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How to Create a Dedicated Server. 10 Easy Steps


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BEFORE YOU BEGIN

 

!You have to have 1 of the 3 server types where you will host your DCS Multiplayer server.

!Make sure that your host runs on a Windows operating system.

 

1. Dedicated Server. The whole machine is dedicated to you only. Expensive. If you don't care about costs than this is one for you.

 

2. Virtual Dedicated Server. The best choice. Way cheaper, dedicates your resources only to you.

 

3. Your own computer. The worst choice. No need to pay, but

a) if your PC is off, your server will be off too;

b) your PC has to have a static IP address;

c) your PC has to be powerful;

d) you have to install the game onto a dedicated HD\SSD, and should know how to dedicate RAM and CPU for specific applications.

 

Great, you have a dedicated hardware to host your server on.

Let's get to the best part!

 

SETTING UP A DEDICATED DCS SERVER

 

1. On your PC, in DCS, Open "Mission Editor" and create a mission for your server. Players will be able control units only if their skills are set to "client".

 

2. Login to your (virtual) dedicated server, download, and install the game on it.

Q: Should I purchase different DCS modules for my server's account too, if I want to host a mission with them?

A: No. You do not need to purchase any modules for the server's account. You can run any mission on your dedicated server, with no modules installed.

 

3. Open ..\DCS World\distr, install vcredist, and DirectX.

 

4. Install Notepad++

 

5. Run the "DCS World" once, press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC and close DCS. If you are unable to close it, then just reboot the server machine.

 

6. Open Notepad++, create a new file with these lines:

options.graphics.fullScreen = true

options.graphics.width = 1024

options.graphics.height = 768

options.graphics.render3D = false

and save it as %user%\Saved Games\DCS\Config\autoexec.cfg (thanks, Interceptor!)

 

7. Open %user%\Saved Games\DCS\Config\network.cfg with Notepad++, and change

pause_on_load = true, to pause_on_load = false,

 

8. Open %user%\Saved Games\DCS\Config\options.lua with Notepad++, and change

["height"] = xxx, to ["height"] = 768,

["width"] = xxx, to ["width"] = 1024,

["fullScreen"] = true, to ["fullScreen"] = false,

 

9. Transfer your multiplayer mission file to %user%\Saved Games\DCS\Missions on the host.

 

10. Finish line: Run "DCS Multiplayer", register a new user, login, click "New Server", give your server a name, pick your mission, Start!

 

CONGRATULATIONS! You now have your own, working dedicated server

 

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Multiplayer_bar_low.thumb.png.ba6730790cee024193ad7896777387d0.png

Client.thumb.jpg.4959ea13c6fa6f1c54dd6cf75f2695af.jpg


Edited by H-var

2. The DCS MOVIE information!

4. REAL UFO FOOTAGE

I don't trust anything that bleeds for five days, and doesn't die

 

government: gives me money because of coronavirus

me: spends all money on the missing DCS modules

government: ... you dumbo! We won't give you money anymore

me: It's ok. I don't need anything else - I now have the entire DCS collection

my cat: looking at the empty bowl for a while and goes back to sleep

me: it's hard times, Mig, suck it up!

 

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks for this. I might see if my group can run a DCS server on their hosted server rather than on one of the player's PCs.

 

I'm a bit confused though, as I read that Dedicated Server might be coming with, or soon after, EDGE/DCS v2 but if we already have the ability to run one, what are we expecting that's new?

Main rig: i5-4670k @4.4Ghz, Asus Z97-A, Scythe Kotetsu HSF, 32GB Kingston Savage 2400Mhz DDR3, 1070ti, Win 10 x64, Samsung Evo 256GB SSD (OS & Data), OCZ 480GB SSD (Games), WD 2TB and WD 3TB HDDs, 1920x1200 Dell U2412M, 1920x1080 Dell P2314T touchscreen

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I'm a bit confused though, as I read that Dedicated Server might be coming with, or soon after, EDGE/DCS v2 but if we already have the ability to run one, what are we expecting that's new?

 

the dedicated server referred to in the OP, is the hardware. It is still running the normal DCS World multiplayer software to host the server.

 

The upcoming dedicated server SOFTWARE i would expect to have no GUI interface, i.e. you script it to startup when server machine starts/reboots based on configuration files. Ideally admins can connect to the dedicated server software remotely, without having to use windows remote desktop. Should also require less resources, as it won't be rendering game graphics on the server.

In short...easier to manage, more reliable and less footprint.

