This guide covers common issues with Icarus dedicated servers and how to resolve them, including server startup failures, connection problems, Prospect loading issues, performance optimization, and version mismatch errors. For initial server setup and configuration, see Icarus Server Setup Guide.

Server Startup Issues

If your Icarus server fails to start or crashes immediately after launch, follow these steps to diagnose and resolve the problem.

Server Shuts Down Immediately After Start

The most common cause of an Icarus server shutting down shortly after startup is the ShutdownIfNotJoinedFor setting. By default, this is set to 300 seconds (5 minutes), meaning the server will automatically shut down if no player joins within 5 minutes of starting.

Fix:

1. Stop the server from the Console tab in GPanel.
2. Open ServerSettings.ini located at Icarus/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/ServerSettings.ini via the GPanel Files tab or SFTP.
3. Set the following values to prevent automatic shutdown:

   ShutdownIfNotJoinedFor=-1
   ShutdownIfEmptyFor=-1

4. Save the file and start the server.

Server Fails to Start (Crash on Launch)

If the server crashes during startup with error messages in the console:

1. Check for corrupted files: Try reinstalling the server. In GPanel, use the reinstall option to re-download all server files from Steam.
2. Check config file syntax: A malformed ServerSettings.ini can prevent startup. Verify the file follows proper INI format:

   [/Script/Icarus.DedicatedServerSettings]
   SessionName=My Server
   JoinPassword=
   MaxPlayers=8

3. Check for missing Prospect data: If LoadProspect or LastProspectName references a Prospect that no longer exists, the server may fail. Clear these fields and set ResumeProspect=False temporarily.
4. Check server logs: Review the log files in Icarus/Saved/Logs/ for specific error messages that indicate the cause of the crash.

Server Starts But Does Not Appear in Browser

If the server starts successfully but does not show in the in-game server browser:

• Wait 2-5 minutes. New servers need time to register with Steam's master server list.
• Check -SteamServerName. The SessionName setting in ServerSettings.ini does not control the browser name. The -SteamServerName command-line parameter must be set via the GPanel Startup tab.
• Verify ports. Ensure the game port and query port are correctly assigned. Check that the query port (default 27015) is accessible.
• Use direct connect. While the server registers with the browser, you can connect directly using IP:PORT (e.g., 192.168.1.100:17777).

Players Unable to Connect

If players cannot connect to your server, work through these troubleshooting steps.

Connection Timeout / Server Not Responding

1. Verify the server is running. Check the GPanel Console tab to confirm the server is online and not in a crashed or stopped state.
2. Check the correct IP and port. Players must use the game port (default 17777), not the query port. Find your server's IP and port from the GPanel Console tab. For detailed instructions, see How to Find Your Server IP and Port.
3. Check password. If a JoinPassword is set, players must enter it when connecting. Verify the password is correct and shared with your players.
4. Check player count. If the server is full (maximum 8 players by default), additional players cannot join until someone leaves.
5. Restart the server. If the server has been running for a long time, a restart may resolve connection issues caused by stale sessions.

Endless "Connecting..." Screen

If players get stuck on an endless "Connecting..." screen in the main menu:

1. Have the player open Command Prompt as Administrator and run the following commands:

   netsh winsock reset
   netsh int ip reset
   ipconfig /flushdns

2. Restart the computer after running these commands.
3. Launch Icarus again and try connecting.

Client Error: "Invalid Prospect Information - 001"

This error indicates a version mismatch between the client and server. See the Version Mismatch section below for resolution steps.

Prospect Loading Problems

Issues with loading, creating, or resuming Prospects are among the most common Icarus server problems.

Infinite Loading Screen When Loading a Prospect

If the game gets stuck on an infinite loading screen when trying to load a Prospect:

1. Verify the Prospect file exists. Check that the Prospect save file is present in Icarus/Saved/PlayerData/DedicatedServer/Prospects/.
2. Check for corrupted save data. If the Prospect file is corrupted, it may not load properly. Try loading a different Prospect or creating a new one.
3. Clear client cache. On the player's machine, verify the game cache through Steam:
   • Right-click Icarus in Steam Library
   • Select Properties > Installed Files
   • Click Verify integrity of game files
4. Restart the server. Stop and restart the server from GPanel. This forces the server to re-read the Prospect data.

