[OUTDATED v7] How to create a Server

How can i host my own Server?

New instructions here

 

First you need to download all required files:

1. Server Files R38 for BF3 -> Download OR Torrent -> http://zlotracker.org/29422
2. Our DLL
3. A Server Launcher (choose one with "Server")
4. Our SRVClient -> Download

Now extract the server files and then move launcher.dll and the ServerLauncher and extract srv.zip into the main server folder.
Create a file named "Win32Game.cfg" with following content and move it to \Scripts\ and overwrite any existing file.

-super layout.toc
-server
-dedicated
-Core.DialogLevel 1
-Core.DisplayAsserts false
-Core.IgnoreAlways true
-Core.EnableJuice false
-Network.ProtocolVersion 67
-CrashDump.WarnBeforeDoingMemoryDump false
-Game.CloseDuplicateApps 0
-Game.DisablePreRound true
-Blaze.LogLevel 0
-ServerMetrics.Enabled 0
-ServerMetrics.TransactionTelemetryEnabled 0
-ServerMetrics.PerformanceTelemetryEnabled 0
-ServerMetrics.PerformanceProfileStateEnabled 0
-TransactionLog.OutputLevel 0
-ServerMetrics.DbxReportEnabled 0
-VeniceOnline.QueueCapacityOverride 10
-Client.LoadingTimeOut 40
-Client.LoadedTimeOut 20
-Client.IngameTimeOut 10
-Server.IngameTimeOut 10
-Server.LoadingTimeOut 40
-Server.IsReconfigurable false
-VeniceOnline.PunkBusterActivateServer false
-BFServer.GameSize 24
-Network.MaxClientCount 24

Register your server at zloemu.net. (sign in with your account first. You must have played at least one time with this account in order to create a server).

Log in to zloemu.org and under your name press My BF3 servers and register your server.




Set-up your server:

Open up a hexeditor (HxD) create a new file copy&paste this

54 94 D1 29 55 44 3A 2E 61 8C B2 3E D0 02 60 08 15 FE 6F 22

and save it as ProviderID.dat into your serverFolder. If there is already a ProviderID.dat file present then skip this step.



Create a new *.bat file with following content:

set INSTANCEDIRECTORY=%~dp0Instance

set SERVERNAME=YOUR SERVER NAME
set GAMEPORT=25000
set REMOTEADMINPORT=0.0.0.0:48888
set ADMINPASSWORD=YOURPASS
set ZLOGIN=SERVERMAIL
set ZPASS=SERVERPASS
set PINGSITE=ams
set REGION=EU

start bf3.exe -serverInstancePath "%INSTANCEDIRECTORY%" -Server.ServerName "%SERVERNAME%" -GamePort %GAMEPORT% -RemoteAdminPort %REMOTEADMINPORT% +admin.password "%ADMINPASSWORD%" -PingSite %PINGSITE% -Region %REGION% -zlogin %ZLOGIN% -zpass %ZPASS%

exit

Save it as "_StartServer.bat". This batch-file will be used to startup your server, don't forget to change SERVERNAME and ADMINPASSWORD.
If there is already a folder called "Instance" in your serverfiles then DELETE IT and create a new one.


Configurate your server and procon:

Now the server is ready. Next step is to set up your administrating tool on the Server PC.
Get the latest PRoCon Version -> Download
First start your server via _StartServer.bat and then start PRoCon (on the same PC) and create a new connection.

Hostname/IP: 127.0.0.1
Port: 48888
Username:
Password: your ADMINPASSWORD from batch-file

Wait for the connection to turn green and then click on it. From here you can manage everything you want. Brief explanation of the tabs:

• Players: shows current Players on the server, which team they are on and the scoreboard
• Chat: enable "Enable scrolling, "Display join/leaving" and "Display kills/deaths". This will show you pretty much everything what is happening on your server
• Events: all relevant serverevents, you can ignore this
• Lists: here you can see the banlist, maplist and the reserved Slotlist (currently disabled). To add a map to maprotation simply set Rounds, choose a gamemode and map and click the right-arrow. To start a choosen map doubleclick on it "Current maplist", this will end your running map, be careful. You can rightclick on a map in maplist and "set as next map".
• Server Settings: edit name, description, message, slotsize, all gamesettings etc. Always hit apply. Most settings will take effect on next round.
• Plugins: all installed PRoCon plugins + settings
• Accounts: I'll explain this later
• Console: the raw output of your server and PunkBuster Server, you can enter any servercommand here

