Eco is a unique survival game where players build a civilization together while keeping the ecosystem in balance. A dedicated server gives you full control over the game rules, the world size and the way players collaborate. In this guide we walk you through every step: from installation to fine-tuning skills, laws and cooperation.
Why run your own Eco server?
Eco revolves around long-term collaboration. The game world reacts to every action: cutting down too many trees causes erosion, polluting factories damage the climate. On your own server you set the pace, the rules and the group size. That is what separates a chaotic world from a thoughtful civilization.
Requirements and hardware
| Component | Minimum | Recommended (20+ players) |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| CPU | 2 cores | 4 cores |
| Storage | 10 GB | 20 GB |
| Operating system | Windows or Linux | Linux (less overhead) |
The ecology system continuously calculates the consequences of player actions on flora, fauna and climate. This makes the CPU load higher than in most other survival games.
Installation via SteamCMD
- Install SteamCMD on your server.
- Download the Eco Server with the command:
app_update 739590 validate. - Start the server. A web interface opens on port 3001.
- Configure the server through the web interface or edit the configuration files directly.
At HostValues the installation is handled automatically through the game panel. You select Eco as the game type and the server is ready within a few minutes.
Choosing a world size
The world size is one of the first choices you make. A world that is too large feels empty; one that is too small gets depleted quickly.
| Size | Area | Ideal number of players |
|---|---|---|
| Small (0.5 km²) | Compact | 2 to 8 |
| Medium (1 km²) | Balanced | 8 to 20 |
| Large (2 km²) | Spacious | 15 to 40 |
| Extra large (4 km²) | Very spacious | 30 to 100 |
For most groups a medium world is the best choice. It forces collaboration without resources running out too quickly.
The skill system
In Eco every player learns abilities through a skill tree. The system is designed so that no single player can learn everything. This means you depend on other players for specific resources and products.
- Skill points are earned by eating, sleeping and working. A varied diet yields more points.
- Specializations let you go deeper into a field: woodworking, mining, smithing, farming and so on.
- Star upgrades increase the efficiency of a specialization. More stars means fewer resources and less time per product.
As a server administrator you can adjust the speed at which skills are learned. A higher multiplier is a good fit for smaller groups where fewer specializations are available.
Collaboration and dependency
Eco offers a collaboration setting that determines how strongly players depend on each other. At the lowest level a player can do everything alone; at the highest, collaboration is strictly required.
A high collaboration level works best with 15 or more active players. With smaller groups it can be frustrating if a crucial skill is missing because nobody chose it.
Government and legislation
One of the most distinctive elements of Eco is the government system. Players can propose laws, vote and appoint an elected leader. As server administrator you determine:
- Whether elections are active and how often they take place.
- Which types of laws are available (pollution tax, building restrictions, protected areas).
- Whether the government is active immediately or only after a certain number of active players.
Let players draft their own laws and vote. This creates dynamic discussions about sustainability versus technological progress.
Configuring the meteor
The meteor is the endgame goal of Eco: a threat that destroys the planet if players do not develop the technology to avert it in time. You configure:
- Impact day count: after how many in-game days the meteor hits. Default is 30 days.
- Technology requirements: how advanced the laser must be to destroy the meteor.
- Disable: you can turn off the meteor entirely for an open-ended sandbox experience.
Ports and networking
Eco uses TCP/UDP port 3000 by default for game traffic and TCP port 3001 for the web interface. Open both ports in your firewall. You can protect the web interface with a password.
How much RAM does an Eco server need?
For a group of up to 10 players, 4 GB of RAM is sufficient. With 20 or more players, or a large world with heavy ecological calculations, 8 GB is recommended. Memory usage grows as the civilization advances and more buildings and machines appear in the world.
Can I change the world size midway?
No, the world size is locked when the world is created. If you want a larger or smaller world, you need to generate a new one. Always make a backup before making changes.
Why HostValues?
Eco servers at HostValues run on AMD Ryzen 9 7950X hardware with NVMe storage and DDoS protection included. Installation is handled automatically through the game panel. All plans can be cancelled monthly. Check out Eco hosting or choose a VPS for full control.
