How to run multiple server instances on the same system ?

[Glucoz]

Hi,

I have a quite poerwful VM online I would like to use multiple instances of 7DTD.
The VM is running Windows.
Would you know what's the best way to run multiple concurrent instances on the same box and keep the instances well separate of course ?

Thanks in advance

[meganoth]

You simply make copies of the games directory and edit the serverconfig.xml of each copy to have a different GameName, this makes sure that each copy has its own savegame location.

 

(Not tested myself, but I don't see a reason this shouldn't work)

 

[Beelzybub]

12 hours ago, Glucoz said:

run multiple concurrent instances

If you're talking about the dedicated server, you also need separate port ranges for each instance.

[AudioCraZ]

From what I have seen, the issue doesn't come from the game itself, but Steam. I have tried to run two separate game servers, both on steam, on the same box, but unfortunately Steam VAC & services port can't be changed (unless someone knows a way how)  per game, so if you run one game, it will run fine, but as soon as you run a second instance on the same OS, the first game no longer shows up. 

 

If you are running separate VM's, and you can configure them with separate public IP addresses, then it should work fine. 

[SylenThunder]

Steam shouldn't be involved in running the servers at all. Don't even install it on the server machine.

 

Out group has run as many as eleven servers at once off of one machine. No VM's same IP.

[Glucoz]

So if anyone is interested, here's how I did it :

 

Installed SteamCMD in C:\SteamCMD

Installed each game instance in its dedicated folder

 

cd C:\SteamCMD
steamcmd.exe
force_install_dir C:\SteamCMD\7_days_to_die_server_FirstInstance
login anonymous
app_update 294420
exit

steamcmd.exe
force_install_dir C:\SteamCMD\7_days_to_die_server_SecondInstance
login anonymous
app_update 294420

 

For each game, I updated the serverconfig.xml and set custom values for UserDataFolder and SaveGameFolder so it wouldn't use the %appdata% and all the files are contained in one folder instead.

 

<property name="UserDataFolder" value="C:\SteamCMD\7_days_to_die_server_FirstInstance\CustomAppData" />
<property name="SaveGameFolder" value="C:\SteamCMD\7_days_to_die_server_FirstInstance\CustomAppData" />

 

I also set different ServerName and ServerPort

[Finster63]

On 3/14/2022 at 6:33 AM, Glucoz said:

 

I also set different ServerName and ServerPort

 

I plan on setting one server to 26900, and another to 26909

 

I'll make the changes in the serverconfig.xml, and add a port forward for 26909

 

Do I need to make any changes to the UDP forwarding?

The docs say 

Set UDP to 26901-26903

[SylenThunder]

40 minutes ago, Finster63 said:

 

I plan on setting one server to 26900, and another to 26909

 

I'll make the changes in the serverconfig.xml, and add a port forward for 26909

 

Do I need to make any changes to the UDP forwarding?

The docs say 

Set UDP to 26901-26903

With that configuration you will need the following ports.

TCP 26900 and 26909

UDP 26900-26903 and 26909-26902

[Finster63]

Followup - I followed the above instructions from Glucoz

I wasn't able to connect to TCP/UDP 26909 until I added UDP 26910 -26912

I can now connect to either server, and have different characters in each world

For some reason, I can only connect thru my public IP - I can't use the 192.168.XXX.XXX IP

Thank you @SylenThunder!!!!