====== Installing a Conan Exiles Dedicated Server ======

This article will guide you through the installation and configuration of a Conan Exiles Dedicated Server. [[https://store.steampowered.com/agecheck/app/440900/|Conan Exiles]]


The Conan Exiles Dedicated Server is not available for Linux but, it does work under Wine.

Installing the Conan Exiles server and keeping it updated, requires that you use the Steam updater (SteamCMD).

<note>The Steam updater and the game's server binaries are currently 32-bit, but the dedicated server is 64bit but so you MUST install the Slackware multilib setup and 64bit Wine in order to install and run it.</note>

You MUST have Slackware64 since the dedicated server is 64bit.


==== Preparing your Server ====


Install multilib packages.  From AlienBOB's instructions, as root:
<code>
cd ~
lftp -c 'open http://slackware.com/~alien/multilib/ ; mirror -c -e 14.2'
cd 14.2                                                                                     
upgradepkg --reinstall --install-new *.t?z
upgradepkg --install-new slackware64-compat32/*-compat32/*.t?z
reboot </code>

If you do not have X-windows installed (e.g. many VPS services), you should install X otherwise you will need to figure out how to do a "wine --without-x" install. X doesn't have to actually be configured but, it needs to be present.
<code>slackpkg install sackware64/x</code>

Install **64bit** Wine. Install Wine from Slackbuilds.org:
<note>ADD option: WIN64=yes</note>


STRONG SUGGESTION: Run the server as user 'steam':
<code>adduser steam</code>

<note>Steam updates to the Conan Exiles Dedicated Server must be done with the [[https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamCMD|steamcmd]] program. \\ A Steam user account is not required as the server is installed and updated with an anonymous connection. </note>


You will now continue as the user "//steam//":
<code>su - steam</code>

  * Download and extract the archive containing "''steamcmd''" binary.
<code>mkdir Downloads
cd Downloads
wget http://media.steampowered.com/client/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
mkdir -p ~/steamcmd
tar -C ~/steamcmd -xvf steamcmd_linux.tar.gz</code>
Do not extract the contents of the updater tool to the regular Steam Client folder!
  * Launch SteamCMD for the first time: <code>
cd ~/steamcmd
./steamcmd.sh 
</code>
The program will automatically update and enter you in to a **Steam%%>%%** prompt. Type "''help''" for more information. You can "''exit''".

  * Download and install the Conan Exiles Dedicated (Sandbox) Server: <code>
./steamcmd.sh +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows +login anonymous +force_install_dir /home/steam/Conan_Exiles/ +app_update 443030 validate +quit
</code>

This will have populated the "''~steam/Conan_Exiles/''" directory with the dedicated server.


==== Starting the Game Server ====

The //SteamCMD// utility will have installed the CEDS windows binaries in the subdirectory you specified with the "''force_install_dir''" parameter, in our example case, that directory is "''/home/steam/Conan_Exiles''". 

You can start the Conan Exiles game server directly in X-WINDOWS using the following commands:
<code>cd  ~/Conan_Exiles
wine ConanSandboxServer.exe -log</code>

-OR-

You can forego the use of X-Windows and run it directly from a command line with the following commands:
<code>cd ~/Conan_Exiles
Xvfb :2 -screen 0 640x480x24 &
DISPLAY=:2 wine ConanSandboxServer.exe -log</code>

<note> When starting the game, it will **appear** to freeze a couple of times but, it's actually loading data. Be patient. </note>

To customize your server, edit the Engine.ini and ServerSettings.ini found in ~/Conan_Exiles/ConanSandbox/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/ .  There's plenty of documentation online about how to configure these files but at minimum, you probably want to set:
<code>ServerName=
AdminPassword=
serverRegion=
MaxNudity=</code>

<note> QueryPort, ServerPort, & Port parameters apparently don't work.  If you want to run multiple instances of the server, you need to install and run them in containers.</note>


Because this is a game server, you do not want to be forced to keep a terminal opened all the time while the server is running. Therefore it is much more convenient to run the server in a "''screen''" session.


==== Stopping the Game Server ====

To stop the game server, all you have to do is CTRL-C in the console/window in which you are running it.



If the server is running in the background (or you need to script stop it):

<code>kill -SIGINT $(ps aux | grep ConanSandboxServer | grep -v grep | awk '{print$2}')</code>



==== Update the game server files  ====

You can either manually update the game files or set up a cron job and automate the process.  To manually update, stop the server (CTRL-C) and run this:

<code>cd ~/steamcmd; ./steamcmd.sh +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows +login anonymous +force_install_dir /home/steam/Conan_Exiles/ +app_update 443030 validate +quit</code>

...then restart the server.

If you are running mods, update them with this:
<code>steamcmd.sh +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows +login anonymous +force_install_dir "[TEMPORARY_DOWNLOAD_DIRECTORY]" +workshop_download_item 440900 [MOD_NUMBER] +quit
find /home/steam/ConanExilesMods/steamapps/workshop/content/440900/ -type f -name "*.pak" | xargs cp -t [DEDICATED_SERVER_DIRECTORY]/ConanSandbox/Mods/</code>
Where: \\
[TEMPORARY_DOWNLOAD_DIRECTORY] is a temporary download directory (e.g. /home/steam/ConanExilesMods/) \\
[MOD_NUMBER] is the Workshop mod number (e.g. 344356) \\
[DEDICATED_SERVER_DIRECTORY] is your dedicated server install directory (e.g. /home/steam/Conan_Exiles/) \\


It is good practice to let the Steam components update themselves. You can use a cron job to run an update once a day or at whatever interval you like..

Enjoy the game!


==== Known Issues/Troubleshooting ====

As of this writing, the following are known issues-

  * If your system does not have enough memory (RAM), the server will start and abruptly die **with no errors** after loading many of the files.  1GB is known to be too low, 5GB is the MINIMUM RAM you can have but, you should have 6GB or more to be playable.

  * NPCs/dynamic content missing/gone/not re-spawning- You probably set LandClaimRadiusMultiplier to "0".  Set it to AT LEAST .2 and restart your server.

  * Engine.ini parameters ServerPort, Port, and QueryPort do not work.  You can not run two (or more) instances of CEDS on one machine and have the additional servers show on the Official Server List. When you start additional servers on the same machine the port automatically increments (7777-->7778-->7779).


Troubleshooting-
  * If you start the server with the "-log" option, the server logs are found in INSTALL_DIR/ConanSandbox/Saved/Logs/ (in our instructions it would be /home/steam/Conan_Exiles/ConanSandbox/Saved/Logs/).
  * If you're running mods and the server starts but you cannot connect to it and are getting the "Mods don't match" error but, your mod DO match, the problem is that a mod is failing to load.  Check the logs and see which one is failing (usually indicated by a "______ unloaded from precache" entry).


====== Sources ======
  * Originally written by [[wiki:user:arfon | arfon]]
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