# ARK: Survival Ascended VPS Set Up A complete step-by-step guide for a Linux ARK Server {% hint style="info" %} Need a VPS? Get one with [Four Seasons Hosting](https://fourseasonshosting.com/client/store/game-vps) {% endhint %} {% hint style="success" %} If you find you need help with installing this please open a ticket and our team can do it for you! {% endhint %} #### Hardware Requirements * \~12 GB RAM usage per server instance * \~19 GB disk space (server files only) ### Installation 1. **Login to your VPS via** [**SSH** ](https://docs.fourseasonshosting.com/docs/service-knowledge-base/virtual-private-servers/ssh-client-setup)**or Console** Then let's enter this ``` apt-get install -y docker docker-compose ``` a bunch of lines will process, once completed you can continue to the next step 2. **Start docker daemon** ``` systemctl start docker systemctl enable docker ``` 3. **Create the Docker Compose Config** Create a directory called `asa-server` in the main directory ``` mkdir asa-server cd asa-server ``` now we'll download the file to the `asa-server` folder ``` wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mschnitzer/ark-survival-ascended-linux-container-image/main/docker-compose.yml ``` 4. **The First Server Start**\ \ Now start the server for the first time. It will install Steam, Proton, and downloads the ARK: Survival Ascended server files.\ \ In the folder you have the docker-compose.yml file we downloaded, you'll execute the command ``` docker-compose up -d ``` {% hint style="info" %} This can take some time. Depending on the download speed and processor of your vps! {% endhint %} If you want to follow the download and install, you can watch with this command ``` docker logs -f asa-server-1 ``` you can CRTL+C to exit the log, and it will not stop the installation Once the log shows the following line: ``` Starting the ARK: Survival Ascended dedicated server... ``` ... the server should be reachable and discoverable through the server browser in \~2-5 minutes. The Server name is randomly generated on the first start, use this command to see the name. ``` docker exec asa-server-1 cat server-files/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/GameUserSettings.ini | grep SessionName ```

Result of running above command

\ Once you've connected and ensure the server works, let's stop the server so you can modify it ``` docker stop asa-server-1 ``` 5. **Edit The Server**\ \ The `GameUserSettings.ini` and `Game.ini` file can be found at `/var/lib/docker/volumes/asa-server_server-files-1/_data/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer`. The `Game.ini` file is not there by default, so you might want to create it yourself

the directory with the GameUserSettings.ini

To edit the `GameUserSettings.ini` you can do ``` nano /var/lib/docker/volumes/asa-server_server-files-1/_data/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/GameUserSettings.ini ``` Use your arrow keys to scroll the lines of code and backspace to edit once you're happy with your changes do `CTRL + X` then `Y` then `Enter` the editor will close and your changes have been saved. \
6. **Changing the startup parameters & Player Limit** in the `docker-compose.yml` you'll edit the following. [Click here](https://docs.fourseasonshosting.com/docs/game-knowledge-base/ark/ark-sa-command-server-startline) for a list of startup commands ``` ... environment: - ASA_START_PARAMS=TheIsland_WP?listen?Port=7777?RCONPort=27020?RCONEnabled=True -WinLiveMaxPlayers=50 ... ``` Use your arrow keys to scroll the lines of code and backspace to edit once you're happy with your changes do `CTRL + X` then `Y` then `Enter` the editor will close and your changes have been saved. {% hint style="info" %} Please note: * The value before `?listen` is the name of the map the server launches with. ([See all official map names](https://github.com/mschnitzer/ark-survival-ascended-linux-container-image?tab=readme-ov-file#map-names)) * Please do not remove `?listen` from the parameters, otherwise the server is not binding ports * `?Port=` is the server port players connect to * `?RCONPort=` is the port of the RCON server that allows remote administration of the server * The player limit is set by `-WinLiveMaxPlayers`. Please note that for ASA servers, editing the player limit via `GameUserSettings.ini` is not working. {% endhint %} 7. **Start/restart/stop**\ \ To perform any actions listed below, you will need to be back in the `asa-server` folder (where the `docker-compse.yml` file is) ``` docker-compose start asa-server-1 docker-compose restart asa-server-1 docker-compose stop asa-server-1 ``` 8. **Adding Mods**\ \ \ Mods can be added by adjusting the `docker-compose.yml` file and adding a `-mods` option to the start parameters. e.g. ``` [...] - ASA_START_PARAMS=TheIsland_WP?listen?Port=7777?RCONPort=27020?RCONEnabled=True -WinLiveMaxPlayers=50 -mods=12345,67891 [...] ``` Once done, restart the server using `docker-compose up -d`. It might take longer until the server comes up, because the server has to download the mods first. Mod IDs are usually somewhere listed on the mod page of a mod on curseforge.com.
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