TheGameHosting Team
To add a custom map to a Rust server, upload the .map file to a public site as a direct download link, then add +server.levelurl <your link> to the start options and remove +server.worldsize and +server.seed. Wipe the old map files and restart. The server downloads the map and players download it from your link.
What is a custom map in Rust?
A normal Rust server generates a procedural map from a seed and a size. A custom map is a pre-built map saved as a .map file. Facepunch's map data page describes custom maps as "essentially a pre-generated map, which is downloaded from an URL rather than being generated based on certain values."
People make them with a map editor. Facepunch lists two on its map editors page: RustEdit, a standalone editor, and Rust Map Editor, an open-source editor for Unity. You can also download maps other people have made. Check the license of any map you did not make.
What you need
- A
.mapfile. Procedural maps are 1000 to 6000 in size, and the RustEdit docs say Rust supports maps up to 6000 m. - A place to host it. Players download the map from your link, not from your server.
- A backup of your current server, because you are about to remove the old map.
- Enough RAM. Big, detailed maps use more memory. See Rust server requirements.
Step 1: host the map file on a direct link
This is the step that goes wrong most often. Facepunch's hosting a custom map page sets the rules:
- The file must be on a public site that works 24/7, because new players download the map from that URL.
- It must be a direct download link. Open it in your browser: if the download starts by itself, it is direct. If it opens a page where you have to click something, the server will throw an error.
- Most file hosts no longer give free direct links. Facepunch says uploading it as a public GitHub release works.
- If the link stops working, players who have not downloaded the map yet cannot join.
The Facepunch FAQ also warns that a Discord message link, or a Dropbox link without dl=1 at the end, is a bad link.
Step 2: wipe the old map
The new map replaces the old one, and the old saves no longer match. Make a backup first, stop the server, and delete the old .map and .sav files from your identity folder. How to wipe a Rust server lists the exact files and keeps your cfg folder safe.
Step 3: set the map link in your start options
Facepunch says the most important parameter for a custom map is +server.levelurl. The server reads the link and starts downloading the map. Add it to your start command, and take out the procedural settings:
+server.levelurl "https://example.com/maps/my-cool-map-v1.map"Remove +server.worldsize and +server.seed from the same command, since they only apply to procedural maps. Keep your other options, such as +server.identity, the ports and +rcon.password.
In our panel, open Startup to find the start command. If you cannot find where the map link goes, ask our support team in live chat. They answer 24/7.
Step 4: start the server and join
- Start the server and watch the console. It downloads the map, then loads it.
- Wait for the load to finish. Large maps take longer.
- Join the server and check that the monuments, roads and any custom features are in place.
- Take a backup once it works.
Does your map need the RustEdit extension?
Some maps use extra data that vanilla Rust ignores, such as custom puzzles, loot tables or vending machines. The RustEdit 2 documentation says a server needs the RustEdit extension when:
- you exported the map with In RustEdit data,
- the map is larger than 6000 m, or
- players should send player reports.
It also says a map exported with In the map and at most 6000 m wide runs on any server. Without the extension, the server still loads the map, but the game entities are not spawned and the rest of the RustEdit data is not used.
The extension is Oxide.Ext.RustEdit.dll. Its GitHub page says you need Oxide installed, and that you copy the file to RustDedicated_Data/Managed in the server root and restart. See how to install Oxide on a Rust server. The Carbon documentation does not say whether the extension works with Carbon, so test it first on a day with no players.
If the map is encrypted, the author's docs say the server needs a key, set as rustedit.key "your key" in server.cfg or as a start option.
Fixing custom map problems
These come from Facepunch's FAQ and troubleshooting page:
| Problem | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "World cache version mismatch" or "World File Outdated" | A player has an older file with the same name on their PC | Give every new version of the map a new, unique file name |
| "Couldn't Download Level" | The link is not a direct download | Check the link in a browser, or use a GitHub release |
| The server freezes while loading | The map has no access to the ocean | Add ocean area to the map, or set baseboat.generate_paths false and cargoship.event_enabled false |
| A NullReferenceException on start | The map has a broken prefab | Remove or replace the prefab in the editor |
| "LoadPrefab - should start with assets/" | A removed prefab is still used | Remove it from the map in the editor |
When you update a map mid-wipe, do not rename the old file. The FAQ says that causes a "World File Mismatch" or "World cache checksum mismatch" error for clients. Upload the new file under a new name and a new link, and delete both old and new .map files on the server before the restart.
FAQ
What is the +server.levelurl option in Rust?
It is the start option that tells the server where to download a custom map from. Facepunch says the server reads the link and starts downloading the map, and that you should remove +server.worldsize and +server.seed.
Where do I host my Rust custom map?
On a public site that is online 24/7 and gives a direct download link. Facepunch says uploading it as a public GitHub release works. Players download the map from that link.
Do players need to download the map?
Yes. New players download it from your link when they join, so keep the link alive for as long as you run the map.
Why do players get a world cache mismatch error?
They have an older map with the same file name. Name each new version of your map something you have never used before.
Can I run a custom map on a hosted Rust server?
Yes. Our Rust servers accept a custom map file or a procedural map with your own seed and size. Bigger maps need more RAM and take longer to generate.
Hosting for this game
Written by TheGameHosting Team, the people who run our servers in Dallas and Amsterdam and answer your tickets.
All posts