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

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The upcoming dedicated server SOFTWARE i would expect to have no GUI interface, i.e. you script it to startup when server machine starts/reboots based on configuration files. Ideally admins can connect to the dedicated server software remotely, without having to use windows remote desktop. Should also require less resources, as it won't be rendering game graphics on the server.

 

Ah I see, thanks. That will be better as we currently are able to stop/start various virtual servers via a web interface, so hopefully DCS will be able to integrated into that as one of the options too.

 

However, doesn't "render3D = false;" stop DCS from "rendering game graphics on the server"?

Main rig: i5-4670k @4.4Ghz, Asus Z97-A, Scythe Kotetsu HSF, 32GB Kingston Savage 2400Mhz DDR3, 1070ti, Win 10 x64, Samsung Evo 256GB SSD (OS & Data), OCZ 480GB SSD (Games), WD 2TB and WD 3TB HDDs, 1920x1200 Dell U2412M, 1920x1080 Dell P2314T touchscreen

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It stops rendering 3d graphics, not all game graphics.

 

Ah, of course :doh:

Main rig: i5-4670k @4.4Ghz, Asus Z97-A, Scythe Kotetsu HSF, 32GB Kingston Savage 2400Mhz DDR3, 1070ti, Win 10 x64, Samsung Evo 256GB SSD (OS & Data), OCZ 480GB SSD (Games), WD 2TB and WD 3TB HDDs, 1920x1200 Dell U2412M, 1920x1080 Dell P2314T touchscreen

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  • 2 weeks later...

can you recommend dedicated servers in Germany? best price/performance ratio and previous experience as well.

AWAITING ED NEW DAMAGE MODEL IMPLEMENTATION FOR WW2 BIRDS

 

Fat T is above, thin T is below. Long T is faster, Short T is slower. Open triangle is AWACS, closed triangle is your own sensors. Double dash is friendly, Single dash is enemy. Circle is friendly. Strobe is jammer. Strobe to dash is under 35 km. HDD is 7 times range key. Radar to 160 km, IRST to 10 km. Stay low, but never slow.

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I thought, the server had to have a graphics card? This isn't mentioned in your 1st post. :huh:

Hardware: Intel i5 4670K | Zalman NPS9900MAX | GeIL 16GB @1333MHz | Asrock Z97 Pro4 | Sapphire Radeon R9 380X Nitro | Samsung SSDs 840 series 120GB & 250 GB | Samsung HD204UI 2TB | be quiet! Pure Power 530W | Aerocool RS-9 Devil Red | Samsung SyncMaster SA350 24" + ASUS VE198S 19" | Saitek X52 | TrackIR 5 | Thrustmaster MFD Cougar | Speedlink Darksky LED | Razor Diamondback | Razor X-Mat Control | SoundBlaster Tactic 3D Rage ### Software: Windows 10 Pro 64Bit

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Bummer! I thought there is a way to running a server without a graphics card ... :D

Hardware: Intel i5 4670K | Zalman NPS9900MAX | GeIL 16GB @1333MHz | Asrock Z97 Pro4 | Sapphire Radeon R9 380X Nitro | Samsung SSDs 840 series 120GB & 250 GB | Samsung HD204UI 2TB | be quiet! Pure Power 530W | Aerocool RS-9 Devil Red | Samsung SyncMaster SA350 24" + ASUS VE198S 19" | Saitek X52 | TrackIR 5 | Thrustmaster MFD Cougar | Speedlink Darksky LED | Razor Diamondback | Razor X-Mat Control | SoundBlaster Tactic 3D Rage ### Software: Windows 10 Pro 64Bit

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I thought, the server had to have a graphics card? This isn't mentioned in your 1st post. :huh:

 

Actually it does not have to have real graphics card. It may be just sw-emulated. I use such an adapter on my VM, it is called "VMware SVGA 3D" display adapter...

 

But what I am missing in that guide is step 11: tweak your system to get the best possible performance. For example these are Windows7/64b services which I turned off using services.msc (all were previously "automatic"):

 

desktop windows manager session

dhcp client

diagnostic policy service

distributed link tracking client

dns client

ip helper

offline files

print spooler

security center

superfetch

tcp/ip netbios helper

themes

windows firewall (I use comodo)

windows audio

windows audio endpoint

 

TaskManager now shows 30 processes running on my server (for all users), including (in my case) a few non-system processes, i.e. Comodo firewall, TightVNC-server and VMware-tools. Without DCS-running, OS (+ my extra-tools) takes just about ~700MB RAM...

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...

 

5. Open ..\DCS World\config\graphics.lua with Notepad++, and change

render3D = true; to render3D = false;

 

...

