Arma 2: Server Config File

Introduction

This article deals with the server.cfg, the name means nothing, and can be called anything. The real name is determined by the -config command line option when launching the dedicated server. This is a configuration file which you can use to configure various game server settings such as the difficulty level, how many votes are needed, and welcome messages. Please feel free to add more information.

Server Options

Parameter	Description
passwordAdmin = "xyzxyz";	Password to protect admin access.
password = "xyz";	Password required to connect to server.
hostname="My Server";	Servername visible in the game browser.
maxPlayers = 10;	The maximum number of players that can connect to server ( seems to be out by 1 in the demo at least ). Number of mission slots override this setting.
motd[]= {"Welcome to my server.","Hosted in the net."};	Two lines welcome message. Comma is the 'new line' separator.

Server Behavior	Description
voteThreshold = 0.33;	Percentage of votes needed to confirm a vote. 33 percent in this example.
voteMissionPlayers = 3;	Start mission-voting when X numberOfPlayers connect. 3 players in this example.
reportingIP="<>";	Private server - no reporting. ArmA: "armedass.master.gamespy.com" to report to the gamespy master server. ArmA2: "arma2pc.master.gamespy.com" ArmA2OA: "arma2oapc.master.gamespy.com"
kickduplicate = 1;	Do not allow duplicate game ids. Second player with an existing ID will be kicked automatically. 1 means active, 0 disabled.
checkfiles[]={"dta\bin.pbo","a10\config.bin"};	Outdated - replaced by verifySignatures! Only use if you really understand what it does. List of files to check for integrity with crc check. Possible to check pbo files or files inside pbos. Beware checking large files takes serious processing on the server and can cause various issues.
equalModRequired = 1;	Outdated - replaced by verifySignatures! Only use if you really understand what it does. Clients require the exact same modfolder naming, order and amount as the server. 1 means active, 0 disabled.

ArmA Only Parameters	Description
verifySignatures = 1;	Enables or disables the signature verification for addons. Default = 0. Changed in 1.59 patch with: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=115114
disableVoN = 1;	Enables or disables the Voice over Net. Default = 0.
vonCodecQuality = 10;	Sets VoN codec quality. Value range is from 1 to 10. Default = 3.
logFile = "server_console.log";	Enables output of dedicated server console into textfile. Default location of log is same as crash dumps and other logs. (Local settings) Note that this does not change the location of the "net.log" file, which you enable with the -netlog command line option.
doubleIdDetected = "command";	see Server Side Scripting
onUserConnected = "command";
onUserDisconnected = "command";
onHackedData = "command";
onDifferentData = "command";
onUnsignedData = "command";
regularCheck = "command";
BattlEye=1;	Enables or disables the BattlEye anti-cheat engine. Default 0. - since 1.09 beta. Note that this requires specific dlls to be installed on the server and all clients joining the game
timeStampFormat="short";	Set the timestamp format used on each report line in server-side RPT file. Possible values are "none" (default),"short","full".
persistent = 1;	Enables or disables the persistent battlefield. Default = 0. See note below.

Enabling the persistence option will make missions that have either base or instant respawn keep on running after all players have disconnected. The other respawn types will not make a mission persistent. The kind of respawn a certain mission uses is set in its Description.ext.

If you do not include the regularCheck option or set regularCheck=""; it will be activated. This means the server checks files from time to time by hashing them and comparing the hash to the hash values of the clients. Since newer server versions this has lead to some lag spikes on certain systems, because the whole file is hashed in one burst. (The heavy I/O operation essentially blocking the whole server application for 1-5 secs, depending on the file size)

regularCheck is also known to cause sporadic (10 mins - 2 hrs) disconnects, terminating the client with "You were kicked off the game." on the client side and "Player Test disconnected." in the console log. To turn this function off, write regularCheck="{}";. But beware, this will also make the server more prone to cheating (even though most cheats are averted when connecting)

Server Security

Several of these settings directly contribute to the security of the server and have been highlighted as important, particularly for running Public (no password) servers.

Refer to ArmA: Addon Signatures for current best practices in server mod signing and the use of key signature files.

Example Configuration File

//
// server.cfg
//
// comments are written with "//" in front of them.



