This guide covers everything you need to know about setting up and configuring your Avorion dedicated server on Legion Hosting. Avorion is a space sandbox game where players design ships, explore a procedurally generated galaxy, trade, mine, and fight in an open-ended universe. For managing your server once it is running, see our Avorion Admin Commands guide.
What is Avorion?
Avorion is a space sandbox game developed by Boxelware where players build ships from individually placeable blocks, explore a vast procedurally generated galaxy, trade resources, mine asteroids, and engage in combat with pirates and other factions. The galaxy is divided into sectors centered around a mysterious barrier at the core, and players must progress through increasingly valuable materials to reach the center.
Key features include:
- Ship Building — Design ships block-by-block with functional components including turrets, engines, shields, and cargo bays
- Procedural Galaxy — A massive galaxy with hundreds of sectors containing stations, asteroids, wormholes, and faction territories
- Economy & Trading — Dynamic economy with supply and demand across sectors; build your own trading stations
- Combat — Real-time space combat with customizable weapon turrets and fleet management
- Multiplayer — Cooperative and competitive gameplay on dedicated servers with persistent galaxies
First Start
When your Avorion server is provisioned on Legion Hosting, it comes pre-configured and ready to start. To get your server running for the first time:
- Log in to GPanel at gpanel.legionhosting.net
- Select your Avorion server from the server list
- Review your Startup Variables to set your galaxy name, seed, and other preferences before the first launch
- Click Start to launch the server
- The server will generate the galaxy seed and default configuration files on first boot — this may take a minute
- Once the console displays
Server startup complete, players can connect
Default Port: Avorion uses UDP port 27000 by default. Your server's assigned port is shown in GPanel on your server's main page. The Steam query port is typically the game port + 1 (27001). Your server will be assigned a random port unless you have a private IP.
GPanel Startup Variables
GPanel provides startup variables that let you configure key server parameters without editing files directly. These are the most common startup variables for Avorion:
| Variable | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
GALAXY_NAME |
Name of the galaxy (also the save folder name) | avorion_galaxy |
SERVER_NAME |
Name displayed in the server browser | Legion Avorion Server |
SEED |
Galaxy generation seed (determines sector layout and content) | abc123 |
MAX_PLAYERS |
Maximum number of concurrent players | 20 |
DIFFICULTY |
Server difficulty level (affects enemy strength and loot) | 1 |
GAME_PORT |
Primary UDP port for game traffic (usually set automatically) | 27000 |
SERVER_PASSWORD |
Password required to join (leave empty for public) | secret123 |
PVP |
Enable or disable player vs. player combat | true |
LISTED |
Whether the server is listed in the public server browser | true |
Note: Startup variables set in GPanel will override values in
server.ini. If a setting is not behaving as expected, check your startup variables first.
Server Configuration (server.ini)
The main server configuration is stored in server.ini, located in the galaxy's save folder. You can access this file through GPanel's File Manager. The file is created automatically on first start.
# Avorion Server Configuration (server.ini)
# Server Identity
name=Avorion Server
description=A Legion Hosting Avorion Server
password=
maxPlayers=20
# Network
port=27000
steamQueryPort=27001
broadcastInterval=5
listed=true
# Gameplay
difficulty=1
pvp=true
seed=abc123
infiniteResources=false
collisionDamage=1
sameStartSector=true
# Performance
workerThreads=2
generatorThreads=2Configuration Settings Explained
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
name |
Avorion Server | Server name displayed in the server browser. Choose something descriptive for your community. |
description |
(empty) | Server description shown in the server browser. Use this to advertise your server's rules or features. |
password |
(empty) | Server password. Leave blank for a public server. Players must enter this to connect. |
maxPlayers |
20 | Maximum number of concurrent players. Higher counts increase server resource usage. |
port |
27000 | Primary UDP port for game traffic. Usually managed by GPanel automatically. |
steamQueryPort |
27001 | Port used for Steam server browser queries. Typically game port + 1. |
listed |
true | Whether the server appears in the public server browser. Set to false for private servers. |
difficulty |
1 | Server difficulty. Affects enemy spawn rates, AI aggressiveness, and loot quality. Range: -3 (easiest) to 3 (hardest). |
pvp |
true | Enables player vs. player combat. When false, players cannot damage each other's ships. |
seed |
(random) | Galaxy generation seed. Same seed produces the same galaxy layout. Can be any string or number. |
infiniteResources |
false | When enabled, players have unlimited building resources. Primarily for creative/testing purposes. |
collisionDamage |