 

 

 

I think this is a listen-server, not a dedicated! wink.gif

 

 

Hi!

 

Old graphics.cfg is gone and replaced with graphics.lua.

However, please, do not edit this file directly.

Otherwise you'll lose your changes after each update.

 

New method for overriding options is to create (or edit) a file

 

C:\Users\<YOUR-LOGIN>\Saved Games\DCS\Config\autoexec.cfg

 

or

 

C:\Users\<YOUR-LOGIN>\Saved Games\edModelViewer\Config\autoexec.cfg

 

(for model viewer)

 

and place your changes there.

Note:

- autoexec.cfg settings will override the options set via GUI.

- Graphic options in autoexec.cfg should be prefixed with options.graphics.

- file encoding should be UTF-8 without BOM

 

Example autoexec.cfg:

 

options.graphics.maxfps = 30

options.graphics.render3D = false

options.graphics.ScreenshotQuality = 75

-- add custom texture path

-- note the slashes!

table.insert(options.graphics.VFSTexturePaths, "c:/Users/<LOGIN>/Saved Games/DCS/MyTextures")

 

 

 

Happy gaming!

 

dsb at eagle dot ru


Edited by Interceptor
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The thread is about 10 easy steps for beginners to create a server that is dedicated to DCS, or, in other words, how to create a DCS server on a dedicated machine. You are talking about software. Go back to wikipedia and try to read-up about the differences in that.

 

ok, but please change the point about graphics.lua/autoexec.cfg!

 

With your HowTo, after an update or repair. You have to change the settings again and again and again and again and again. ;)

 

 

Edit: A link to Slmod would be a great idea. Not many people like a Mission with 2 days since Mission starts.


Edited by Interceptor
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I'd say "slmod" is more necessary than "notepad++".

 

BTW, there are a few more "questionable" parts in those "10 easy steps", i.e.:

 

"...b) your PC has to have a static IP address;..."

Nope. Actually, you can have dynamic address too, provided your router will translate its outside (static & public) address always to the correct inside-one.

 

"...c) your PC has to be powerful;..."

Explain "powerful". BTW, server does not need to be as powerful, as client.

 

"...d) you have to install the game onto a dedicated HD\SSD..."

Why this? My DCS-server is running from OS-shared virtual HDD.

 

"...Great, you have a dedicated hardware..."

You can run DCS-server on virtual (shared) hardware too.

 

"...install vcredist, and DirectX..."

Useless, when you do not use 3d.

 

"options.graphics.maxfps = 10"

The same. With render3D=false there is no fps at all.

 

"["fullScreen"] = true, to ["fullScreen"] = false,"

Not necessary. Runs in full-screen mode too.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi guys, I have read this thread with interest as our VA (http://www.rafairuk.co.uk) has been using one of the members PCs as a host machine but we are now at the stage where we need to think a bit bigger.

 

I have access to a virtual server but I can’t work out how to host DCS on it as it has no graphics card or GUI interface. Is there any way around this or do I have to get access to one with a graphics card.

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  • 2 months later...

can anyone recommend good hosters in Germany? preferably in Frankfurt?

AWAITING ED NEW DAMAGE MODEL IMPLEMENTATION FOR WW2 BIRDS

 

Fat T is above, thin T is below. Long T is faster, Short T is slower. Open triangle is AWACS, closed triangle is your own sensors. Double dash is friendly, Single dash is enemy. Circle is friendly. Strobe is jammer. Strobe to dash is under 35 km. HDD is 7 times range key. Radar to 160 km, IRST to 10 km. Stay low, but never slow.

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Hi,

Hetzner is a big Server Hoster form Germany.

His server location is in Nürnberg or Falkenstein, but direct line to DECIX (Frankfurt).

Follow offer is interesting for you.

http://www.hetzner.de/uk/hosting/produkte_rootserver/ex40

49,00 Euro + 25 Euro for Windows Server license

 

CU

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Hard/Software: AMD Ryzen 7 1800X, 32 GiB RAM, extra SSD for Windows 10 and DCS World, AMD Vega Frontier Edition with 16 GiB VRAM

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Hey thanks McMicha :)

AWAITING ED NEW DAMAGE MODEL IMPLEMENTATION FOR WW2 BIRDS

 

Fat T is above, thin T is below. Long T is faster, Short T is slower. Open triangle is AWACS, closed triangle is your own sensors. Double dash is friendly, Single dash is enemy. Circle is friendly. Strobe is jammer. Strobe to dash is under 35 km. HDD is 7 times range key. Radar to 160 km, IRST to 10 km. Stay low, but never slow.

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