Team Fortress Classic (TFC DS)

[Jordan]

How To Run Team Fortress Classic Dedicated Server (TFC DS) as a Windows Service with FireDaemon

Team Fortress Classic is a first person action game. The dedicated server component can be run as a Windows Service using FireDaemon. FireDaemon will allow you to have the dedicated server start automatically at boot prior to login, allow you to start multiple instances of the dedicated server and so forth. This HOWTO will show you how set it up. You can also use Trinity or PanelDaemon to manage FireDaemon and other Windows services via a web browser.

Team Fortress Classic Dedicated Server Setup Under FireDaemon

1. First download and install the HLDS Update Tool. It can be downloaded from here. The download is small (< 1 MB).
2. Download the Team Fortress Classic server files from here. You will need the Full Install as well as the Update Install. There is no dedicated server package, the client includes the server files. First before downloading the files, go to the directory where you installed the HLDS Update Tool. Create a shortcut to “HldsUpdateTool.exe”. Next edit the properties of the shortcut and in the target box, at the end of it (with a space before the following), put:
   -command update -game valve -dir .
   The target box should now look something like:
   "C:\HLDS\HldsUpdateTool.exe" -command update -game tfc -dir .
   
   
   
   Now click the shortcut you created and let it run (it might take a few hours to update everything). You should also run the shortcut every week or so to grab the latest server updates (stop your server first though).
   
3. Install FireDaemon Pro into the directory of your choice (typically C:\Program Files\FireDaemon). FireDaemon can be downloaded from here.
4. Team Fortress Classic uses 1 configuration file to store it’s settings. You can find it in “tfc\server.cfg” in the directory where you installed the server.
5. Next start the FireDaemon GUI from the desktop shortcut. Click on the "Create a new service definition" button in the toolbar (or type Ctrl+N) and enter the information into the fields as you see below. Obviously adjust paths to suite your installation. Pay special attention to the Parameters list.
   
   
   
   The most important field on the tab is the Parameters. The Parameters define the initial setup of your server.
   
   Here’s the full parameter list you should have:
   -console -game tfc -secure +map 2fort -autoupdate +log on +maxplayers 32 -port 27015 +ip 1.2.3.4 -zone 1024
   • "-console” enables text base server display. The server can only be automatically restarted in text based mode.
   • “-game” loads the mod.
   • “-secure” enables VAC protection of your server (valve anti cheat). You can remove this command if you do not want to use VAC.
   • “+map” loads a specified map on server startup. You can change “2fort” to whatever map you want. This command should never be removed.
   • “-autoupdate” Enables auto update of the server, valve has not implemented this in windows so you will have to manually update HLDS/Team Fortress Classic yourself. It’s simply here for the sake of legacy support if valve ever decides to add it.
   • “+log on” Displays the output of information on the screen. You can turn optionally it off (+log off), but keeping it on makes it easier to debug any errors you might encounter.
   • “maxplayers 10” This controls the maximum of amount of players you want your server to run. You can only control the max players on server startup. This command should never be removed.
   • “-port 27015” This is the default server port for HLDS. You can change it to anywhere from 27015 to 27020. Changing it is generally used when you host multiple servers (as each server has to use its own port when using the same IP). This command should never be removed.
   • “+ip” should be the IP of your computer (not 127.0.0.1, go here to get your IP). This command should never be removed.
   • “+exec server.cfg” This simply executes your server.cfg file on server startup. If you run multiple servers from the same installation, you can specify other config files (eg. server.cfg)
   • "-zone 1024" Solves most script memory errors. Some maps will crash if this is not set.
6. Now click on the Settings tab. If you DON'T want to see your dedicated server running, uncheck the Interact with Desktop check box & select “Hidden” from the “Show Window” dropdown. Also uncheck Graceful Shutdown as HLDS doesn't respond to it. You can optionally run HLDS as the user you installed it as. In the Logon Account field type your username (eg. Administrator) and then enter the user's password twice in the Password and Confirm fields.
   
   
   
7. Now click on the Advanced tab. You can change the Process Priority to allocate more CPU time to the dedicated server or specify which CPU or core the dedicated server will run on (in the case of multi-processor, hyperthreaded or multi-core CPUs).
   
   
   
8. Now click on the Dependencies tab. Make sure the service depends on the lanmanworkstation (Workstation) service to ensure the TCP/IP and CIFS stacks are both up prior to starting HLDS.
   
   
   
9. Now click on the Install button to install and start Team Fortress Classic!

Below is an example server.cfg file:

hostname "My TFC Server"
rcon_password  "CHANGEME"

mp_logmessages 1
hpk_maxsize 0.75
sv_region 0
sv_downloadurl ""

max_queries_sec 10
max_queries_sec_global 10
max_queries_window 10

// Enable HLTV proxies to connect
sv_proxies 1

// Voice Comm
sv_voiceenable "1"
sv_voicecodec "voice_speex"
sv_voicequality "4"

//-----------------------------------------------
//           	Server Variables
//-----------------------------------------------
mp_autocrosshair 0
mp_flashlight 1
//mp_teamplay 1301
mp_teamplay 21
mp_friendlyfire 0
mp_fraglimit 0
mp_timelimit 25

allow_spectators 1
sv_spectalk 1
mp_forcespawn 1

sv_allowdownload 1
sv_allowupload 1
sv_cheats 0

// Bandwidth Tweaks
sv_maxrate 0
sv_minrate 0
sv_unlag 1
sys_ticrate 256
sv_minupdaterate 33
sv_maxupdaterate 66
sv_mincmdrate 33
sv_maxcmdrate 66
sv_client_cmdrate_difference 1
sv_client_predict 1
sv_client_interpolate 1
sv_client_min_interp_ratio -1
sv_client_max_interp_ratio -1
fps_max 600

decalfrequency 120
pausable 0

//-----------------------------------------------
//   		Physics settings
//-----------------------------------------------
sv_accelerate 10
sv_aim 0
sv_airaccelerate 10
sv_airmove 1
sv_friction 4
sv_gravity 800
sv_clienttrace 3.5
sv_wateraccelerate 10
sv_waterfriction 1
edgefriction 2
mp_falldamage 1    
mp_footsteps 1
tfc_balance_teams 0

// load ban files
exec listip.cfg
exec banned.cfg


echo Server Config Loaded !

=======================
HOWTO Provided by:
=======================