Originally posted by Sunny:

Originally posted by SoloQGames:

i guess you can't just start a server, you have to be online for the server to work or buy a dedicated one. seems janky

You CAN set one up on your own, the tools are provided to do so. Most folks don't have the knowledge, though. You only have to buy it if you don't want to bother hosting it yourself. Not through the game, but an actual separate dedicated server running on your own hardware and connected to the internet.

Yes, if you want to play with your friends, you have to either A: host it, or B: host it by renting a server, or C: host it by setting up your own server (not through the in game interface, that's option A).

Your lack of understanding does not jank make. The world has to be running for people to connect to it. That is universally applicable to any game like this that I can think of. Even Grounded's shared save system requires somebody to be hosting the game while it's played.

Your starting point: go to your library, and search 'valheim dedicated server'. That is what you want, for hosting a persistent world on your own without having to rent a server. I do not have the capacity to help you from that point though, it's too frustrating and I'm not getting paid.

actually i understand completely, I have to rent a server via a third party and play an overpriced subscription for a service most single player games would already provide JUST so i can do something as simple as a co-op experience because the studio behind this game is either to incompetent or money hungry to provide the service itself.
I don't have a spare computer sitting around to just run servers off of so slaving my hardware to this single game so my friends can play is just insanely stupid and paying 10-15 dollars a month for a game i already paid for is basically just a monthly subscription. the reason i gave a short and sweet explanation before is because the sheer stupidity behind this concept in general wasn't worth a detailed explanation.
it's stupid, i shouldn't have to subscribe to a third party or sacrifice a computer just to enjoy a co-op experience with a single other friend. I'm not even talking multiple players, just one other. it's a sorry situation created by a sorry publisher.