StarRupture Linux Dedicated Server Guide (Proton, Wine & Docker)

This guide is for players who want to host a StarRupture server on Linux — whether on a home server, a VPS (DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Vultr), or a dedicated machine. Since the game only ships Windows binaries, we use Proton-GE or Wine as the compatibility layer.

Trust boundary: There is no native Linux dedicated server baseline documented here. Every Linux path in this guide depends on Windows binaries running through Proton, Wine, or a containerized compatibility stack. Verify behavior on your current build before you call a Linux setup "stable."

Linux Server Setup: Choose the Lowest-Friction Route

If your query is really starrupture linux server setup, decide what you care about most:

• Lowest troubleshooting load: Proton-GE on a normal Linux host
• Most manual control: Wine standalone
• Most reproducible deployment: Docker

If you just need one server online quickly, Proton-GE is usually the safest first attempt because it stays closer to the Steam runtime assumptions than a fully hand-built Wine stack.

System Requirements

Linux Hosting Checklist Before Install

• confirm the host has enough RAM headroom for the world you expect to run
• decide where saves, logs, and prefixes will live before first launch
• plan how you will restart the process after crashes or host reboots
• verify whether you actually need Docker, or whether it only adds another failure layer

Method 1: Proton-GE (Recommended)

Proton-GE is the community-maintained fork of Valve's Proton with better game compatibility than standard Wine.

Install SteamCMD

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt update
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt install steamcmd lib32gcc-s1

# Fedora
sudo dnf install steamcmd

Download Proton-GE

mkdir -p ~/.steam/root/compatibilitytools.d/
wget -O /tmp/proton-ge.tar.gz \
  "https://github.com/GloriousEggroll/proton-ge-custom/releases/download/GE-Proton9-20/GE-Proton9-20.tar.gz"
tar -xzf /tmp/proton-ge.tar.gz -C ~/.steam/root/compatibilitytools.d/

Download Server Files

mkdir -p ~/starrupture-server
steamcmd \
  +force_install_dir ~/starrupture-server \
  +login anonymous \
  +app_update 3809400 validate \
  +quit

Launch the Server

STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH="$HOME/starrupture-prefix" \
STEAM_COMPAT_CLIENT_INSTALL_PATH="$HOME/.steam/steam" \
~/.steam/root/compatibilitytools.d/GE-Proton9-*/proton run \
  ~/starrupture-server/StarRuptureServer.exe \
  -log -ServerName="MyLinuxServer" -MaxPlayers=8

Why this is usually the best first Linux route

• Proton tends to match Steam-distributed runtime expectations better than a thin Wine-only install
• you can keep a clearer boundary between server files and compatibility prefix files
• most Linux troubleshooting starts from logs and prefix validation, not from inventing custom launch tricks

Method 2: Wine Standalone

sudo apt install wine64 winetricks
WINEPREFIX=~/.wine-starrupture winetricks vcrun2022 dxvk
WINEPREFIX=~/.wine-starrupture wine64 ~/starrupture-server/StarRuptureServer.exe \
  -log -ServerName="WineServer" -MaxPlayers=8

Use Wine standalone when you need tighter control over the prefix or when Proton-specific paths are a worse fit for your host. Expect more manual dependency work.

Method 3: Docker (Best for VPS)

# docker-compose.yml
version: "3.9"
services:
  starrupture:
    image: cm2network/steamcmd:root
    container_name: starrupture-server
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "7777:7777/udp"
    volumes:
      - ./server-data:/home/steam/starrupture/Saved

docker compose up -d
docker compose logs -f starrupture

Docker is useful when you want repeatable deployment and cleaner restart policy, but it does not remove the need to verify save mounts, actual launch commands, or compatibility-layer behavior.

Firewall Configuration

# UFW (Ubuntu)
sudo ufw allow 7777/udp
sudo ufw reload

# firewalld (Fedora)
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=7777/udp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

systemd Auto-Restart

# /etc/systemd/system/starrupture.service
[Unit]
Description=StarRupture Dedicated Server
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=steam
WorkingDirectory=/home/steam/starrupture-server
Environment="STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH=/home/steam/starrupture-prefix"
Environment="STEAM_COMPAT_CLIENT_INSTALL_PATH=/home/steam/.steam/steam"
ExecStart=/home/steam/.steam/root/compatibilitytools.d/GE-Proton9-20/proton run \
  /home/steam/starrupture-server/StarRuptureServer.exe \
  -log -ServerName=MyServer -MaxPlayers=8
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10s

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable starrupture
sudo systemctl start starrupture
journalctl -u starrupture -f

Troubleshooting

Linux Troubleshooting Order

When a Linux server fails, check in this order:

1. Did SteamCMD actually download the server files you expect?
2. Did the compatibility layer launch the server binary, or only the wrapper?
3. Did logs get written, and are they the logs for the active run?
4. Is the issue networking, save persistence, or binary startup?

That order prevents a lot of wasted time on firewall debugging when the binary never really launched.

Error: cannot find StarRuptureServer.exe

find ~/starrupture-server -name "*.exe" | grep -i server

Server exits immediately with no output

tail -50 ~/starrupture-server/StarRuptureServer/Saved/Logs/StarRupture.log

DXVK / d3d11.dll error

WINEPREFIX=~/.wine-starrupture winetricks dxvk

Binds to VPN IP instead of real NIC Add "-MultiHome=YOUR.SERVER.IP" to launch arguments (replace with your server's actual IP).

RAM grows unbounded Schedule nightly restart via cron:

# crontab -e
0 4 * * * systemctl restart starrupture

What to Verify on Your Current Build

Before you call the Linux route successful, verify all of these on the live build you are actually hosting:

• the server binary launches from your chosen prefix or container
• logs are readable and update during startup
• saves persist across a full stop/start cycle
• a client can connect, manage the server, and rejoin the session

If one of those is missing, the host is not really production-ready yet.

Related Guides

• Dedicated Server Setup (Windows) — DSSettings.txt reference and Windows SteamCMD guide
• Server Hosting: Self-Host vs Managed — Provider comparison

What To Open Next for Linux Dedicated Servers

• Dedicated Server Setup (Windows/Linux overview) — use this when you need the broader DSSettings and session-start baseline
• Server Not Showing Fix — use this if the process launches but browser discovery or direct join fails
• Server Lag Fix Guide — use this if the Linux host is reachable but multiplayer quality collapses under load