Official Unofficial Dedicated Server Setup Guide [WIP]

[fatguy1121]

Hard work, mind numbing formatting, and dedication pay off.

You will need:

• At least 6Gb of RAM
  
• Understanding and knowledge of port forwarding
  
• Notepad++ or similar Text editor

Windows

[NEW METHOD]
Step 1: Download SteamCMD

1. Download SteamCMD
   
2. Extract the zip to its own directory somewhere it wont get deleted (you need it around forever)

Step 2: Downloading The Server
The following batch script will automatically download, update, run and restart your server if a crash is detected.

1. Create a batch file anywhere and name it anything
   
2. Insert the following code[pastebin.com]
   
3. Configure the batch script in the configuration area at the top.
   
4. Run the batch script

Step 3: Configure the Server

• Close the batch window, and end the server process in Task Manager
  
• Navigate to $Server_Dir$\Citadel\Saved\Config\WindowsServer

Step 1 is not necessary if you intend to leave the server port default, but included for those who wish to modify it. Any parts that are not modified will be deleted when you run the server.

1. Paste This into engine.ini code[pastebin.com] mind formatting.
   
2. Paste This into game.ini code[pastebin.com] mind formatting, blankspaces, and order. ^Edited May 25th 2020^
   
3. Edit your .ini parameters to your liking, all values less than 1 need to be floating point with a leading zero. eg, "0.1" here[pastebin.com] is an explanation of the above variables
   
4. Make sure your port listed in Part 1 matches the "ConnectionPort in Part 2 if you edited them
   
5. Save and close .ini files.

Step 4: Start the Server

1. Execute the batch file again, and the server will automatically check for updates, and continue loading. If the server crashes, or the process gets terminated, the batch file will check for updates before automatically starting it again. As a safety measure, I have implemented a check to make sure the server process isn't already running. If you run the batch without closing the server executable, it will automatically be forcefully terminated before checking for updates and restarting.

Step 5: Port Forwarding
This step is mandatory, without it your server will not have access to the internet, and nobody will be able to connect or see it in the server browser. You need to Google a guide on how to port forward if you do not already know how. Sometimes UPnP is able to open the ports automatically, but not always. If you intend to play on LAN, then you can skip this step.

1. Open ports 7777,27015 (default unless changed) to UDP traffic

Note: If after properly port forwarding, you still cannot see your server in the browser, you may want to run the Server Executable with the -log parameter to verify that it successfully bound to the ports you defined. -log will prevent any sort of automatic crash restarting, and is not recommended for long term use.

[OLD METHOD]
Guide available here courtesy of fatguy1121
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1398231378

Linux

[NEW METHOD]
Guide available here courtesy of Morggin
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1397348707
[OLD METHOD]
Guide available here courtesy of frayCORE
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1542342464

Useful Information

• Your server saves are located in <WorkingDirectory>\Citadel\Saved\SaveGames The files are stored by SteamID64
  
• It is always a good idea to start your server executable as an admin.
  
• Your server will stay running in Task Manager indefinitely if you don't close it, as well as Start.bat

Common Problems

Q: I can't see my server in the server browser.
A: Can you see it in the LAN browser? If so, it is because you are running the server on your same network, this is normal; Verify that other people can see it.
A: Can other people see it in the browser? If not, there was a problem with your port forwarding, and the traffic is blocked to the ports you specified. Go back to Step 5.

Q: I can see my server in the server browser, but I can’t click the join button
A: You did not define the same port in engine.ini as you did in game.ini

Q: My .ini files are missing parts after I know I pasted them correctly.
A: If you did not modify parts of your .ini file they will be deleted, this is normal.

Q: Can you help me Port Forward?
A: If you don't take steps on your own to learn it first, nobody will want to help you. Instead of asking how to port forward, ask about what step of the process you are stuck at.

Q: People freeze or crash while trying to connect to my server, can I fix it?
A: Yes and No, follow this guide

Q: NPC's stopped attacking, how do I fix it?
A; See this guide

Admin Quick Links

Admin Commands
Item and NPC List

[Kitty]

Thanks for this guide it was very useful for someone like me who has no idea what they are doing and it works perfectly! I was just wondering if it is possible for my friend to host our server when I am sleeping so he doesn't have to rely on me to start it up since we are opposite timezones? I don't know how these things work.

