RedM is the Cfx.re platform for Red Dead Redemption 2: the same team and much of the same server technology as FiveM, pointed at the Wild West instead of Los Santos. Its community is smaller than FiveM’s, but the requirements are just as real. A RedM roleplay server is a server runtime, a set of resources, a framework and a database working together. This guide covers how the server works, how much memory it needs, which framework to build on, and how to keep it stable, then explains how we set one up for you on GGHOST Cloud.
How a RedM server works
RedM runs on FXServer, the same server software FiveM uses. What makes it a RedM server is one setting: the game name must be rdr3, set with set gamename rdr3 in server.cfg or passed as a startup argument. If it is missing, players see a client/server game mismatch error.
Everything players interact with is a resource: a folder with a manifest and scripts in Lua, JavaScript or C#. Horses, stables, jobs, shops, maps and the framework itself are all resources. The server reads server.cfg from top to bottom at start-up and starts each resource you list with an ensure line, so the order of those lines matters.
Two more pieces you will use every day:
- The licence key. RedM servers need a free key from the Cfx.re Portal, set as
sv_licenseKeyinserver.cfgor entered in txAdmin. - txAdmin. The web panel that ships with FXServer. It deploys servers from recipes, schedules restarts, shows a live console and handles kicks, warnings and bans.
How much RAM does a RedM server need?
Memory on RedM is driven by the resource stack and any custom assets you stream, more than by the number of players. These are the figures we size real servers at:
- Up to 32 players: 8 GB.
- 32+ players: 16 GB. A full framework and database.
A heavily scripted server with lots of custom maps and clothing can need the larger size at lower player counts. Check the memory graph at your busiest time; if it regularly passes about 80%, size up.
On GGHOST Cloud you pay for memory, not player slots.
sv_maxclientsis a setting you choose, not something we bill per head.
Frameworks and the database
A framework gives your scripts a shared base: characters, money, jobs, inventories and permissions. Most RedM resources are written for one framework, so choose based on the scripts you want to run.
VORP
The most established RedM framework, with a modular core and a wide set of add-on resources for inventory, crafting, jobs and more. It is commonly available as a txAdmin recipe, which makes a fresh install straightforward.
RSG
A newer framework derived from QBCore and adapted for RedM. It appeals to developers who already know QBCore’s structure, though its documentation is thinner than VORP’s, so expect to read the code at times.
RedEM:RP
An older roleplay framework that some servers still run. If you are migrating an existing RedEM:RP server, we can host it as it is.
Standalone
A server without a framework works well for freeroam, racing or events where no one needs a persistent character.
All three roleplay frameworks store their data in MySQL or MariaDB. On our Pterodactyl panel you have database access next to the server, so the framework and its data live together, and you import each resource’s .sql file before you start it.
Performance tips for RedM
- Profile first. The
resmontool in the client console shows which resources use the most time each tick. One badly written script is often behind most of the stutter players notice. - Avoid tight loops. Scripts that run every frame with no wait, or hit the database constantly, slow everything else down.
- Be selective with assets. Custom maps, interiors and clothing all add to what the server streams and what players download on join.
- Keep queries lean. Roleplay databases grow quickly. Slow queries show up as delays when players load characters or open inventories.
- Restart daily. A scheduled restart, with an in-game warning beforehand, clears out leaks from long-running scripts. Set it in txAdmin or as a scheduled task in our panel.
Adding resources safely
Put each resource in the resources folder through the panel’s file manager or over SFTP, add an ensure line in server.cfg, and restart. Then check the console for errors.
- Match the framework. A VORP resource will not run on RSG without changes, and the reverse is also true.
- Ensure dependencies first. The database connector and framework core must start before the scripts that rely on them.
- Run the SQL. Import any
.sqlfile a resource ships with before you start it. - Use trusted sources. Leaked copies of paid scripts are a common way for backdoors to reach a server.
- Remember it is RedM. Scripts written for FiveM call GTA V game functions and usually need porting before they work here.
Backups: files and database together
Your server is two things: the files (resources, server.cfg, txAdmin data) and the database that holds every character, horse and gold balance. Back up both.
On GGHOST Cloud, backups run on a schedule you set and restore from the panel without a ticket. Before any framework update, artifact upgrade or large resource change, take a manual backup and export the database. If you are moving from another host, bring your resources, server.cfg and a database dump, and we can bring the server back on the same data.
Getting your RedM server on GGHOST Cloud
RedM is set up on request at the moment, rather than ordered through checkout.
- Ask us on Discord (or open a ticket) with the framework, resources and player count you need, plus anything you are migrating.
- We size it and quote a monthly price, starting from the sizing above and adjusting for your stack.
- We set it up on our Pterodactyl panel, usually within a few days, in the region nearest your players. Singapore and Europe (France–Germany border) are live today; the United States (East, Central and West), the United Kingdom, India, Japan and Australia are available on demand.
- Add your licence key and connect. Your server address and port are shown in the panel.
You then have the full panel: live console, file manager, SFTP, scheduled tasks for restarts and announcements, sub-users for your staff, and database access. Every node is behind DDoS protection from our network providers, on every plan, and you can change the server build, artifact version or startup flags from the panel and restart. There is no setup fee and no contract; billing is at app.gghost.cloud, and support comes from the people who run the servers, on Discord and at hello@gghost.cloud.
The short version
Set the game name to rdr3, add a free licence key, manage the server through txAdmin, and choose a framework (VORP is the most established) based on the scripts you want. Start at 8 GB for up to 32 players and 16 GB for a full roleplay stack, profile before adding memory, and back up files and database before every big change.
