Run a server

Rented server with only FTP, or a server without the launcher? See Kiln on a dedicated server. The launcher is on the download page; the server pack and kilnctl are there too.

Kinds of server

The launcher’s Servers page runs four kinds:

Kind	What it is
Linux (kilnctl)	installed with SteamCMD, runs under Wine with its own prefix
Steam	installed by the Steam client; started without Steam
Windows	on a Windows PC (tested under Wine so far)
Remote	a kilnctl server on another machine, over SSH

Servers run without a window and keep running when you close the launcher.

A new server

On Linux, New server installs the game files, writes the name and port, and sets up the Wine prefix. Then install Kiln from Overview. Import adds a server folder you already have.

The server pages

Page	What you do
Overview	state, players, uptime; update the game, install or update Kiln
Settings	name, slots, port, difficulty, user groups, passwords, bans (while stopped)
Mods	see state, sync from your library, on or off. Mods for other frameworks go into the folders they’re read from
Configs	mod settings, edited offline
Backups	make and restore; a running server restores at its next start
Console	live output, Kiln commands, log files
Modpack	build and publish the mods players need
Admin	live tools: Admin pages

Stopping saves first. A Steam server won’t stop from the launcher while players are online.

Modpacks for your players

On Modpack, build a zip of the mods players need (same mods, same file). It includes the other frameworks’ mods players need too, such as EML data mods. Upload it anywhere reachable over https and enter the address. Joining players’ launchers then offer it. See Join a modded server.

Who may join

Not yet in the real game. The default refusal and the hold pass on test servers. They haven’t run with a real client.

modSync in kiln/config/network.json sets what happens when a Kiln player’s mods don’t match:

modSync	Result
not set (default)	a player missing a mod that states clients: "mod" is refused and told which. Other differences only warn
warn	everyone joins; differences are warnings
off	no check
refuse	players missing anything required are refused, with a list

A player let in without a mod doesn’t get that mod’s entities. The check covers Kiln mods; mods for other frameworks aren’t compared yet.

A player without Kiln is held before any world data, at most vanillaHoldSeconds (default 5), until the server decides. They’re refused when:

• "requireKiln": true;
• a loaded mod states clients: "kiln" or "mod", unless modSync is off;
• modSync is refuse and the server has required mods.

Otherwise they join, without entities of new templates. If nothing is at stake, nothing is held.

Known limit: a vanilla client carrying Kiln items can crash on a server that lets it in, and may lose those items elsewhere.

Player progress

Talents follow the character, from the client’s copy. To keep your own copy per character and refuse theirs, set {"importProgress": false} in kiln/config/characters.json.

kilnctl (Linux)

kilnctl init myserver --dir ~/srv/myserver --port 15637
kilnctl install myserver      # game files via SteamCMD
kilnctl prefix myserver       # the Wine prefix
kilnctl deploy myserver       # install Kiln
kilnctl start myserver        # returns when the world is up
kilnctl status myserver
kilnctl stop myserver         # the game saves first
kilnctl backup myserver       # archive the save
kilnctl report myserver       # a zip to send when something fails

Keep it running: systemctl --user enable --now kiln@myserver.

kilnctl update myserver stops the server, backs it up, updates the game, checks Kiln’s support and restarts. On a new build Kiln’s hooks and mods stay off until supported.