How to start your own ET Server (Win/Linux)
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6 May 2008, 12:09
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Tutorials
Startup & Basics
To launch a server without going through ingame menu's (no proper server should be doing it that way) you need to run it with a modified Shortcut or batch file (or whatever) to give the initial setup. Some settings only work when specified on the command line, as below, and of course you need to tell it to load the server configuration file. An example for both Windows and Linux are below:
Note for Windows servers: the executable is ETDED.exe for a dedicated server since the 2.60 patch. Older versions of ET use ET.exe.
Of course the above are illustrative examples and you would need to edit to fit your server. You might also need to adjust for syntax of your chosen method, for example if you're launching it via a windows shortcut then you need to add quotes around the address of et.exe - e.g. the line in the Target box would be like "D:\ET\ETDED.exe" +set dedicated 2 +set sv_punkbuster 1 +exec ET_server.cfg
Dont be surprised if the Linux example is fubar, I dont have a free linux server box to play with, nor any other reason to learn Linux. ./ essentially sets the path as "this folder", ../ would be one folder up the hierarchy - you can also just put the path in. I'm told this is a good all-round Linux guide.
"Dedicated" at 2 means it is a dedicated internet server, it will run on the host machine only as a console, and will send "heatbeats" to the master server (which will include it on server browser lists). Dedicated 1 does not send the heartbeat, and is mostly intended for LANs. Dedicated 0, i.e. not dedicated, is for if you want to play at the same time as hosting - this is called a 'listen' server, and does not send the heartbeat to the master server either.
If you're running a large server, then increase the hunk meg allocation (put simply, the amount of RAM the game will be allocated). The default of 56 should be fine for up to 20 players, maybe 128mb hunk for 32 to 64 players, and somewhere in between for player numbers in between. Note that some custom maps require an increased hunkmeg for players, I dont know if this applies to the servers hosting it also but I'd assume so.
When you have multiple servers running on the same machine/IP, they must each have unique port numbers. If all the server's are running from the same .exe (same install) then ET should automatically start the first server with port 27960 and increment by 1 for each subsequent server. However if you use different installs or whatever then you need to apply +set net_port 27960, +set net_port 27961 etc to the startup line (it cannot be set via .cfg or .config file).
When running multiple servers from the same game install, they should also each have a unique fs_homepath directory! I find it easiest to set fs_homepath to the port number, as in the example above, as this gives you a clear and easy connection for what server is using what directory. You do not need to specify a fs_homepath if you only run a single server, although using it may be easier for organisation. Just remember ET will then use it's "fs_homepath" folder as it's "working directory" and will save it's logfiles there, and when seeking files it will check etmain aswell as the fs_homepath directory. PB will exclusively use the PB subfolder found inside the fs_homepath folder - when you set a new fs_homepath, you may find it easiest to first create the folder and copy the entire PB folder into it. A picture helps illustrate: there you can see I have ran three servers, with fs_homepaths of 27960, 27961 and 27962 - note that the server at 27960 has been running ETPro mod, so the mod has created a subfolder, but ETPro itself is actually installed into the root ET folder (as you can see near the bottom).
If you find the server is giving the master server the wrong IP for your server, usually due to routers, then you can specify the correct IP players can use to join "+set net_IP x.x.x.x" - I advise against using this setting unless necessary however, ET is very good at getting the IP right, at least when there isn't a NAT router involved.
Punkbuster can be started in the server configuration file, using pb_sv_enable, but Evenbalance recommend to use "+set sv_punkbuster 1" in the command line where possible (as per the example above). If you do not wish to have Punkbuster running on your server then set it to 0.
"+exec ET_server.cfg" is where you tell the game to execute the server configuration file, which you should keep in ETMain folder, but can put elsewhere aslong as you give the path, for example if you wanted to keep your server scripts in a subfolder of ETMain called "server_configs", and you decided to call the file "campaign.cfg" then you could use "+exec server_configs/campaign.cfg". Note you should use the same case as used in the filename - by convention it's best to always have everything in lowercase.
Extra configuration for running mods
If you are running a modification, for example ETPro, then you should see the documentation provided with it. Generally however, much remains the same, just with a couple of extras. Normally mods will be installed to a subfolder, but this subfolder should be located in the root ET folder, not within ETMain - again this picture illustrates. Using that as an example, to launch a server running ETPro mod you should add "+set fs_game etpro" to the command line - noting the "etpro" in both the fs_game command line switch and the actual folder name on the server is in lower case. For example:
Any commands or settings that are specific to the mod you can add in the usual way to the server configuration file (or to the command line if necessary). Bear in mind the mod may also change the function of some native ET settings, for example ETPro has several commands to provide finely tuned weapons restrictions, whereas ETMain only has g_heavyweaponrestriction.
Some mods come with some configurations provided, for example in ETPro the scripts required for certain leagues and tournaments come included, but you still have to set up the basics and then load them - see the mod documentation.
Useful pages for ETPro specifics include the admin guide, but that has fallen out of date with the rapid feature creep of the mod. The documentation project forum is often a better help (both in terms of detail and being more up to date), and can also try ETPro Server Setup or the page on mods. For Shrubet the documentation is here.
To launch a server without going through ingame menu's (no proper server should be doing it that way) you need to run it with a modified Shortcut or batch file (or whatever) to give the initial setup. Some settings only work when specified on the command line, as below, and of course you need to tell it to load the server configuration file. An example for both Windows and Linux are below:
Note for Windows servers: the executable is ETDED.exe for a dedicated server since the 2.60 patch. Older versions of ET use ET.exe.