[Eximius]

I'm totally lost here. I got everything setup fine, the server starts but when I try to connect it just says Error your connection to the server has been lost.

I've hosted an ARK server and a Conan server for a very long time and never had problems with those.

[Rasql]

Publicado originalmente por Sulvix:

I'm totally lost here. I got everything setup fine, the server starts but when I try to connect it just says Error your connection to the server has been lost.

I've hosted an ARK server and a Conan server for a very long time and never had problems with those.

Try removing these lines from your game.ini file, it fixed the same error for me

[/script/citadel.socialmanager]
WhiteList=OPTIONALSteamIdToWhitelist1
WhiteList=OPTIONALSteamIdToWhitelist2
AdminSteamIDs=OPTIONALSteamIdToPermaAdmin1
AdminSteamIDs=OPTIONALSteamIdToPermaAdmin2

[freewaresucks]

Hello, got this im sure this only points to steam so making your own server will only show up on PC, can this be changed show it shows up on xbox or PS4?

[Morggin]

These might actually work if you change after = to YOUR a real steam ID64 or the players steam ID64 in WhiteList

[/script/citadel.socialmanager]
WhiteList=76561197983655421
WhiteList=76561197983369787
AdminSteamIDs=76561197986345742
AdminSteamIDs=76561197983449742

[Laura]

There is now the option for hosts to configure what level players begin at.
Add [/script/citadel.citadelgameinstance]
AutoLevelNewPlayers=-1 in game.ini set -1 to whatever you want players to be levelled and if they are less than that number, they'll be auto levelled.

[fatguy1121]

Publicado originalmente por Laura:

There is now the option for hosts to configure what level players begin at.
Add [/script/citadel.citadelgameinstance]
AutoLevelNewPlayers=-1 in game.ini set -1 to whatever you want players to be levelled and if they are less than that number, they'll be auto levelled.

Go ahead and DM me a new pastebin link with all the options and I will update the guide.

[Sorwen]

I get "Windows cannot find 'CitadelServer-Win64-Shipping.exe'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again. The only thing I changed was the path as requited and the file is there.

Edit: If I run it directly, instead of the bat file, it works.

[Dez]

Hey this is an awesome setup guide. I was wondering though, i have my own server through G-Portal, and i have access to all the files etc. However i would like to add customised messages for the server, for example. "This server restarts every 6 hours" or "Welcome to the server, be sure to read the rules". I cannot find anything online to explain how to do this. Anyone able to help out with this? :)

[Sorwen]

After the update my server will not run again. CitadelServer-Win64-Shipping.exe is missing and CitadelServer.exe gives me a message saying it can't find xinput1_3.dll. If I copy that from my steam folder it then says that it wasn't able to start correctly.

[Tensha]

the first day all works fine but now i cant see my server listed on internet list.

I have noticed my file .ini (engine.ini expecially, with port configuration) return empy every times i start my server (with bat file or exe).

Any Advice?Thanks

[76561199004522963]

set SteamCMD_Dir=D:\Launcher\steamcmd\
rem ^ Location to dirctory containing steamcmd.exe ^
set Server_Dir=D:\Launcher\Server Citadel
rem ^ Location to directory that the Citadel Server will be installed in ^
set Executable_Dir=D:\Launcher\Server Citadel\Citadel\Binaries\Win64
rem ^ Location to directory containing the following executable ^
set Server_Executable=CitadelServer-Win64-Shipping.exe

Correct? i have error not found citadelserver-win64-shipping.exe

[76561199004522963]

set Executable_Dir=D:\Launcher\server2\Citadel\Binaries\Win64
rem ^ Location to directory containing the following executable ^
set Server_Executable=CitadelServer-Win64-Shipping.exe <--- need change? or what? plz example

[Gaxon]

Publicado originalmente por BIkkost:

set Executable_Dir=D:\Launcher\server2\Citadel\Binaries\Win64
rem ^ Location to directory containing the following executable ^
set Server_Executable=CitadelServer-Win64-Shipping.exe <--- need change? or what? plz example

Have you checked the file name in the directory? It may have changed.

[nanaki]

Ok so tried the guide several times. On running the .bat for the second time after it copies every thing i do the edits etc it acts like it started says to check task manager so i do and nothing shows up. Once i close the .bat cmd windows citadel shows up how ever nothing shows up in the game browser Don't know if that makes sense but it is driving me a little batty at this point.