¶ Game Servers
We use Pterodactyl to manage games servers, found at
https://pterodactyl.uwcs.co.uk
If you want a game server set up, simply head to our discord, and create a Game Server ticket on "create-a-ticket" under Tech.
We'll need your email address, after which we can create your pterodactyl account where you'll be able to stop and start your server.
On there, you'll also find your game port. Once tech has edited the frpt.toml file and reset the service, your server will be accessible at mc.uwcs.co.uk:(PORT_NUMBER)
¶ How Pterodactyl works
Pterodactyl uses docker containers to run games. It also has some adororable terminology, such as:
Wings - the node that runs Pterodactyl
Nest - the folder that has different types of eggs
Egg - An install script to create a game docker container
We have a few games, namely Minecraft, Terraria, and Satisfactory, already set up. For any outside of this, a new egg will have to be imported / created.
Official eggs can be found here:
https://github.com/pterodactyl/game-eggs
¶ Backend
Pterodactyl is hosted at wings LXC on LocalToast
¶ Docker
- Available at portainer for maintainance if required
- Docker Network -
pterodactyl_nw - Effective server's "localhost":
172.18.0.1
¶ Minecraft
Most of the servers we host are for Minecraft. Use Fabric (instead of Vanilla) or Paper (instead of Bukkit/Spigot), both have better optimization and easier Velocity support. Servers are hosted behind a Velocity proxy (allows the multiple connections, like Bungeecord).
- [Optional] If you want a complex server, build your server locally, perhaps test it behind Velocity (occasionally mods/plugins have weird interactions with it)
- Create a Pterodactyl account, contact Tech Officers to give you perms
Admin
- Create a new blank MC server (Admin page > Servers > Create new)
- Set name & owner
- Set the server resources: Default to backup limit 3, 400 CPU, 6GB memory, 10GB disk space, Egg Fabric, Image Java 21
- Record the port
- Add the server to Velocity's config (server list >
UWCS - Velocity>Files>velocity.toml, copy an existing entry)
a. Add a line to[servers]with an alias:newserver = "172.18.0.1:xxxx"
b. Add a line to[forced-hosts]mapping the subdomain:"newserver.mc.uwcs.co.uk" = ["newserver"] - Add any further users in the server's user menu
- Upload your server, either fully replace what exists already or add to it
a. Pterodactyl's file manager is alright, but it's pretty basic and has an upload limit of 250MB. It's better to use SFTP with a client like WinSCP.
b. SFTP connection details can be found in your server'sSettingspage. Your username is different per server, but your password is the same as your Pterodactyl password.
c. SFTP is accessible viasftp.mc.uwcs.co.uk:2022, as it is proxied to the service on the LXC via FRP, as we lack the ability to exposewings.uwcs.co.uk:2022.
d. Raven has tried a very silly hack with nginx to force-correct reporting of the SFTP URL to the Pterodactyl panel, but should this break/be removed, use the accessible URL stated above, as thewingsvariant will still fail to work - Configure your server for Velocity
a. Make sure your server port is the same as configured (the 70xx)
b. Setonline-mode=falseinserver.properties
c. [Fabric] Add FabricProxy-Lite to /mods,
c. [Paper] Setvelocity > enabled = trueinconfig/paper-global.yaml
Admin
Copy the secret from Velocity's forwarding.secret into config/FabricProxy-Lite.toml or config/paper-global.yaml
¶ Bedrock Crossplay
If you have some playser on Bedrock, we can set up crossplay with Geyser. Geyser only needs to run on Velocity, however you need to install Floodgate on your server (Paper and Fabric downloads).
Once installed, all that needs to happen is for an [Admin] to copy Velocity's plugins/floodgate/key.pem onto your server's config/floodgate/key.pem.
¶ Dynmap
If you want a map webpage, install Dynmap (or similar) and allocate another port
Admin
In the FRP config, edit Frpc/frpc.toml to add:
[[proxies]]
name = "Dynmap for <NAME>"
subdomain = "<CHANGE SUBDOMAIN HERE>"
type = "https"
[proxies.plugin]
type = "https2http"
localAddr = "172.18.0.1:<CHANGE PORT HERE>"
crtPath = "./certs/mc.uwcs.co.uk/cert.pem"
keyPath = "./certs/mc.uwcs.co.uk/key.pem"
hostHeaderRewrite = "127.0.0.1"
requestHeaders.set.x-from-where = "frp"
transport.proxyProtocolVersion = "v2"
Then restart the container
¶ Server Owner Guidance
¶ Backup
These servers have pretty good reliability, but obviously things can go wrong. I recommend backing up your server every so often.
- You can do this manually in Pterodactyl's Backups menu
- Or automate it in the Schedules menu (this uses cron style patterns for when to run)
- So
0 5 * * MONis every Monday at 5am - You will be fine with just the backup action, but you can use commands
save-off,save-allandsave-onto ensure a backup never happens mid save.
- So
- Also download backups to another storage location every so often (either your local machine or a cloud provider)
- If you have dynmap or some large folders you don't need backed up, create a
.pteroignorefile with contents like
.fabric
dynmap
libraries
logs
versions
*.tar.gz
bluemap
¶ Extra details
The disk image is stored on the NVME drive for speed
Due to the closed ports situation, we only have access to ports 80 and 443 on Milner, and through trickery 7000-8000 from the old Lovelace IP. To get round this we use an Oracle VPS to act as a router.
mc.uwcs.co.uk connects straight to the VPS.
http is auto redirected to https.
¶ Traffic
Traffic from the VPS is handled by frp, attempts were made to use rathole but it was intermittent with Satisfactory.
The Admin panel for frp is hosted on the VPS at port 6780
Username: uwcs
Password: Gaming Password