Server Install

This guide will walk you through installing and configuring a dedicated server for Vault Hunters 3rd Edition

System Requirements

Minimum Requirements
RAM: 6 GB base + 2 GB per concurrent player Example: 10 GB total for 2 players, 12 GB for 3 players, etc. Java Version: Java 17 (required) Minecraft Version: 1.18.2 Mod Loader: Forge Storage: At least 5 GB free disk space

Recommended Specifications
CPU: Modern multi-core processor RAM: 8 GB base + 2 GB per player (for optimal performance) Storage: SSD for better world loading performance

Hosting Options

3rd Party Host

By far, the easiest way to start your own Vault Hunters server is through a 3rd party hosting provider. We have partnered with Bisect Hosting as our official hosting provider. Better yet, if you use code Iskall85 at checkout, you can save 25% on your first server!

Host Your Own Server

If you don't want to use a a 3rd party hosting provider, or you already have your own server infrastructure, you can of course host your own server.

Manual Install

Windows

Install Java 17 Download Java 17 from Microsoft OpenJDK 17 * Recommended or OpenJDK 17 Install Java 17 following the installer prompts Verify installation by opening Command Prompt and running: java -version You should see output indicating Java 17, similar to this: C:\Users\User> java -version openjdk version "17.0.12" 2024-07-16 LTS OpenJDK Runtime Environment Microsoft-9889599 (build 17.0.12+7-LTS) OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM Microsoft-9889599 (build 17.0.12+7-LTS, mixed mode, sharing) PS C:\Users\User> Create Server Directory Create a new folder for your server (e.g., C:\VaultHunters-Server) Navigate to this folder Download and Install Forge TBD Download Server Files Navigate to the Vault Hunters CurseForge page Go to the "Files" tab Find version 3.18.3 Click on the version to view details In the "Additional Files" section, download the Server Pack Extract the server files to your server directory Create Start Script Create a file named start.bat in your server directory with the following content: TBD Initial Server Setup Double-click start.bat to run the server for the first time The server will create necessary files and then stop Edit eula.txt and change eula=false to eula=true Optionally, edit server.properties to configure server settings: server-port=25565 (or your preferred port) max-players=20 (or your preferred limit) difficulty=normal Start Your Server Double-click start.bat to start your server. First startup may take several minutes as Forge loads all mods.

Linux / MacOS / BSD

Install Java 17 Ubuntu/Debian sudo apt update sudo apt install openjdk-17-jdk java --version CentOS/RHEL/Fedora/Rocky sudo dnf install java-17-openjdk-devel java --version MacOS (using Homebrew) brew install openjdk@17 java --version CentOS/RHEL/Fedora/Rocky sudo dnf install java-17-openjdk-devel java --version FreeBSD/OpenBSD (via pkg) pkg install openjdk17 java --version If you followed the commands above, you should see an output similar the following, after running java --version openjdk version "17.0.12" 2024-07-16 LTS OpenJDK Runtime Environment Microsoft-9889599 (build 17.0.12+7-LTS) OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM Microsoft-9889599 (build 17.0.12+7-LTS, mixed mode, sharing) Create Server Directory mkdir ~/VaultHunters-Server cd ~/VaultHunters-Server Download the Recommended Version of Forge 1.18.2 wget https://maven.minecraftforge.net/net/minecraftforge/forge/1.18.2-[VERSION]/forge-1.18.2-[VERSION]-installer.jar Download Server Files Navigate to the Vault Hunters CurseForge page Go to the "Files" tab Find the latest version Click on the version to view details In the "Additional Files" section, download the Server Files Pack Extract the server files to your server directory Create Start Script Create a file named start.sh in your server directory: local unwanted_mods=("legendarytooltips" "torohealth" "rubidium") for mod_pattern in "${unwanted_mods[@]}"; do if ls mods/*$mod_pattern* >/dev/null 2>&1; then rm -f mods/*$mod_pattern* fi done local restart_count=0 while true; do # Build JVM arguments local args=() # Add custom JVM args if specified if [ -n "$JVM_ARGS" ]; then read -ra jvm_args_array <<< "$JVM_ARGS" args+=("${jvm_args_array[@]}") fi # Add user JVM args if file exists if [ -f "user_jvm_args.txt" ]; then while IFS= read -r line; do if [[ "$line" =~ ^-.*$ ]]; then args+=("$line") fi done < "user_jvm_args.txt" fi # Use unix_args.txt instead of win_args.txt on Unix systems local args_file="libraries/net/minecraftforge/forge/1.18.2-$FORGE_VERSION/unix_args.txt" if [ ! -f "$args_file" ]; then # Fallback to win_args.txt if unix_args.txt doesn't exist args_file="libraries/net/minecraftforge/forge/1.18.2-$FORGE_VERSION/win_args.txt" fi args+=("@$args_file") args+=("nogui") # Start server "$JAVA_FILE" "${args[@]}" # Check for restart conditions if [ "$VH3_RESTART" = "true" ] && [ -f "logs/latest.log" ]; then if ! grep -q "Stopping the server" "logs/latest.log"; then restart_count=$((restart_count + 1)) if [ $restart_count -le 10 ]; then print_color $YELLOW "Restarting automatically in 10 seconds (press Ctrl + C to cancel)" sleep 10 continue fi fi fi break done Initial Server Setup Run the server for the first time: ./start.sh The server will create necessary files and then stop Edit eula.txt and change eula=false to eula=true: nano eula.txt Optionally, edit server.properties to configure server settings: nano server.properties Start Your Server Execute ./start.sh to start your server. First startup may take several minutes as Forge loads all mods.