Of course the above are illustrative examples and you would need to edit to fit your server. You might also need to adjust for syntax of your chosen method, for example if you're launching it via a windows shortcut then you need to add quotes around the address of et.exe - e.g. the line in the Target box would be like "D:\ET\ETDED.exe" +set dedicated 2 +set sv_punkbuster 1 +exec ET_server.cfg
Dont be surprised if the Linux example is fubar, I dont have a free linux server box to play with, nor any other reason to learn Linux. ./ essentially sets the path as "this folder", ../ would be one folder up the hierarchy - you can also just put the path in. I'm told this is a good all-round Linux guide.
"Dedicated" at 2 means it is a dedicated internet server, it will run on the host machine only as a console, and will send "heatbeats" to the master server (which will include it on server browser lists). Dedicated 1 does not send the heartbeat, and is mostly intended for LANs. Dedicated 0, i.e. not dedicated, is for if you want to play at the same time as hosting - this is called a 'listen' server, and does not send the heartbeat to the master server either.
If you're running a large server, then increase the hunk meg allocation (put simply, the amount of RAM the game will be allocated). The default of 56 should be fine for up to 20 players, maybe 128mb hunk for 32 to 64 players, and somewhere in between for player numbers in between. Note that some custom maps require an increased hunkmeg for players, I dont know if this applies to the servers hosting it also but I'd assume so.
When you have multiple servers running on the same machine/IP, they must each have unique port numbers. If all the server's are running from the same .exe (same install) then ET should automatically start the first server with port 27960 and increment by 1 for each subsequent server. However if you use different installs or whatever then you need to apply +set net_port 27960, +set net_port 27961 etc to the startup line (it cannot be set via .cfg or .config file).
When running multiple servers from the same game install, they should also each have a unique fs_homepath directory! I find it easiest to set fs_homepath to the port number, as in the example above, as this gives you a clear and easy connection for what server is using what directory. You do not need to specify a fs_homepath if you only run a single server, although using it may be easier for organisation. Just remember ET will then use it's "fs_homepath" folder as it's "working directory" and will save it's logfiles there, and when seeking files it will check etmain aswell as the fs_homepath directory. PB will exclusively use the PB subfolder found inside the fs_homepath folder - when you set a new fs_homepath, you may find it easiest to first create the folder and copy the entire PB folder into it. A picture helps illustrate: there you can see I have ran three servers, with fs_homepaths of 27960, 27961 and 27962 - note that the server at 27960 has been running ETPro mod, so the mod has created a subfolder, but ETPro itself is actually installed into the root ET folder (as you can see near the bottom).
If you find the server is giving the master server the wrong IP for your server, usually due to routers, then you can specify the correct IP players can use to join "+set net_IP x.x.x.x" - I advise against using this setting unless necessary however, ET is very good at getting the IP right, at least when there isn't a NAT router involved.
Punkbuster can be started in the server configuration file, using pb_sv_enable, but Evenbalance recommend to use "+set sv_punkbuster 1" in the command line where possible (as per the example above). If you do not wish to have Punkbuster running on your server then set it to 0.
"+exec ET_server.cfg" is where you tell the game to execute the server configuration file, which you should keep in ETMain folder, but can put elsewhere aslong as you give the path, for example if you wanted to keep your server scripts in a subfolder of ETMain called "server_configs", and you decided to call the file "campaign.cfg" then you could use "+exec server_configs/campaign.cfg". Note you should use the same case as used in the filename - by convention it's best to always have everything in lowercase.
Extra configuration for running mods
If you are running a modification, for example ETPro, then you should see the documentation provided with it. Generally however, much remains the same, just with a couple of extras. Normally mods will be installed to a subfolder, but this subfolder should be located in the root ET folder, not within ETMain - again this picture illustrates. Using that as an example, to launch a server running ETPro mod you should add "+set fs_game etpro" to the command line - noting the "etpro" in both the fs_game command line switch and the actual folder name on the server is in lower case. For example:
Any commands or settings that are specific to the mod you can add in the usual way to the server configuration file (or to the command line if necessary). Bear in mind the mod may also change the function of some native ET settings, for example ETPro has several commands to provide finely tuned weapons restrictions, whereas ETMain only has g_heavyweaponrestriction.
Some mods come with some configurations provided, for example in ETPro the scripts required for certain leagues and tournaments come included, but you still have to set up the basics and then load them - see the mod documentation.
Useful pages for ETPro specifics include the admin guide, but that has fallen out of date with the rapid feature creep of the mod. The documentation project forum is often a better help (both in terms of detail and being more up to date), and can also try ETPro Server Setup or the page on mods. For Shrubet the documentation is here.
@ECHO OFF
cd "C:\Games\Wolfenstein"
start ETDED.exe +set com_hunkmegs 64 +set dedicated 1 +set fs_game etpro +set com_ignorecrash 1 +pb_sv_enable +set sv_cheats 0 +exec server.cfg
little bit different than yours I guess, I didnt read all this, but this stuff in (i.e.) server.bat on your desktop you can launch fully working ETPro server easily with one click (dedicated 1 but works just fine). Nice tutorial :)
and if you want some "custom ip" or if you got dynamic ip you can use no-ip.com services for some "custom ip" like myserver.no-ip.biz(no-ip.biz domain) . It's easy and better if you have dynamic ip and you host often :P
and btw it doesn't matter if you start the server through the menu or with a batch file! you only can't chose the port etc.
thanks
nice
starts server with etpro and competicion settings & config
starts et.exe and connects to this localhost server
Tried this, but with +connect localhost I only managed to get awaiting challenge.. but not gamestate :S