How to Host a ReSkate Dedicated Server

A ReSkate dedicated server keeps a session online independently of any player, which is what you want for a community park that is always open or a private map rotation for your crew. The server software ships with every ReSkate release as a separate package, ReSkateServer, in Windows and Linux flavors. This guide covers when a dedicated server is worth running, how to set one up, and how skaters connect.

Do you actually need a dedicated server?

For most players, no. ReSkate multiplayer works peer-to-peer: open a lobby from the in-game Insert menu, share it with friends, skate. A dedicated server earns its keep in three cases. First, persistence: a park that stays up when the host logs off. Second, community: a known address your group can drop into any time. Third, heavy maps: large custom parks run smoother when the session is not riding on one player's home connection. If none of those apply, start with the multiplayer guide and revisit servers later.

Getting the ReSkate server package

The server comes from the same place as the launcher: the Releases page of Dingo-Shenanigans/ReSkate on GitHub. Each release lists:

• ReSkateLauncher.exe and ReSkate.dll for players.
• ReSkateServer-<version>.zip for Windows hosts.
• ReSkateServer-Linux-<version>.tar.gz for Linux hosts.
• launcher.json, the version manifest the components read.

Grab the server archive matching your host OS and keep the version in sync with the ReSkate release your players run; a server a version behind is the usual cause of join failures that look like network problems.

Setting up on Windows

1. Make a folder for the server outside your game directory, for example C:\ReSkateServer.
2. Unzip ReSkateServer-<version>.zip into it.
3. Open the port the config names (the packaged config shows the default) through Windows Firewall.
4. Run the server executable. It prints a session address and status to its console window.
5. Share that address with your skaters; they join from the ReSkate in-game menu.

For a server that survives reboots, wrap step 4 in Task Scheduler or run it as a service with a tool like NSSM. Nothing else is required; the server does not need skate. or Steam installed.

Setting up on Linux

The Linux build targets a VPS or home server without a desktop:

mkdir ~/reskate-server && cd ~/reskate-server
tar xzf ReSkateServer-Linux-<version>.tar.gz
./reskate-server

Open the session port in your firewall (ufw allow <port> on Ubuntu, plus the equivalent rule in your VPS provider's panel), and the console prints the address players use. To keep it alive across logouts, run it under tmux or systemd. One to two CPU cores and 1 to 2 GB of RAM carry a friends-group server; budget more for public servers running large custom maps.

Managing sessions and fixing joins

Two rules prevent most server trouble. Keep versions aligned: server, launcher, and game builds move together, and the updates page tracks when a new release lands. Restart the server after map or mod changes so sessions pick them up cleanly. When a player cannot join, check version mismatch first, the open port second, and only then look at troubleshooting for client-side errors.

FAQ

• Do I need a dedicated server for multiplayer? No; peer-to-peer lobbies cover casual play.
• Can a ReSkate server run on Linux? Yes, headless, from the release tar.gz.
• What hardware do I need? 1-2 cores and 1-2 GB RAM for a friends server; more for public heavy-map servers.