// GLOBAL SETTINGS
hostname = "Fun and Test Server";	// The name of the server that shall be displayed in the public server list
password = "";						// Password for joining, eg connecting to the server
passwordAdmin = "xyz";					// Password to become server admin. When you're in Arma MP and connected to the server, type '#login xyz'
reportingIP = "armedass.master.gamespy.com";		// This is the default setting. If you change this, your server 
//reportingIP = arma2pc.master.gamespy.com";            // In case of ArmA2 might not turn up in the public list. Leave empty for private servers
//reportingIP = "arma2oapc.master.gamespy.com";         // For Operation Arrowhead
logFile = "server_console.log";			// Tells ArmA-server where the logfile should go and what it should be called



// WELCOME MESSAGE ("message of the day")
// It can be several lines, separated by comma
// Empty messages "" will not be displayed at all but are only for increasing the interval
motd[] = {
	"", "", "", 
	"Welcome to the Testing",
	"Server Settings: Veteran, Crosshair = off, 3rdPerson = off, MapInfo = off, VoN = off, CustomFiles = 200KByte, Voting = 33%, PersistentMaps = on",
	"We are looking for fun - Join us Now !",
	"http://www.mypage.org/",
	"",
	"You should use mumble, its better than",
	"TS2 Server for recruits: mypage.org:8767"
};
motdInterval = 5;						// Time interval (in seconds) between each message



// JOINING RULES
checkfiles[] = {};						// Outdated.
maxPlayers = 30;						// Maximum amount of players. Civilians and watchers, beholder, bystanders and so on also count as player.
kickDuplicate = 1;					// Each ArmA version has its own ID. If kickDuplicate is set to 1, a player will be kicked when he joins a server where another player with the same ID is playing.
verifySignatures = 1;					// Verifies the players files by checking them with the .bisign signatures. Works properly from 1.08 on
equalModRequired = 0;					// Outdated. If set to 1, player has to use exactly the same -mod= startup parameter as the server.



// VOTING
voteMissionPlayers = 1;  					// Tells the server how many people must connect so that it displays the mission selection screen.
voteThreshold = 0.33;					// 33% or more players need to vote for something, for example an admin or a new map, to become effective



// INGAME SETTINGS
disableVoN = 1;						// If set to 1, Voice over Net will not be available
vonCodecQuality = 0;					// Quality from 1 to 10
persistent = 1;						// If 1, missions still run on even after the last player disconnected.



// SCRIPTING ISSUES
onUserConnected = "";					// self-explaining
onUserDisconnected = "";
doubleIdDetected = "";
regularCheck = "";

// some ArmA specific stuff - signature verification
onUnsignedData = "kick (_this select 0)"; // unsigned data detected
onHackedData = "ban (_this select 0)"; // tampering of the signature detected
onDifferentData = ""; // data with a valid signature, but different version than the one present on server detected
BattlEye = 1; //Server to use BattlEye system

// MISSIONS CYCLE (see below)
class Missions {};

Mission rotation

One can set an automatic mission rotation. It will automatically select a mission join a player joins with no admin logged in. Once the mission is done and still players on the server, it automatically switches to the next in the cycle.

ArmA

The following example shows one for the missions included with the demo.

class Missions
{
	class MPCTF_01// name for the mission, can be anything
	{
		template = M02CaptureTheFlag.SaraLite;// omit the .pbo suffix
		cadetMode = 1;// difficulty 0=veteran 1=cadet
	};
	class MPCOOP_01
	{
		template = M01Cooperative.SaraLite;
		cadetMode = 1;
	};
	class MPCTI_01
	{
		template = M03ConquerTheIsland.SaraLite;
		cadetMode = 1;
	};
};

ArmA II

This example shows how to put all the stock ArmA II 1.05 multiplayer missions into rotation:

class Missions
{
        class DM_Deathmatch
        {
                template = "MP_Deathmatch.Chernarus";// omit the .pbo suffix
                difficulty = "recruit";// difficulty: recruit, regular, veteran or mercenary (see CfgDifficulties in the main game config)
        };
        class DM_Detector
        {
                template = "MP_Detector.Chernarus";
                difficulty = "regular";
        };
        class Team_TeamDeathmatch
        {
                template = "MP_TeamDeathmatch.Chernarus";
                difficulty = "veteran";
        };
        class COOP_Paradrop
        {
                template = "MP_Paradrop.Chernarus";
                difficulty = "mercenary";
        };
        class CTI_CivilWar
        {
                template = "MP_CivilWar.Chernarus";
                difficulty = "regular";
        };
        class CTI_SuperPowers
        {
                template = "MP_Superpowers.Chernarus";
                difficulty = "regular";
        };
        class CTI_WarWelcome
        {
                template = "MP_WarWelcome.utes";
                difficulty = "regular";
        };
        class CTI_WhenDiplomacyFails
        {
                template = "MP_WhenDiplomacyFails.Chernarus";
                difficulty = "regular";
        };
};

