Where Worlds Live

Each world is a folder under:

R5/Saved/SaveProfiles/Default/RocksDB/<game version>/Worlds/<world id>/

The folder name is the world's IslandId (a long hex string). Inside each folder you will find that world's WorldDescription.json along with the actual save data.

Never rename a world folder manually. The Windrose database strictly relies on the generated folder names. If you rename a folder, the server will fail to load the world and you may corrupt the save.

Creating a New World

You can create a fresh world while keeping any existing ones intact.

1. Stop the server.
2. Open R5/ServerDescription.json.
3. Clear or replace WorldIslandId with an empty string: ``json "WorldIslandId": "", ``
4. Save.
5. Start the server. On boot, Windrose generates a new world with a new ID.
6. Note the new ID from the server log or from the new folder appearing in Worlds/.
7. Stop the server, set WorldIslandId to the new ID if you want to make the new world the default, and start again.

The newly generated world inherits default difficulty settings. To customize it, follow World Settings once you can find its folder.

Switching to an Existing World

If you have multiple worlds and want to swap which one is active:

1. Stop the server.
2. Browse R5/Saved/SaveProfiles/Default/RocksDB/<version>/Worlds/ in the File Manager to see your worlds. Each folder name is its IslandId.
3. Open R5/ServerDescription.json.
4. Set WorldIslandId to the target world's folder name (without quotes around the ID inside the value, but with quotes around the whole string as JSON requires): ``json "WorldIslandId": "FEDCBA9876543210", ``
5. Save.
6. Start the server.

The previously active world is preserved untouched in its folder. You can switch back any time by reversing the process.

This is useful for:

• Running a vanilla world for casuals and a hardcore world for the main crew
• Keeping a "summer event" world separate from your main campaign
• Testing config changes on a sandbox world before applying to the main one

Uploading a Local Save to the Server

If you started a world in singleplayer or co-op locally and want to move it to the dedicated server:

Step 1: Find Your Local Save

On Windows, local saves live at a path similar to:

%LocalAppData%\R5\Saved\SaveProfiles\<profile>\RocksDB\<version>\Worlds\<world id>\

The exact path depends on the Windrose version and which game launcher you use (Steam, EGS, Stove). You can confirm by checking the path Windrose writes saves to inside its game settings.

The world folder you want is named after a long hex ID (the IslandId). Inside you will find WorldDescription.json plus other save data files.

Step 2: Stop the Server

Stop the dedicated server first. Uploading to a running server can corrupt the save.

Step 3: Upload the World Folder

Connect to your server via SFTP (see the general SFTP guide). Navigate to:

R5/Saved/SaveProfiles/Default/RocksDB/<version>/Worlds/

Upload the entire world folder (the folder named with the hex ID). The folder structure on the server should mirror your local layout.

Make sure the version folder on the server matches your local version folder. If they differ, your local save was from a different game build; consider updating both server and client to the same version first.

Step 4: Point the Server at the Uploaded World

1. Open R5/ServerDescription.json on the server.
2. Set WorldIslandId to match the folder name of the uploaded world.
3. Save.

Step 5: Confirm the World's Internal ID Matches

Open the uploaded WorldDescription.json (inside the world folder). Confirm its IslandId field matches the folder name and matches what you just set as WorldIslandId. All three must agree, or the server will fail to load.

Step 6: Start the Server

Hit Start. Watch the Console for Loaded world ... followed by the world ID you just uploaded. Players can now connect and they will see your migrated world.

Migrating a Save From Another Server

If you are moving from another hosting provider to us (or vice versa), the procedure is identical to uploading a local save. Download the world folder from the source via SFTP, then upload to the new server's Worlds/ directory and update the IDs to match.

The PersistentServerId in ServerDescription.json will be different on each server, and that is fine. You only need to keep the world ID consistent.

Cleaning Up Old Worlds

To delete a world you no longer need:

1. Take a backup first
   through the panel Backups tab. World deletion is permanent.
2. Stop the server.
3. Make sure the world you want to delete is not the currently active one. Switch to a different world first if needed.
4. In the File Manager, delete the world folder under Worlds/<world id>/.
5. Start the server.

The world is gone. You cannot recover it without a backup.

Common Issues

• "World not found" on boot: WorldIslandId in ServerDescription.json does not match any folder under Worlds/. Either the ID is mistyped or the folder was renamed.
• World loads but the difficulty settings are wrong: You uploaded the world folder but the WorldDescription.json inside still references old IDs from the source server. Open it and confirm IslandId matches the folder name.
• Uploaded save loads as a fresh world: The version folder mismatch. Your save was from a different Windrose game version. Verify both your local game and the server are on the same version, then re-upload to the correct version folder.
• Server creates a new world every boot: WorldIslandId is empty or invalid. Each empty boot generates a fresh world. Set it to a valid existing world ID.
• Cannot find my local save folder: Windrose stores saves differently across launchers. Check Windrose's in-game settings for the exact save path, or search your system for RocksDB.

What to Read Next

• World Settings for customizing the gameplay rules inside each world
• Updates and Maintenance for backup procedures that protect against accidental world loss
• Server Configuration for the ServerDescription.json settings that select which world is active