An Eco server is ready to go as soon as world size, ports, access rights, and backups have been checked before the first community join. This guide takes you from the booked server to a controlled connection test. The key is to define world-generating settings before launch and only make later changes with a current backup.
Eco: Civilization Building with Real Ecosystem Simulation
Eco (Strange Loop Games) differs from classic survival titles through its economy and ecosystem simulation: Every tree your community cuts down, every mine it opens, has a measurable impact on the world's ecosystem. The goal of most community rounds is to build a functioning civilization together before an announced meteor threatens the world — cooperation, job specialization, and a working economy are not side details here, but the core of the game.
Your own server gives your community full control over world size, starting conditions, difficulty, and all rules around economy and government (the latter is covered in the second guide in this series).
Order a Server
For your own Eco server, select the game in the order wizard and set the appropriate RAM. Eco servers run within a range of 6 to 12 GB RAM; 8 GB is recommended for around 20 simultaneous players — if your community grows beyond that, you can upgrade to more RAM at any time.
After ordering, your server is provisioned fully automatically. As soon as the status in the dashboard changes to “running,” you can start configuring it.
Ports: Game and Web Interface
An Eco server uses two ports:
| Port | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 3000 | Game connection (the client connects through this) |
| 3001 | Server web interface (server status, chat, and some admin functions in the browser) |
Both ports are assigned automatically when you order and are shown in the panel under the connection details. Your players only need the address including the game port (3000) to connect; the web interface on port 3001 is optional and is useful for checking the server status even without a running client.
World Size and Starting Conditions
When creating a new world, you define settings in the panel such as:
- World size: smaller worlds are suitable for compact groups and short rounds, larger worlds for long-term community projects with more resource distribution.
- Starting point of the meteor threat: the classic Eco premise with a looming impact can be enabled or disabled — when disabled, the round plays as pure building without time pressure.
- Starting resources and difficulty: how tough the beginning is (tool wear, hunger, resource density) is configured through the difficulty presets.
These settings take effect when the world is created — if you change them later, they usually only apply to newly generated areas of the map, not retroactively to terrain that has already been explored.
Server Name and Description
The server name and a short description appear in the public server list inside the game itself — for open community servers, it is worth adding a meaningful description (rules, playstyle, whether roleplay elements such as a government are expected) right here instead of informing players only after they join.
Admins and Whitelist
Add trusted players as server admins in the panel before advertising the server publicly — admin rights allow intervention in economy or government disputes, among other things, which experience shows can arise on a lively Eco server. For closed rounds (for example with a fixed group of friends), also enable a whitelist so that only registered player names can join.
Backups and Scheduled Restarts
Eco worlds noticeably grow in file size as playtime progresses — so set up automatic backups early through scheduled tasks in the web panel. A regular scheduled restart (for example nightly) also keeps server performance stable without an admin having to intervene manually.
Connecting
Your players connect using the address shown in the panel including the game port (3000), directly from Eco's main menu. You can use your own subdomain to give your community an easy-to-remember address instead of sharing a plain IP address.
Official Source and Checks
The official Eco wiki for server setup documents the standard ports 3000/UDP and 3001/TCP, the configuration storage location, and the effect of world generator changes. With a rented server, however, the ports assigned in the panel remain authoritative. After every change, check the server startup and join once with a normal player account.
FAQ
Do I always have to enter ports 3000 and 3001 for Eco?
No. These are the documented standard ports. Hosting platforms may assign different ports. Therefore, always use the connection details from your panel and only share the game port listed there with your players.
When do I need to generate a new world?
Changes to world size or the world generator do not reliably affect areas that have already been generated. Back up the existing world and only generate a new one if you really want to change these fundamental parameters.
Why is my whitelist not taking effect?
The official Eco documentation notes that whitelist entries require an SLG ID or Steam64 ID. A visible player name alone is not enough. Also check whether your server password and whitelist configuration are set correctly together.
What should I back up before an Eco update?
Back up at least the world state and configuration. After the update, first check the server startup and a test join before reopening it to the community. If problems occur, this lets you return to the previous state.
Conclusion
With RAM matched to the player count, both ports configured correctly, a well-planned world size, and active backups, nothing stands in the way of a stable Eco server. The second part of this series covers how your community builds an economy and a government on it.