Are you struggling to get your multiplayer game of Grounded to show up in the server lobby, especially when trying to play with friends? You’re not alone! Many players have encountered an issue where their game session is simply invisible in the lobby list, making it impossible for friends to join through the server browser. This problem often surfaces when using the “Allow only friends” setting. If you’re finding yourself in this frustrating situation, preventing you and your friends from diving into the backyard wilderness together, we have a simple workaround that has proven effective.
The Problem: “Allow only friends” Setting Blocks Lobby Visibility and Invites
Through player testing, it has become clear that the “Allow only friends” setting in Grounded is currently bugged and can prevent your server from appearing in the public lobby. This setting, intended to restrict access to your game to only those on your friends list, inadvertently blocks the game from being listed altogether. Furthermore, when this setting is enabled, even direct game invites may fail to connect, leaving you and your friends unable to join each other’s sessions.
To illustrate the issue and confirm the solution, here’s a breakdown of tests conducted by players:
Step-by-Step Testing and Solution
Here’s a detailed look at the tests performed to pinpoint the issue and verify the fix:
Test 1: “Allow only friends” – OFF, Password – ON (Successful)
In the first test, the host set the “Allow only friends” option to OFF and enabled a password for the server. Upon starting the game, the server immediately appeared in the lobby list. The friend was able to easily find the game, enter the password, and join without any issues. Even after exiting and trying a direct invite, the invite system worked perfectly. This confirmed that when “Allow only friends” is off, both lobby visibility and invites function as expected.
Test 2: “Allow only friends” – ON, Password – ON (Failed)
For the second test, the host switched the “Allow only friends” setting to ON, while still keeping the password enabled. After starting the game, the server did not appear in the lobby list. When the host attempted to send a game invite, it also failed, displaying a “No connection could be established to the multiplayer game” error. This clearly indicated that with “Allow only friends” activated, joining becomes problematic.
Test 2a: Changing Setting In-Game – OFF (Successful)
While remaining in the problematic game session from Test 2, the host changed the “Allow only friends” setting to OFF directly within the game menu. Remarkably, without restarting the server, the game immediately appeared in the lobby list. The friend, refreshing the lobby, could now see and join the game. Invites also started working again after this setting change.
Test 2b: Changing Setting In-Game – ON (Failed)
Following the success of Test 2a, the host, still in-game, switched the “Allow only friends” setting back to ON. Instantly, the game disappeared from the lobby list again, and invites ceased to function. This further solidified the conclusion that the “Allow only friends” setting is the root cause of the lobby and invite issues.
Conclusion and Workaround
The tests unequivocally demonstrate that the “Allow only friends” setting is the culprit when your Grounded server lobby won’t load for friends. The simple solution and current workaround is to always leave the “Allow only friends” setting OFF. If you wish to restrict access, utilize a password instead. This will ensure your game appears in the server lobby and that invites function correctly, allowing your friends to join your Grounded adventure.
While it might seem counterintuitive, disabling “Allow only friends” is the key to playing with your friends right now. Hopefully, the developers will address this bug in a future update, allowing the “Allow only friends” setting to function as intended without disrupting lobby visibility and invites.
Additional Observation: Password Saving
One interesting side note discovered during testing is that Grounded appears to save the server password between sessions for what seems to be the “same game.” The exact definition of “same game” is still unclear, but it seems to persist even if the server name is changed, suggesting it might be tied to the game save file itself. This can be a helpful feature to be aware of when setting up password-protected servers for your regular group of friends.
For now, if you are experiencing issues with your Grounded server lobby not loading and preventing friends from joining, make sure the “Allow only friends” setting is turned off. Let us know in the comments if this workaround resolves your problem and gets you back to exploring the backyard!