Scripted Install

We have community-maintained scripted installers available at our GitHub

Memory Allocation Guidelines

Adjust -Xms and -Xmx values based on your expected player count:

• 2-3 players: -Xms6G -Xmx10G
• 4-5 players: -Xms8G -Xmx14G
• 6+ players: -Xms10G -Xmx16G or higher

Performance Optimization

Performance Mods

The Vault Hunters community maintains a list of compatible performance mods. Visit the Discord Server performance mod thread for the latest recommendations.

Alternative JVM Options

GraalVM is an option we've seen used in various server configurations. We don't currently have a recommended set of JVM arguments but will add some once we've found a reliable set.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Insufficient RAM

Problem: Server crashes with OutOfMemoryError or runs extremely slowly

Solutions:

• Increase -Xmx value in your start script
• Ensure your system has enough available RAM
• Check that -Xms and -Xmx are set appropriately for your player count
• Verify no other memory-intensive applications are running

Example Error:

java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: Java heap space

Java Version Issues

Problem: Server fails to start with Java-related errors

Solutions:

• Confirm you're using Java 17 (not Java 8, 11, or newer versions)
• Update your PATH environment variable if needed
• Use the full path to Java 17 in your start script

Port Already in Use

Problem: Server can't bind to port 25565

Solutions:

• Change server-port in server.properties
• Stop other Minecraft servers using the same port
• Check for other applications using port 25565

Mod Loading Errors

Problem: Server crashes during mod loading

Solutions:

• Ensure all mod files are properly downloaded
• Verify you're using the correct server pack version
• Check that no mods were corrupted during download
• Re-download the server pack if necessary

Log Files

Server logs are located in:

• Main log: logs/latest.log
• Crash reports: crash-reports/ folder

Server Management

Regular Maintenance

• Backups: Regularly backup your world/ folder and server files
• Updates: Check for new Vault Hunters versions periodically
• Monitoring: Keep an eye on RAM usage and server performance
• Restart Schedule: Consider automatic restarts every 6-12 hours for optimal performance

Commands

Use standard Minecraft server commands:

• /op <player> - Give operator permissions
• /whitelist add <player> - Add to whitelist
• /save-all - Force save the world
• /stop - Safely stop the server

Getting Help

If you encounter issues not covered in this guide:

1. Check logs for specific error messages
2. Visit the Vault Hunters Discord for community support
3. Search existing discussions for similar problems
4. Provide detailed information when asking for help:
   • Server specifications
   • Java version
   • Exact error messages
   • Relevant log excerpts

Additional Resources

• Vault Hunters CurseForge Page
• Vault Hunters Discord Community
• Aikar's Flags Documentation
• Discord Performance Mods Thread
• Additional Skyvault Settings