Keeping your Project Zomboid server up-to-date without causing downtime is crucial for maintaining a seamless gaming experience for your players. This guide will walk you through the process of setting up, configuring, and managing your Zomboid server to ensure it remains current while minimizing interruptions.
Key Takeaways
- Enabling the ‘non-free’ repository and installing SteamCMD are essential first steps for setting up your server environment.
- Automating the update process with scripts can help you manage server updates efficiently without causing downtime.
- Proper network configuration and port forwarding are crucial for ensuring your server is accessible and stable.
Setting Up the Environment
Enabling Non-Free Repository
To get started, you need to enable the non-free repository on your server. This repository contains essential packages that are not available in the default repositories. Run the following commands to enable it:
sudo apt-get install software-properties-common -y
sudo apt-add-repository non-free
Installing SteamCMD
SteamCMD is a command-line version of Steam, which is necessary for downloading and managing game servers. First, add the i386 architecture and update your package list:
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt-get update -y
Next, install SteamCMD:
sudo apt-get install steamcmd -y
Creating a Dedicated User
It’s crucial not to run your game server as the root user for security reasons. Instead, create a dedicated user for managing the server. You can create a user named pzuser with the following command:
sudo adduser pzuser
After creating the user, switch to this new user account:
sudo -u pzuser -i
Note: Using a dedicated user helps in isolating the game server environment, making it more secure and easier to manage.
Installing and Configuring the Zomboid Server
Creating the Server Directory
First, you need to create a directory where your Zomboid server files will reside. This can be done with the following command:
sudo mkdir /opt/pzserver
sudo chown pzuser:pzuser /opt/pzserver
This sets up the directory and assigns ownership to the dedicated user you created earlier.
Configuring SteamCMD for Zomboid
Next, you’ll need to configure SteamCMD to download the Zomboid server files. Create a configuration file named update_zomboid.txt in the home directory of your dedicated user:
cat >$HOME/update_zomboid.txt <<'EOL'
// update_zomboid.txt
//
@ShutdownOnFailedCommand 1 //set to 0 if updating multiple servers at once
@NoPromptForPassword 1
force_install_dir /opt/pzserver/
login anonymous
app_update 380870 validate
quit
EOL
This script tells SteamCMD to install the Zomboid server files into the directory you created.
Running the Initial Installation
To run the initial installation, execute the following command:
export PATH=$PATH:/usr/games
steamcmd +runscript $HOME/update_zomboid.txt
This command will download and install the necessary server files. You’ll use this same command whenever you need to update the server to the latest version.
Make sure to run this command as the dedicated user you created earlier to avoid any permission issues.
Managing Server Updates
Creating an Update Script
To keep your Project Zomboid server running smoothly, you’ll need to create an update script. This script will automate the process of downloading and installing updates. Here’s a simple example of what your script might look like:
#!/bin/bash
# Define the installation directory
INSTALL_DIR="/opt/pzserver"
# Run SteamCMD to update the server
steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir $INSTALL_DIR +app_update 380870 validate +quit
Save this script as update_zomboid.sh and make it executable:
chmod +x update_zomboid.sh
Running Updates Without Downtime
Minimizing downtime during updates is crucial for maintaining a good player experience. One effective method is to use a secondary server to handle updates while the primary server remains online. Here’s a basic approach:
- Set up a secondary server with the same configuration as your primary server.
- Run the update script on the secondary server.
- Once the update is complete, switch your players to the secondary server.
- Update the primary server using the same script.
- Switch players back to the primary server once the update is done.
Automating the Update Process
Automating updates can save you a lot of time and effort. You can use cron jobs on Linux to schedule your update script to run at regular intervals. Here’s how you can set it up:
-
Open the crontab file:
crontab -e -
Add a new line to schedule the update script. For example, to run the script every day at 3 AM, add:
0 3 * * * /path/to/update_zomboid.sh
Automating updates ensures your server is always running the latest version without manual intervention.
By following these steps, you can keep your Project Zomboid server up-to-date with minimal downtime, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for your players.
Network Configuration and Port Forwarding
Required Ports for Zomboid
To ensure your Project Zomboid server is accessible, you’ll need to open specific ports. The essential ports are:
- 16261 UDP: Main server port
- 16262 UDP: Direct connection port
These ports must be open to allow players to connect to your server without issues.
Configuring UFW on Linux
If you’re using a Linux server, UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) is a straightforward way to manage your firewall settings. To open the required ports, execute the following commands:
sudo ufw allow 16261/udp
sudo ufw allow 16262/udp
sudo ufw reload
This will open the necessary ports and reload the firewall to apply the changes.
Testing Network Connectivity
After configuring your firewall, it’s crucial to test the network connectivity to ensure everything is set up correctly. You can use tools like nc (netcat) or telnet to verify that the ports are open and accessible.
nc -zv your-server-ip 16261
nc -zv your-server-ip 16262
If the ports are open, you should see a message indicating a successful connection. Running and managing a server requires regular maintenance, so make sure to periodically check your network settings to avoid any connectivity issues.
Proper network configuration is key to a stable gaming experience. Regularly monitor and update your settings to ensure seamless gameplay for your users.
Conclusion
Maintaining an up-to-date Project Zomboid server without experiencing downtime is crucial for ensuring a seamless gaming experience for your player base. By following the outlined steps, including enabling the necessary repositories, installing and configuring SteamCMD, and setting up the server with appropriate user permissions, you can effectively manage updates and minimize disruptions. Additionally, understanding the importance of port forwarding and memory allocation will further enhance server performance and stability. Regularly updating both the game server and system software is essential to protect against vulnerabilities and benefit from the latest improvements. With careful planning and execution, you can keep your Project Zomboid server running smoothly and efficiently.
