for saved worlds, retained snapshots, logs, backups, update staging and free space. |
| Dedicated-server package | Not listed as a client requirement | Install through SteamCMD with app ID 2089300. |
| Default ports | Not a client hardware requirement | Game port 17777; Steam query port 27015, unless changed with the documented command-line options. |
The Steam figures are identified as a 2021-era release baseline. A later game or server update can change practical resource use, so validate a planned machine against the version you will actually run.
How much RAM does an ICARUS server need?
There is no RocketWerkz-published RAM-per-player formula. Use 16 GB as the client minimum and 32 GB as the client recommendation for context, then size the server around its busiest expected workload and leave measurable headroom.
What consumes server memory?
- Active world state and the number of worlds kept available.
- Save files and any retention policy for older snapshots.
- Server logs, crash data and update files.
- Configuration changes, mods or additional server-side processes you choose to run.
- The operating system, monitoring tools, firewall and any other applications sharing the host.
A machine that technically starts the server can still fail under a busy session if memory is exhausted. Swapping to disk produces long pauses and can make the process unstable, so RAM capacity is not the same as RAM available to the game.
How do I validate a RAM choice?
- List every service that will share the host and reserve memory for the operating system.
- Start with the expected world and configuration set rather than an empty test world.
- Observe memory during the busiest realistic session, including player joins, travel and saves.
- Check peak committed memory, not only the average shown when the server is idle.
- Increase RAM or move other services when the host approaches exhaustion or begins swapping.
Because no official player-count matrix exists, record your own peak measurements after updates and after changing world or mod configuration. A small private server may fit comfortably above the published client baseline, while a host running several worlds or other applications needs substantially more capacity.
What CPU is required for an ICARUS dedicated server?
The Steam listing names an Intel i5-8400 as the client minimum and an Intel i7-9700 as the client recommendation. RocketWerkz does not specify a required dedicated-server processor, so choose a modern x86-64 multi-core CPU with strong single-thread performance and spare total capacity for simulation, networking, the operating system and maintenance jobs.
Why single-core performance matters
Game simulation and parts of networking can be sensitive to the speed of an individual core. A processor with many slow cores is not automatically better than a newer chip with fewer, faster cores. Look for a recent architecture, sustained clock performance under load and enough additional cores that backups, updates and system tasks do not compete with the server process.
How to check CPU headroom
- Watch per-core utilization as well as total CPU percentage; a single saturated core can cause tick or simulation delays while total usage looks moderate.
- Measure during combat, building activity, travel and simultaneous save operations, not only while players are standing still.
- Leave capacity for the operating system, remote administration, antivirus scanning and backup jobs.
- Investigate rising latency after an update rather than assuming the older client recommendation still predicts server load.
The i5-8400 and i7-9700 are useful comparison points when evaluating an older machine, but neither should be presented as a guaranteed dedicated-server tier. Live measurements from your world and player workload are the decisive evidence.
How much storage does an ICARUS server need?
The published requirement is 70 GB of available storage. That amount covers the client-era baseline and should not be treated as the complete capacity for a long-running server. Installation files, saved worlds, configuration, logs, backups and temporary update data all need space on the host.
What should be included in the capacity plan?
- The dedicated-server installation and downloaded update files.
- Every active world and its configuration data.
- Retained world snapshots or rollback copies.
- Logs and crash reports kept for troubleshooting.
- Backup archives stored locally before they are copied elsewhere.
- Free working space so updates and file operations do not fail at 100% utilization.
Use a separate backup destination when possible. A second folder on the same disk protects against accidental deletion but not disk failure, corruption or a damaged host.
Do I need an SSD?
No. The official material specifies capacity, not a required storage medium. An SSD is a practical choice because it can reduce file-access latency during loading, saves, log handling and updates, but a suitable HDD is not ruled out by the published requirements. Match the drive’s interface and physical form factor to the host, and prioritize reliable capacity and a tested backup plan over a particular SSD label.
What network, software and port settings are needed?
RocketWerkz’s setup guidance identifies the SteamCMD dedicated-server app as 2089300. Its default game port is 17777 and its Steam query port is 27015. These are network settings rather than hardware requirements, but an otherwise powerful server will be unreachable if the ports are blocked or forwarded incorrectly.
Dedicated-server setup checklist
- Prepare a supported x86-64 host with enough RAM, CPU margin and storage for the complete workload.
- Install SteamCMD and use app ID
2089300to download the dedicated-server files. - Choose a data location with room for installation files, saves, logs, backups and update staging.