ServerBanner has to be png/jpg/jpeg, 512x128/256x64 and <300kb. Loadingtime of your picturehoster has to be fast (<1sec) or your banner will not be shown.
ServerMessage: maximum 42 characters
ServerDescription: maximum 3 lines with 42 characters each

When you are finished with editing your server then go to Server Settings->Config Generator and click "Copy to Clipboard".
Close your server and procon, navigate to \Instance\Admin\ and create a new textfile called "Startup.txt" and paste your config. Save and make it read-only. This configuration will be loaded on ServerStart. You can also manually edit the MapList.txt. See here for a list of all GameModes/MapNames
To get your server to start up with real Hardcore-settings (preset) you will have to manually modify the Startup.txt because you can't disable MiniMap settings and some other stuff while the server is running. These lines:

vars.friendlyFire true
vars.killCam false
vars.miniMap false
vars.3dSpotting false
vars.miniMapSpotting false
vars.3pCam false
vars.nameTag false
vars.regenerateHealth false
vars.onlySquadLeaderSpawn true
vars.soldierHealth 60
vars.hud false
vars.playerManDownTime 75
vars.playerRespawnTime 100
vars.vehicleSpawnDelay 115

Download PRoCon plugins HERE (watch for BF3 plugins)
Recommended plugins:

• In-Game Admin: lets you send admin commands while ingame. Everybody who holds an Admin Account under "Accounts"-tab in PRoCon can send commands. Just type into Squadchat (example /@say Admin here)
• Latency Manager: kick players with high ping
• Server Rules on Request: sends out the severrrules to Chat if somebody requests them via !rules
• Spambot: periodically posts something into Chat
• Squad Enforcer: moves all players into squads, keeps teambalance in SqaudDeathMatch/*]
• Vote Ban BF3: lets players start a !votekick or !voteban vote against a specific player
• ProconRulz: executes scripts on the server (for example: punish and forgive for teamkill, Kill Streak Announcer, simple anti-cheat scripts...)
• xVotemap: starts a mapvote so players can choose the next map in maprotation with /1, /2, /3, /4
• CheatDetector: will kick cheaters based on stats-detection
• LANmode: for a server in LAN which will kick all non-LAN players (from HERE)
• If you want to enable PunkBuster then set -VeniceOnline.PunkBusterActivateServer true in Win32Game.cfg. If your serverfiles are missing \Instance\pb-files then download these files
  and move them into \Instance\pb. You can edit pbsv.cfg to your needs, just make sure pb_sv_Restrictions 1 is set.

IMPORTANT! You can not connect to a PB-ON server locally! PB will always kick local connections. If the server is running on your PC/PC in your home-network you would need a 2nd Internet-connection (phone tethering etc.) to connect from outside. PB was not designed with LAN in mind, there is currently nothing you can do about this.

To disable PB add -VeniceOnline.PunkBusterActivateServer false to Win32Game.cfg and punkBuster.pb_sv_command pb_sv_disable to your Startup.txt.

By default the server will only use 1 CPU-core because DICE was too lazy to add true multicore support for their serverfiles. However you can activate a "pseudo multicore-supprt" via Win32Game.cfg.
-Server.ThreadingEnable true
-Core.JobProcessorCount X where X stands for your core-count.


Manage multiple admins/remote access:

It is imortant to understand that the plugins are not running on the server, they are running in PRoCon. So if you shut down procon the plugins will be gone. This is why we configurated PRoCon on the same PC where the server is running. So install and configurate all plugins on the ServerPC-procon only and leave this procon always running when your server runs.
I am assuming that you run the server on a serperate PC. To administrate your server from somewhere else (GamingPC, friend to whom you gave admin access, portable device...) you will have to start a so called "PRoCon Layer Server". You won't connect to the GameServer itself, but to the PRoCon-version running on the ServerPC. ONLY the PRoCon on the ServerPC itself should be directly connected to the GameServer, all other Admins (and yourself on your GamingPC) should connect to the Layer Server. Keep the gameserverpassword (ADMINPASSWORD in bat file) secure. This will eliminate the risk of 2 admins running different plugins with different settings and keep the server from crashing.
PRoCon for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.leomar75mobily1.droidprocon
PRoCon for Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/procon-bf3-edition/id470129359