1 | Multiplier for collision damage between ships and objects. Set to 0 to disable collision damage. |
sameStartSector |
true | When enabled, all new players spawn in the same starting sector. When disabled, players spawn in random outer sectors. |
workerThreads |
2 | Number of worker threads for server simulation. Increase for better performance on multi-core servers. |
generatorThreads |
2 | Number of threads used for generating new sectors. More threads speed up sector generation when players explore. |
Difficulty Settings
Avorion's difficulty system uses a numeric scale that affects multiple gameplay aspects:
| Difficulty | Value | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | -3 | Very weak enemies, abundant resources, minimal pirate attacks |
| Easy | -2 | Weaker enemies, more resources, fewer pirate encounters |
| Normal | 0 | Balanced gameplay with standard enemy strength and resource availability |
| Veteran | 1 | Stronger enemies, reduced loot drops, more frequent pirate attacks |
| Expert | 2 | Significantly stronger enemies, scarce high-tier resources |
| Insane | 3 | Maximum difficulty with extremely powerful enemies and scarce resources |
PvP Configuration
Avorion offers flexible PvP settings to suit different playstyles:
- PvP Enabled (
pvp=true) — Players can attack and destroy each other's ships and stations. Good for competitive servers. - PvP Disabled (
pvp=false) — Players cannot damage each other. Ideal for cooperative PvE servers focused on exploration and building.
Tip: Even with PvP enabled, players in the same alliance cannot damage each other. Encourage players to form alliances for cooperative play on PvP servers.
How to Connect
Once your server is running, players can connect using the following methods:
Via Steam Server Browser
- Launch Avorion from Steam
- From the main menu, click Multiplayer
- Click Join Game
- Use the search bar to find your server by name
- Select the server and click Join
- Enter the password if one is set
Via Direct Connect
- Launch Avorion from Steam
- From the main menu, click Multiplayer
- Click Direct Connect
- Enter your server's IP address and port (e.g.,
192.168.1.100:27000) - Click Connect
Finding Your Server IP: Your server's IP address and port can be found on the main page of your server in GPanel. For a detailed walkthrough, see our How to Find Your Server IP and Port guide.
Connection Issues? Make sure your server is fully started before connecting (look for
Server startup complete in the console). Avorion uses UDP protocol. If the server does not appear in the browser, verify that listed is set to true in your configuration, and try Direct Connect with the exact IP and port from GPanel.
Save Location and Management
Avorion stores galaxy data, player data, and sector information in the galaxy save folder. Understanding the structure helps with backups and troubleshooting.
Save File Structure
galaxies/
your_galaxy_name/
server.ini <-- Server configuration
admin.xml <-- Admin player list
banlist.txt <-- Banned players
whitelist.txt <-- Whitelisted players (if enabled)
modconfig.lua <-- Mod configuration
players/ <-- Individual player save data
sectors/ <-- Sector data (generated as players explore)
factions/ <-- Faction relationship dataBackup Procedures
- Use GPanel's built-in backup feature to create snapshots before major changes
- Download the entire galaxy folder via SFTP for local backups
- The server automatically saves sectors as players leave them
- You can trigger a manual save using the
/savecommand in the server console - Always back up before game updates, mod changes, or galaxy resets
Resetting the Galaxy
To start with a fresh galaxy:
- Stop the server in GPanel
- Open the File Manager
- Navigate to the
galaxies/directory - Delete or rename the galaxy folder you want to reset
- Optionally change the
SEEDstartup variable for a different galaxy layout - Start the server — a new galaxy will be generated
Warning: Deleting the galaxy folder is permanent. All player ships, stations, progress, and sector data will be lost. Always create a backup before resetting.
Performance Considerations
- Sector simulation — Only sectors with players in them are actively simulated. Performance scales with how spread out players are across the galaxy.
- Ship complexity — Very large ships with thousands of blocks increase sector simulation load. Consider setting block count limits for your community.
- Worker threads — Increase
workerThreadsif your server has multiple CPU cores available. This helps with sector simulation when many players are active in different sectors. - Generator threads — Increase
generatorThreadsif players experience lag when entering unexplored sectors. More threads speed up procedural generation. - Mods — Some mods can significantly impact server performance. Test new mods with a small group before deploying to your full community.
Related Articles
- Avorion Admin Commands
- How to Find Your Server IP and Port
- How to Upload Files via SFTP
- Getting Started with Your New Server
Need Help?
If you are experiencing issues with your Avorion server or need further assistance, our support team is here to help. Submit a support ticket and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
