Core Keeper is different from most games we host. Players do not type an IP address. They paste a Game ID, and the game finds the server through a relay.
1. Start the server and read the console
- Open your server in the Game Panel at https://panel.playnhost.com and click Start.
- Watch the Console. Once the world has loaded, the server prints its Game ID.
- Copy that string exactly. It is long and case sensitive.
The Game ID is also stored in ServerConfig.json, so you can read it from the Files tab without waiting for a restart.
2. Join from the game
- Launch Core Keeper.
- Choose Join Game from the main menu.
- Paste the Game ID into the field.
- Click join and wait. The first connection takes a few seconds while the relay links you up.
3. What to give your friends
- The Game ID, pasted rather than typed. It is long enough that a typo is likely.
- Nothing else. There is no port to forward and no IP to share.
4. If nobody can join
- Check the server is fully started. The Game ID is only valid while the server is running.
- Confirm the Game ID has not changed. If it was regenerated, everybody needs the new one. See the settings guide in this category for how to pin it.
- Check the player limit in
ServerConfig.json. - Make sure everyone is on the same game version, and restart the server after a game update so it updates too.
Open a ticket from Support in the Client Area with the Game ID and the console output if players still cannot connect.