Cannot Create or Launch a New Prospect

If players or admins cannot create new Prospects:

• Check permissions. If AllowNonAdminsToLaunchProspects is set to False, only admin-authenticated players can create Prospects. Either change this setting to True or have the player authenticate as admin first with /AdminLogin [password].
• Check CreateProspect format. Ensure the command or config setting uses the correct format: CreateProspect [ProspectType] [Difficulty] [Hardcore] [SaveName]. An incorrect Prospect type name will fail silently.
• Check for existing active Prospect. If a Prospect is already loaded, you may need to end or delete it before creating a new one.

Prospect Not Resuming After Server Restart

If the server restarts but does not resume the previous Prospect:

1. Verify that ResumeProspect=True is set in ServerSettings.ini.
2. Check that LastProspectName contains the correct Prospect name. This is auto-populated but can be corrupted if the server did not shut down cleanly.
3. If the Prospect name is missing, manually set LoadProspect=[name] to the Prospect file you want to load.

Performance Optimization

If your Icarus server is experiencing lag, stuttering, or poor performance, try these optimization steps.

Server-Side Optimization

• Reduce MaxPlayers. If you are experiencing lag with the maximum 8 players, try reducing to 4-6 to ease the load.
• Restart regularly. Schedule regular server restarts to clear memory leaks and accumulated state. Restarting every 12-24 hours is recommended for active servers.
• Monitor resource usage. Check the server's CPU and RAM usage in GPanel. If resources are consistently maxed out, consider upgrading your hosting plan.
• Reduce build density. Large, complex bases with many placed objects significantly impact server performance. Encourage players to build efficiently.

Client-Side Optimization

If individual players experience poor performance, recommend these settings adjustments:

• Increase field of view (FOV). A higher FOV can paradoxically improve frame rates in some scenarios.
• Reduce shadow quality. Shadows are one of the most performance-intensive graphical settings.
• Use DirectX 11. DirectX 12 is only beneficial with RTX lighting on high-end Nvidia GPUs. Most players will get better performance with DX11.
• Enable DLSS (Nvidia) or FSR (AMD). DLSS provides a significant performance improvement on Nvidia cards. FSR works on both AMD and Nvidia cards (though DLSS is preferred on Nvidia).
• Lower view distance. Reducing the render distance decreases the number of objects the client must process.

Version Mismatch

Version mismatch errors occur when the client and server are running different versions of Icarus. This is one of the most common connection issues, especially after game updates.

Error: "Host is running newer Version than Client" / "Invalid prospect information - 001"

These errors mean the server has been updated but the player's game client has not (or vice versa).

Fixing a Client Version Mismatch:

1. Close Icarus completely.
2. Open Steam and check for game updates. Icarus updates should download automatically.
3. If no update appears, right-click Icarus in Steam Library > Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files.
4. Restart Steam if the update still does not appear.
5. Once updated, launch Icarus and try connecting again.

Fixing a Server Version Mismatch:

1. If the server is running an outdated version, restart it from GPanel. The server should automatically update to the latest version when it starts.
2. If the server does not update automatically, try the reinstall option in GPanel to force a fresh download of the server files.
3. After the update completes, verify that the server version matches the client version.

Common Error Messages

Quick reference for common error messages and their solutions:

General Troubleshooting Checklist

When troubleshooting any issue with your Icarus server, work through this checklist:

1. Check the server status in GPanel. Confirm the server is running and not crashed or stopped.
2. Review the server console. Look for error messages or warnings in the GPanel Console tab.
3. Check server logs. Navigate to Icarus/Saved/Logs/ for detailed log output.
4. Verify config file syntax. Ensure ServerSettings.ini is correctly formatted with no typos or extra characters.
5. Verify versions match. Both client and server must be running the same version of Icarus.
6. Try a server restart. Many transient issues are resolved by a clean restart from GPanel.
7. Verify game files on client. Have players verify game file integrity through Steam.
8. Check ShutdownIfNotJoinedFor. Make sure this is set to -1 to prevent auto-shutdown.
9. Try a fresh reinstall. As a last resort, reinstall the server through GPanel to get fresh server files.

Related Articles

• Icarus Server Setup Guide
• How to Find Your Server IP and Port
• How to Upload Files via SFTP
• Getting Started with Your New Server

Need Help?

If you have tried the steps above and are still experiencing issues with your Icarus server, please open a support ticket and our team will be happy to assist you.