ArmA II: Operation Arrowhead

This example contains all the MP missions from the Operation Arrowhead expansion:

class Missions
{
	class COOP_HikeInTheHills
	{
		template="MPE1_HikeInTheHills.Takistan";// omit the .pbo suffix
		difficulty="regular";// difficulty: recruit, regular, veteran or mercenary (see CfgDifficulties in the main game config)
	};
	class COOP_LaserShow
	{
		template="MPE1_LaserShow.Takistan";
		difficulty="regular";
	};
	class COOP_Littlebird
	{
		template="MPE1_Littlebird.Takistan";
		difficulty="regular";
	};
	class COOP_OneShotOneKill
	{
		template="MPE1_OneShotOneKill.Takistan";
		difficulty="regular";
	};
	class COOP_SteelPanthers
	{
		template="MPE_SteelPanthers.Takistan";
		difficulty="regular";
	};
	class CTI_MountainWarfare
	{
		template="MPE_MountainWarfare.Takistan";
		difficulty="regular";
	};
	class CTI_MountainWarfare3Sided
	{
		template="MPE_MountainWarfare3Sided.Takistan";
		difficulty="regular";
	};
	class CTI_UrbanWarfare
	{
		template="MP_UrbanWarfare.Zargabad";
		difficulty="regular";
	};
	class SCont_SectorControl
	{
		template="MPE_SectorControl.Zargabad";
		difficulty="veteran";
	};
	class DM_Dogfighters
	{
		template="MPE1_Dogfighters.Takistan";
		difficulty="veteran";
	};
	class Team_HuntersHunted
	{
		template="MPE1_HuntersHunted.Takistan";
		difficulty="veteran";
	};
};

ArmA II: Operation Arrowhead - multiple mission parameters configuration

Starting rev.72235 (22.7.2010) the Operation Arrowhead should be able not only to use multiple mission parameters, but also configure their defaults in server.cfg config file. There is a short example how it was tested when implemented. Feel free to rewrite this part of article, as I only want to stop speculations how these parameters are to be configured. This should be considered as a documentation just after implementation.

 // description.ext file: definition of parameters with their defaults. 
 // These default values can be overwritten in the server.cfg, as shown in the following list
 titleParam1 = "Secretary dress";
 valuesParam1[] = {0,1,2,3};
 defValueParam1 = 0;
 textsParam1[] = {"Bikini","Miniskirt","Tunic","Jeans"};

 titleParam2 = "Secretary age";
 valuesParam2[] = {18,20,26,30,35,80};
 defValueParam2 = 26;
 textsParam2[] = {"18","20","26","30","35","Baba Jaga"};

 class Params 
 {
        class Name
        {
                title = "Secretary name";
                values[] = {0,1,2,3};
                texts[] = {"Iveta","Mila","Misa","Bara"};
                default = 3;
        };
        class WorkPlace
        {
                title = "Secretary place";
                values[] = {0,1};
                texts[] = {"Prague","Mnisek"};
                default = 1;
        };
        class Friend
        {
                title = "Her friend"
                values[] = {0,1};
                texts[] = {"None","Bebul"};
                default = 1;
        };
 };

Inside server.cfg one can define the param1 and param2 values along with new, named parameters inside class Params, using each parameter class name to assign the corresponding parameter the value. The paramsArray cannot be used inside server.cfg config file (or you can use it, but engine has never read it :) ).

 class Missions
 {
	class CanBeAnything   // name for the mission, can be anything
	{
		template = "parametersTest.Desert_E";	// omit the .pbo suffix
		difficulty = "regular";			// difficulty: recruit, regular, veteran & mercenary as specified in *.Arma2profile
                param1 = 2;  // dress
                param2 = 26; // age
                class Params
                {
                  Name = 2;
                  WorkPlace = 0;
                  Friend = 1;
                };
	};
 };

See Also

• Server Configuration
• Armed Assault:Dedicated Server
• ArmA: Server Side Scripting
• Operation Flashpoint:Dedicated Server