- Review the server’s WindowsServer saved/configuration location and set the world and operational options required by your group.
- Allow and, when needed, forward game port
17777and query port27015through the host firewall and router. - Change ports only with the documented command-line parameters, then update firewall and forwarding rules to match.
- Start the server and confirm that it appears to the intended players before adding other services to the machine.
- Keep the server and every client on compatible versions after updates; retain a backup of saved worlds before applying a major change.
Port forwarding is only required when players connect from outside the local network; a private LAN deployment still needs the host firewall to permit the selected ports. If a query listing is missing while direct connectivity works, check the query port separately from the game port.
How should I size a complete server build?
Build decisions are easier when you score the whole workload instead of shopping by one specification. Use the following questions to compare a spare desktop, a dedicated machine or a managed host.
| Decision area | What to evaluate | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Concurrent activity | Expected busiest session, number of active worlds and whether several instances share the host | Planning from an idle server or a single empty world |
| CPU | Per-core speed, total cores and capacity left for backups and system tasks | One core pinned at 100% or rising simulation delay |
| RAM | Peak committed memory after reserving the operating system and other services | Swapping, out-of-memory events or unexplained crashes |
| Storage | Installation, saves, snapshots, logs, backups, updates and free working space | Updates fail or the filesystem reaches full capacity |
| Reliability | Backup destination, restore test, reboot procedure and monitoring access | A backup exists but has never been restored |
| Hosting model | Control and fixed cost of self-hosting versus the administration included by a managed service | No one is responsible for patching, firewall rules or recovery |
For self-hosting, document who can restart the process, where saves are stored and how a rollback is performed. For a managed service, confirm the provider’s geography, version support, backup retention, port controls and resource limits before committing; advertised “game server” capacity is not proof of ICARUS performance.
What are the most common requirement and stability mistakes?
Using the client minimum as a server guarantee
The 16 GB and i5-8400 figures describe the PC client baseline. A server that also runs a desktop session, voice service, monitoring stack or several worlds needs additional capacity.
Ignoring peak rather than average use
Memory and CPU graphs taken while nobody is connected hide the load created by exploration, building, combat and saves. Capture peaks during the busiest expected period.
Filling the disk with logs and backups
Set retention limits, move archives off the live volume and alert before free space becomes scarce. Keep at least one restore-ready copy separate from the server’s working directory.
Updating one side only
After an update, verify that server and clients use compatible builds. If connections fail immediately after patching, check version alignment before replacing hardware.
Changing ports without changing every rule
A custom port must be reflected in the server parameters, host firewall and router forwarding. Test from the network where players will actually connect.
Should I self-host or use managed hosting?
Self-hosting gives you direct control over CPU, RAM, storage, backups and configuration, but you also own patching, firewall setup, monitoring and recovery. Managed hosting can reduce administration, yet you must verify the provider’s actual resource allocation, backup policy, geographic location and support for the current dedicated-server build.
Choose self-hosting when you already have reliable hardware, stable upstream connectivity and someone able to maintain it. Choose a managed service when predictable administration and remote availability matter more than hardware control. In either case, apply the same baseline-plus-headroom method and measure the running workload rather than trusting a generic slot count.
How can I monitor and re-size the server?
- Define a normal operating window for CPU, memory, disk space and network latency.
- Collect readings during the busiest recurring session, after updates and after adding worlds or configuration changes.
- Investigate sustained high CPU, swapping, save delays or a nearly full volume before players report failures.
- Reduce competing services, improve storage capacity or move to a larger host when measurements show the current machine has no margin.
- Record the change and recheck peaks after the next major game or server update.
This feedback loop is more reliable than a static hardware table because RocketWerkz publishes setup guidance but no fixed player-count-to-hardware matrix.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run the dedicated server and play ICARUS on the same computer?
You can, but the game client and server will compete for CPU time, memory and storage access. Reserve resources for both workloads and test during a busy session; a separate host is easier to keep stable when the client causes contention.
Does the documented setup require Windows?
The setup guidance identifies a WindowsServer saved/configuration location, so Windows is the documented path in the cited material. If you plan to use another operating system, confirm current RocketWerkz support and installation instructions for that release before provisioning the machine.
What is the safest way to protect world saves?
Keep more than one copy and place at least one copy on storage separate from the live server volume. A restore test is valuable because a backup that cannot be opened or copied back is not a usable recovery plan.
When should I recheck these requirements?
Revisit the Steam listing and RocketWerkz server documentation after a major game or dedicated-server update. New features, engine changes or revised installation files can alter practical CPU, memory and storage needs even when the older published client figures remain visible.