How to set up the layerserver:
Start your Gameserver and PRoCon (on the ServerPC), connect to the Gameserver and switch to the "Accounts" tab. Click "Turn PRoCon layer server on".
Binding address: 0.0.0.0
Listening port: 15000

Open up port 15000 in your router Firewall
Browser->router setup (mostly 192.168.X.1, check cmd->ipconfig: Standartgateway)->Firewall
Add a new rule like this (use the IP -address of your ServerPC, you will probably have to reserve a static IP for your Server or its IP will get changed)



Also disable Block ICMP Ping (WAN Ping) so the players on your server can see their ping.

Restart your router and procon, then create an account in procon under accounts-tab. To get the ingame admin working you have to choose your ingamename as Account-Username, same goes for everyone else you want to give ingame-adminrights to. Create as many accounts as you like. Then click on an account and set privileges.
Now everybody who holds an account can connect with their procon-version (if your port is open) to the server-procon via your IP, Port 15000, his accountname and password.
This way you are even able to connect with an Android/Apple phone to the server and edit plugin settings.


How to start the server so people can connect?

• Start the ServerLauncher, click start
• Start the server via _StartServer.bat
• Check if GameState: IN_GAME
• Start Server-Procon and connect, then start Layer Server
• Connect to the Layerserver with your account (from your GamingPC)
• Use a ClientLauncher to connect your Game to your GameServer
• DONE

Some Known Errors :
Q: Why my server doesn't go In-game but instead it says offline ?
A: What the error actually is:

zlo games is designed to work only with Environment: Prod
and that error is caused by having a duplicate of this line in Win32Game.cfg in the Scripts folder

so to solve it, simply delete any line that contains
-Online.Environment
OR
You didn't register the server at zloemu

Q: Some times people can't Join my server when i host it and get ERR_DISCONNECT_BLAZE 1 1 -1
A: This error is mainly caused by the (Ping) between the server and the client so it can be caused by

• Server Has many players that it can't handle more OR server is actually full
• Server is FAR away from the client and the ping is really high that the client don't respond to the server
• Some times master server fires this error for some reason

Q: I get Auth error when i start the server
A: You must register your server at zloemu.net. (sign in with your account first).

Q: Server doesn't read the settings in Startup.txt and doesn't open
A: you either don't have Startup.txt OR you somehow named it Startup.txt.txt

Q: Some people cant' join and get Disconnected from Master after the game loaded
A: Their client uses some other ports which are not opened by the server, you have to manually forward these ports to your internal server-address:
TCP: 80, 443, 9988, 20000-20100, 22990, 17502, 42127
UDP: 3659, 14000-14016, 22990-23006, 25200-25300
EA-Link

REMEMBER to see the main Post HERE

If you have trouble setting up your server then ask on the forum.

Q: Some people cant' join and get Disconnected from Master after the game loaded

Server uses ONLY game port(udp, from bat file) and pb port(dunno which), well and rcon(tcp, from bat), if you need it. No other ports need to be forwarded.

ZLOemu Version.

First you need to download all required files:

1. Download Server Files R38 for BF3
2. Our Server.zip Download and unzip in server folder.
3. Our DLL
4. A Server Launcher(choose one with "Server")
5. Under your client account ( that you need to play with to activate it )
Log in to zloemu.org and under your name press My BF3 servers and register your server.

6. Edit the *.bat file with following content:

set INSTANCEDIRECTORY=%~dp0Instance

set SERVERNAME=YOUR SERVER NAME // Choose your server name
set GAMEPORT=25000
set REMOTEADMINPORT=0.0.0.0:48888 // IP and port for procon
set ADMINPASSWORD=YOURPASS // To connect to procon
set ZLOGIN=SERVERMAIL // Email you used to register your server
set ZPASS=SERVERPASS // Password you used to register your server
set PINGSITE=ams
set REGION=EU // Region where server is hosted

start bf3.exe -serverInstancePath "%INSTANCEDIRECTORY%" -Server.ServerName "%SERVERNAME%" -GamePort %GAMEPORT% -RemoteAdminPort %REMOTEADMINPORT% +admin.password "%ADMINPASSWORD%" -PingSite %PINGSITE% -Region %REGION% -zlogin %ZLOGIN% -zpass %ZPASS%

