HELLION Dedicated Server HOW-TO

[mas1701]

Instructions for solo/private/local server (availible NOW!)

About 2 hours after HELLIION's initial release, I didn't have the game, but I had the server up and running on my own machine. (Got the game one day later, though.)

Here is what I found out and how I did it!

First of all, some general information:

• HELLION is multi-player ONLY, however, it doesn't prevent you from playing solo as the only active player on a server. There is really no need to demand single-player or local LAN servers, as this is already possible by running a server on your owm - protected from outsiders.
  
• There are 3 kind of servers availible NOW for HELLION: public servers, private (rented) servers from game server providers and self-maintained dedicated servers (to run on your own hardware)
  
• Originally, self-maintained servers were not planned by Zero Gravity for the initial early-access release of HELLION, but they changed their mind after getting some messages from players urgently requesting that feature, including one from myself. ;-)
  
• At this point, I'd like to say Thanks You! to Miroslav Mićević of Zero Gravity. He's the one who responded to my e-mail, promising to mention my e-mail and my arguments pro self-hosted servers at the next internal meeting about that subject, so in fact, he's part of those who made it possible, that we are now able to run our own servers at game launch.

To install a dedicated HELLION server on your own machine:

1. 
   You need a modern 64bit Windows system, preferably a Windows Server located at a datacenter.
   
2. (poor man's choice)
   If you have no public IP address on the server machine, you need to forward the required ports from your router to your server machine's local IP. It might be hard to run a server this way, especially if your external, public IP address changes frequently.
   
3. 
   Get SteamCMD command line client (just google SteamCMD).
   
4. 
   Within SteamCMD, you type app_update 598850 to get the server files after an anonymous login (login anonymous). Updating the game server works the same way, so check for updates frequently.
   It is possible the server won't run after an update, if anything has significantly changed. This may happen frequently at this point of development! In this case, you may have to delete any savegame information that way saved before the update, requiring the players have to re-start at the beginning. To remind you, this is NOT a finished product, hence EARLY ACCESS.
   
5. 
   You do NOT need to purchase HELLION to run a server, only if you want to play the game yourself! No additional game server license needed.
   
6. 
   After downloading and installing the server software with the commands under section 4, you'll find the files in steamapps\common\Hellion Dedicated Server, located below your SteamCMD client.
   
7. 
   Rename GameServer_example.ini to GameServer.ini and edit the file with Notepad++ or another good text editor. Windows Notepad will fail, it doesn't recognize the Linux/Unix-typical line feed charater. Change your settings the way you like them. See example below.
   
8. 
   The server requires Microsoft Visual C++ runtime files, they are included in the server package, see subfolder _CommonRedist\vcredist\2015 within the HELLION server directory, there are two .exe files there. Run them if you don't have the runtime files installed. If you're missing Microsoft .NET v4.5/v4.6 runtime files, that installer can also be found below _CommonRedist.
   
9. 
   Before launching HELLION_Dedicated.exe for the first time, run HELLION_Dedicated.exe -scan once. It generates some extra files. You may want to open a cmd console first, so you can run the server from there. Advantage is, that if the server crashes, you'll still be able to see the last output it wrote to the screen. The server is stopped by running HELLION_Dedicated.exe -shutdown (use a second cmd shell). Alternatively, starting and stopping should also work by running Start_DEFAULT.bat or Stop_DEFAULT.bat.
   
10. 
    If you did everything right, the HELLION server should now be running and appear on the HELLION server list. Be patient, this list is long and will grow further and it needs some time to scan all servers.

Have fun.

Btw., this tutorial was written by myself entirely. There is a similar posting in a video commentary on YouTube. It was also written by me. This here is the second, slightly updated release. ;-)

Example GameServer.ini:

server_name=My Private Server [DE]
server_password=12345678
game_client_port=5969
status_port=5970
max_players=20
...

(below some options that are commented out by # character)

[Sapujapu]

Hey, how can i delete the saved world of a server?

[mas1701]

By deleting all of those "ServerSave_*.save" files obviously.

[Jeronimo Collares]

(poor man's choice)
If you have no public IP address on the server machine, you need to forward the required ports from your router to your server machine's local IP. It might be hard to run a server this way, especially if your external, public IP address changes frequently.

This is my case :(

[mas1701]

This is why I added that section. It's not desirable, but not everyone has access to a Windows Server at a datacenter. It might get a bit easier and cheaper once Linux is supported, assuming they'll also support the server software to run on Linux.

[AvP]

Great post, it will help out a lot of people.
BTW, I noticed there's a typo:

HELLION is multi-player ONLY, however, it diesn't . . .

[Jeronimo Collares]

Originally posted by TheDegree0:

Great post, it will help out a lot of people.
BTW, I noticed there's a typo:

HELLION is multi-player ONLY, however, it diesn't . . .

Like ED (option online solo) F.A.Q need update.

[Casy]

JO

[BiGEdge]

Hey real nice tutorial...
But ive got a problem. My Server appears in the list "BiGEdges Game"
but if i want to connect it tells me Server offline.
and 0/0 Players.

How to solve?

[Joe_Shmoe_gaming]

having the same problem has any one figured it out yet

Originally posted by BiGEdge:

Hey real nice tutorial...
But ive got a problem. My Server appears in the list "BiGEdges Game"
but if i want to connect it tells me Server offline.
and 0/0 Players.

How to solve?

[-Drake]

Originally posted by BiGEdge:

Hey real nice tutorial...
But ive got a problem. My Server appears in the list "BiGEdges Game"
but if i want to connect it tells me Server offline.
and 0/0 Players.

How to solve?

Same here

[Skully]

Steam>app_update 598850
ERROR! Failed to install app '598850' (No subscription)

What gives?

PS. I bought the game itself.

[mas1701]

--- Typo issue [HIGH priority] ---

Typo fixed. ;-)
I'm sure there are more to be found. :-D


--- SteamCMD Download ---

Downloading the HELLION server software with SteamCMD does NOT require a license.

Console output looks like this:

Steam>login anonymous

Connecting anonymously to Steam Public...Logged in OK
Waiting for license info...OK

Steam>app_update 598850
Success! App '598850' already up to date.


--- 0/0 players ---

If your server is listed with 0/0 players and you cannot connect to it, did you perhaps forget port forwarding (in case the server doesn't have a public IP address)? See step 2.

Another possible cause could be a firewall, that prevents incoming connections. Default settings allow any Windows program to communicate with the outside world, however incoming connections must be approved once-per-program to be allowed. This is required for players to connect and for the main server to check the server's status. ("How many player slots are currently used?")

[Yama]

use special ports..

i use. 1337 and 1339 tcp/udp

[BiGEdge]

So is it possible to do so on the same local mashine?
I wanted to start a dedicated on my own PC and wanted to connect to it.

[Yama]

Originally posted by BiGEdge:

So is it possible to do so on the same local mashine?
I wanted to start a dedicated on my own PC and wanted to connect to it.

yes, you need to open the ports on your router... but your internet connection will die very soon :D