A local GUI application for running and managing a Windrose dedicated server on Windows.
- One-click Start / Stop / Restart with configurable countdown warning before restart
- Live dashboard — CPU usage, RAM, player count, uptime, and connected player list
- Live log viewer — color-coded, filterable (All / Players / Warnings / Errors) with auto-scroll
- Console command input — send commands directly to the server via Win32 console injection (save world, list players, kick, ban, and more)
- Config editor — edit server name, max players, password, and all world difficulty settings (preset or custom sliders) without touching JSON files
- One-click world backup — zips your save data to a timestamped archive
- Auto-backup — schedule automatic backups at 1, 4, 8, 16, or 24-hour intervals
- Save on Stop — optionally saves the world before stopping the server
- Scheduled daily restart — set a time; manager restarts the server automatically
- Auto-restart on crash — watchdog detects unexpected exits and relaunches automatically
- Player history — persistent log of who joined and left
- Invite code share — copies a ready-to-send message to clipboard
- Self-updater — checks GitHub for new versions and updates in-place
- Install wizard — 5-step setup that auto-detects Windrose in your Steam library and installs the dedicated server
- Patch notes — built-in version history viewable from the Tools tab
- Windows 10 or Windows 11
- PowerShell 5.1 (built into Windows — no install needed)
- .NET Framework 4.5 or later (pre-installed on Windows 10+)
- Windrose owned and installed via Steam (App ID 3041230)
The dedicated server files are bundled inside the Windrose game install. You do not need a separate dedicated server download.
- Install Windrose from Steam and let it fully download.
- Download this repository — click Code > Download ZIP on GitHub and extract it, or clone it:
git clone https://github.com/psbrowand/Windrose-Server-Manager.git "C:\Game-Servers\Windrose" - Run
Launch.vbs— double-click it. The app opens with no terminal windows. The app opens to the Install tab automatically. - Click Auto-Detect to find your Windrose Steam installation.
- Click Install Server — the server files (~2.8 GB) are copied to the manager folder.
- Switch to the Dashboard tab and click Start.
If you already set up a Windrose server in this folder, just run Launch.vbs and you are ready to go.
| Tab | What it does |
|---|---|
| Dashboard | Live stats, player list, auto-restart toggle, save-on-stop option |
| Config | Edit ServerDescription.json and WorldDescription.json via form fields and sliders |
| Log | Live-tailing server log with color coding and filters (All / Players / Warnings / Errors) |
| Console | Send console commands to the running server, with quick-access buttons and live output |
| Tools | Manual and auto backup, scheduled restart, restart countdown, player history, patch notes |
| Update | Check for new versions and update the manager from GitHub |
| Install | 5-step wizard to detect and copy server files from your Steam installation |
From the Console tab you can type Windrose server commands and send them to the running server. Quick-access buttons are provided for the most common commands:
| Button / Command | Effect |
|---|---|
save world |
Force-saves the world |
list players |
Prints connected players to the log |
logs |
Shows server log output |
quit |
Gracefully shuts down the server |
kick <name> |
Kicks a player by name |
ban <name> |
Bans a player by name |
reload world |
Reloads WorldDescription.json |
debug on / debug off |
Toggles debug output |
You can also right-click a player in the Dashboard player list to kick or ban them directly.
Commands are delivered to the server via Win32 console input injection. The server must be started from the manager for this to work.
The manager edits these files on your behalf (always stops the server first):
| File | Location | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
ServerDescription.json |
R5\ |
Server name, max players, password, invite code |
WorldDescription.json |
R5\Saved\SaveProfiles\...\Worlds\<id>\ |
Difficulty preset and all gameplay multipliers |
The server rewrites these files on exit. Always use the Stop button (not killing the process) to ensure a clean save.
Click Backup Saves Now in the Tools tab to create a timestamped .zip of your entire world save. Backups are stored in the Backups\ folder.
Auto-backup: Enable the "Auto-backup every" checkbox and select an interval (1, 4, 8, 16, or 24 hours). The next scheduled backup time is displayed below the controls. Auto-backups run as long as the manager window is open.
Restore: Stop the server, extract a backup zip over R5\Saved\SaveProfiles\, and restart.
For players outside your local network to connect, forward these ports on your router:
| Protocol | Port |
|---|---|
| UDP | 7777 |
| UDP | 7778 |
Players join via Play > Connect to Server in Windrose, using the invite code shown in the manager header.
In the Tools tab, enable the scheduled restart and enter a time in HH:mm 24-hour format (e.g. 04:00). The manager will automatically restart the server at that time once per day, respecting the restart countdown warning you configured.
The manager window must be open for scheduled restarts to fire.
Windrose-Server-Manager\
├── Launch.vbs <- Double-click to open the manager (no terminal window)
├── Launch.bat <- Use this for debugging (shows errors in console)
├── Windrose-Server-Manager.ps1 <- Main application
├── README.md
├── Backups\ <- World backup zips (created on first backup)
├── player_history.txt <- Running player join/leave log
├── R5\
│ ├── ServerDescription.json <- Server config (managed by app)
│ └── Saved\
│ ├── Logs\R5.log <- Live server log (read by Log tab)
│ └── SaveProfiles\ <- World save data (backed up by Tools tab)
├── Engine\ <- UE5 engine files (copied from Steam)
└── WindroseServer.exe <- Server launcher (copied from Steam)
Manager window closes immediately
Run Launch.bat from a Command Prompt to see the error (use this instead of Launch.vbs when debugging). Common causes: PowerShell execution policy, missing .NET Framework.
CPU shows 0% / RAM shows very low This resolves after the first 3-second watchdog cycle. The stats compare two snapshots apart to calculate CPU usage.
Invite code shows "loading..."
The server takes ~30-60 seconds to register with Windrose's backend after launch. The code auto-populates once ready and can also be found in R5\ServerDescription.json.
Console commands not working The server must be started from the manager for console command injection to work. If you started the server externally, stop it and relaunch from the manager's Dashboard tab.
Players can't connect from outside your network
Confirm UDP 7777 and 7778 are forwarded on your router and that Windows Firewall allows WindroseServer-Win64-Shipping.exe through.
Issues and pull requests welcome. Please open an issue before starting significant work.
MIT — see LICENSE for details.