exit

7. Run LauncherServer.exe as admin press "Connect to master"
8. Start your server through StartServer.bat


Basic Settings / How to set up your own server?
In the folder, go to the server in the Scripts folder and edit Win32Game.cfg

following settings:
-super layout.toc
-server
-dedicated
-platform win32
-Game.LogFileCollisionMode LFCM_TimeStamp
-Game.LogFileEnable false
-Core.DisplayAsserts false
-Core.IgnoreAlways true
-Core.EnableJuice false
-BFServer.GameSize 64 // specify the size of your server here
-Network.MaxClientCount 64 // same here
-Network.ProtocolVersion 67 // The protocol version , DO NOT CHANGE!!!
-CrashDump.WarnBeforeDoingMemoryDump false
-Game.CloseDuplicateApps 0
-Blaze.LogLevel 0
-ServerMetrics.Enabled 0
-ServerMetrics.TransactionTelemetryEnabled 0
-ServerMetrics.PerformanceTelemetryEnabled 0
-ServerMetrics.PerformanceProfileStateEnabled 0
-ServerMetrics.DbxReportEnabled 0
-TransactionLog.OutputLevel 0
-VeniceOnline.QueueCapacityOverride 20
-Client.LoadingTimeOut 70
-Client.LoadedTimeOut 60
-Client.IngameTimeOut 50
-Server.IngameTimeOut 50
-Server.LoadingTimeOut 70
-Server.IsReconfigurable false
-BFServer.TeamSwitchImbalanceLimit 4

In the server folder go to Instance \ Admin (if there are is no Instance create a new folder and name it Instance and in there Create a new foder called Admin)
In the Admin folder edit Startup.txt (or create a new Startup.txt file if there is none)

vars.ranked true // true means the server is ranked, false server is NOT ranked.
punkBuster.activate // activation punkbuster.
admin.password "" // admin password to connect through Procon. (Inserted between the quotes).
vars.gamePassword "" // login password for your SERVER NOT to rank. (Inserted between quotation marks If the server does not rank to touch).
vars.serverName "BF 3 Server VASYA ZADROT" // your server name.
vars.bannerUrl ""
vars.serverDescription "--=No Rules=--" // the description of your server.
vars.friendlyFire false // Friendly fire on / off.
vars.idleTimeout 0 // time kick for simple connection of the player.
vars.teamKillCountForKick 10
vars.teamKillValueForKick 4
vars.teamKillValueIncrease 1
vars.teamKillValueDecreasePerSecond 0
vars.autoBalance true
vars.killCam true // It shows who killed you, the camera on the opponent.
vars.miniMap true // It shows the minimap.
vars.3dSpotting true // you can tag enemies.
vars.miniMapSpotting true // marked enemies displayed on the map.
vars.3dCam true // View as third person in vehicle.
vars.maxPlayers 64 // here also indicates the size of your server.
vars.idleBanRounds 0
vars.vehicleSpawnAllowed true // spawn technology (vehicles).
vars.vehicleSpawnDelay 100 // delay to spawn technology.
vars.bulletDamage 100 // damage from bullets.
vars.nameTag true // displayed names of selected players.
vars.regenerateHealth true // health recovery
vars.roundStartPlayerCount 1 // minimum number of players to start the round.
vars.roundRestartPlayerCount 0
vars.onlySquadLeaderSpawn false // spawn only on the Squad Leader.
vars.unlockMode "stats" // unlock weapons and gadgets in rank.
vars.soldierHealth 100 // the players health.
vars.hud true // include Hud.
vars.playerManDownTime 100
vars.playerRespawnTime 100
vars.gameModeCounter 150 // the number of tickets in the round. In percentage terms.
vars.serverMessage "Welcome to BF3 Server HAVE FUN" // Player's welcome message (In a blue box , bottom center of screen)
reservedSlotsList.aggressiveJoin true
vars.roundLockdownCountdown 5
vars.roundWarmupTimeout 600
vars.premiumStatus false // current status of the server for premium players.

Also in the Admin folder, These files are required:
BanList.txt - Players you ban in procon will be saved here
MapList.txt -Map rotation list
ReservedSlotsList.txt -List of nicknames to reserve slots in server