How to install a SRCDS

Overview

What is a SRCDS

SRCDS stands for Source Dedicated Server. This is a free stand-alone server program created by Valve. Unlike other type of servers, SRCDS does not require steam or even a copy of Half-Life:2 to install. When installing a SRCDS, the update tool will download all the required files for the server of your choice. Since SRCDS is for a Dedicated Server, you can not play on the same computer that your Dedicated Server is running on. To play and host on the same computer, create a listen server from in-game.

What does this guide do?

This guide will walk you through how to do a full install of SRCDS with Fortress Forever. This will also explain what you are doing so you can learn more about SRCDS.

How do I make SRCDS work with Fortress Forever

Since SRCDS is made to work with first-party mods (those created by Valve), the Fortress Forever server needs to add to SRCDS. This is done by installing Source Dedicated Server and then adding the FortressForever server to the root. This will all be explained below.

Required Tools

The following tools are required:

• SteamCMD
• Fortress Forever Server
• 7-Zip/WinZip/WinRar/Ect.

Walk Through

SteamCMD

To start off, you need to download SteamCMD. This can be downloaded from here. Follow the instructions in the Downloading and Running SteamCMD section on that page.

Source Dedicated Server Install

If you followed the directions above, you should still be at a Steam> command prompt. Enter the following commands (note: the install directory can be anything you want):

force_install_dir .\ff-server
login anonymous
app_update 205

You should see tons of text scroll by as the correct files are downloaded directly from the Steam servers to your server.

FF Server Install

Download the most recent Fortress Forever FULL [SERVER]. This can be downloaded here.

Now unzip the whole FULL server to the directory that Source Dedicated Server was installed in (in this case, <steamcmd dir>\ff-server).

Adding Your server.cfg File

In the ff-server\fortressforever\cfg folder, create a new file with notepad called "server.cfg". Make sure there is NOT a .txt at the end or the config will not run. Add this to that file and customize at will:

//Standard SERVER.CFG

hostname "My Fortress Forever Server!" // Put your server's name in quotes here.

sv_password "" // Put a password here to lock your server.
rcon_password "rcon123abc" // Put an RCON password here for remote server administration (HLSW, client, etc.)

mp_timelimit 30 // Map time limit, in minutes.
mp_friendlyfire 0 // Friendly fire. 1 = On. 0 = Off.

//====================================================
// Class limits.  Set to -1 to disable the class.  0 for unlimited.
cr_scout 0 // Scout class limit.
cr_sniper 0 // Sniper class limit.
cr_soldier 0 // Soldier class limit.
cr_demoman 0 // Demoman class limit.
cr_medic 0 // Medic class limit.
cr_hwguy 0 // HWGuy class limit.
cr_pyro 0 // Pyro class limit.
cr_spy 0 // Spy class limit.
cr_engineer 0 // Engineer class limit.

sv_rcon_maxfailures 3 // How many times an RCON password can be entered incorrectly before banning the user.
sv_alltalk 0 // Alltalk enables voice comms between all teams/players.
sv_voiceenable 1 // Enables voice chat. Use 0 for no voice.

mp_allowspectators 1 // Allows players to spectate.
mp_footsteps 0 // Footstep sounds. 0 = Off, 1 = On
sv_mincmdrate 0 // Minimum cl_cmdrate
sv_maxcmdrate 100 // Maximum cl_cmdrate
sv_minupdaterate 10 // Minimum cl_updaterate
sv_maxupdaterate 100 // Maximum cl_updaterate
sv_minrate 2000 // Minimum rate
sv_maxrate 20000 // Maximum rate
sv_unlag 1 // Lag compensation.
sv_maxunlag 0.3
sv_spectatorchat 1 // Allows spectators to chat.
sv_cheats 0 // Turns cheat cvars off.
sv_allowupload 1 // Allow uploading of files to server. (For sprays)
sv_allowdownload 1 // Allow downloading from server.
sv_voicecodec vaudio_speex // The server's audio codec.
sv_specaccelerate 5 // How quickly spectators accelerate when moving around the map.
sv_specspeed 2 // Spectator max speed.

log on // enable or disable server logging. on is on / off is off
sv_logbans 1 // Log server bans in the server logs
sv_logecho 1 // Echo log information to the console. 0 is off 1 is on
sv_logfile 1 // Log server information in the log file. 0 is off 1 is on
sv_log_onefile 1 // log everything in one file

exec banned_user.cfg // A list of all bans, in case the server crashes.

Starting Your FF Server

To make your life easier, here is a windows batch script to automatically run your server. It will also automatically re-start the server if it gets sent a quit or exit command. Create a new file in notepad and save it as "SRCDS Guardian 3.bat". Make sure there is NOT a .txt at the end or the script will not run. Add this to that file:

::=======================::
::  SRCDS Guardian 3.0   ::
::         Mooga         ::
::       SRCDS.com       ::
::=======================::

::=========================================================::
:: Thanks To Black-Sky & Drocona for making SRCDS Guardian ::
:: This script is open source.  Feel free to edit at will. ::
::                                                         ::
:: This version was written for use with Fortress Forever. ::
:: Please visit fortress-forever.com for more information. ::
::                                                         ::
:: This script was writen for the use of the srcds.com     ::
:: online community.  If you are interested in running a   ::
:: Source Dedicated Server or need help, drop by our       ::
:: forums at... http://forums.srcds.com                    ::
::=========================================================::

::=======================::
::  SET YOUR VARIABLES!  ::
::=======================::

::=======================::
::  Window and Log name  ::
:: Replace "My FF Server"::
::=======================::
set servername=My FF Server

::=======================::
::   Your start command  ::
::    Replace after =    ::
::=======================::
set runcmd=C:\ff-server\srcds.exe -console -game fortressforever -maxplayers 22 +fps_max 200 -port 27015 +map ff_2fort -tickrate 66

::=======================::
::   End of variables    ::
::=======================::

:: This will keep the window clean and easy to read
@echo off

:: Sets the title of the window
title SRCDS Guardian 3.0   %servername%

:: Clears the window incase there is anything there
cls

:: Prints to the window what we are doing
echo SRCDS Guardian 3.0 has been started!
echo.
echo *************************************************************************
echo To close the server, close this window and type exit in the server window
echo *************************************************************************
echo.
echo.
echo %servername% is now starting...
>> "%servername%.log" echo.
>> "%servername%.log" echo.
>> "%servername%.log" echo (%date%)(%time%) SRCDS Guardian 3.0 has been started!
>> "%servername%.log" echo (%date%)(%time%) %servername% is now starting...

:: This is a return point in case the server crashes or is closed
:restart

echo.
echo (%date%)(%time%) %servername% is now ONLINE
echo Watching %servername% for crashes...
>> "%servername%.log" echo.
>> "%servername%.log" echo (%date%)(%time%) %servername% is now ONLINE
>> "%servername%.log" echo (%date%)(%time%) Watching %servername% for crashes...

::Start the actual server
start /wait %runcmd%

echo.
echo (%date%)(%time%) Crash or Close detected!
echo %servername% is now restarting...
>> "%servername%.log" echo.
>> "%servername%.log" echo (%date%)(%time%) Crash or Close detected!
>> "%servername%.log" echo (%date%)(%time%) %servername% is now restarting...

::Server crashed or closed, so we point it to the return point to start the server again
goto restart

Links

Here are some useful links for running a SRCDS.

srcds.com - The best and only dedicated community for running a Source Dedicated Server

srcds.com forums - srcds.com's forums with many experienced admins willing to help. There are several active Fortress Forever forum member who are also active on this forum.