Minetest (now also known as Luanti) is an open-source voxel game engine where you can play community games, install mods, or create your own content. This guide covers setting up your Minetest server on Legion Hosting, configuring all startup variables, and connecting players.
First Start in GPanel
- Log in to GPanel and select your Minetest server.
- Navigate to the Console tab. The installation script will create the config file, download the default game, and set up the directory structure.
- Wait for the setup to complete. This includes creating
minetest.conf, the games folder, and the mods folder. - Once started, look for a message containing
Server for gameidin the console.
Startup Variables
Navigate to the Startup tab in GPanel to view and modify these settings:
| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
SERVER_ADMIN_NAME |
Player name that receives admin privileges on connect | changeme |
SERVER_NAME |
Server name shown in the server list and on join | Minetest server |
SERVER_DESC |
Server description shown in the server list | mine here |
SERVER_DOMAIN |
Domain name displayed in the server list | game.minetest.net |
SERVER_URL |
Homepage URL for the server | https://minetest.net |
SERVER_ANNOUNCE |
Whether to list on the public server list (true/false) |
true |
SERVER_LIST_URL |
Server list to announce to | servers.minetest.net |
SERVER_MOTD |
Message of the day shown to players on connect | Empty |
SERVER_PASSWORD |
Default password new players must enter to join | Empty |
WORLD_NAME |
Name of the world folder | world |
DEFAULT_GAME |
Game ID to use (must match an installed game) | minetest |
SERVER_ADMIN_NAME from changeme to your actual Minetest player name. This name will have full admin privileges when connecting.
Community Games
Minetest supports installing community-made games. These variables control automatic game downloads during installation:
| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
COMMUNITY_DOWNLOAD |
Enable community game download (1 = yes, 0 = no) | 1 |
COMMUNITY_GAME_NAME |
Name of the game on ContentDB (case-sensitive) | minetest_game |
COMMUNITY_GAME_AUTOR |
Author name on ContentDB (case-sensitive) | Minetest |
For example, to install MineClone2, set COMMUNITY_GAME_NAME to mineclone2 and COMMUNITY_GAME_AUTOR to Wuzzy, matching the ContentDB URL: https://content.luanti.org/packages/Wuzzy/mineclone2/.
After changing the game, update DEFAULT_GAME to match the game's ID, then reinstall from GPanel Settings.
Configuration File
The main configuration file is .minetest/minetest.conf. GPanel automatically populates the key settings from your startup variables. You can add custom settings below the auto-generated section.
A full example configuration reference is available at .minetest/minetest.conf.example (downloaded during installation).
How to Connect
Via Server Browser
- Launch Minetest/Luanti.
- Click the Join Game tab.
- If
SERVER_ANNOUNCEis set totrue, your server will appear in the public list. Search by name. - Select your server and click Connect.
Via Direct IP
- In the Join Game tab, enter your server IP in the Address field and port in the Port field.
- Enter your player name and click Connect.
- If a server password is set, enter it when prompted.
Directory Structure
.minetest/
minetest.conf - Main configuration file
minetest.conf.example - Full settings reference
games/ - Installed game engines
mods/ - Server-wide mods
worlds/ - World data
world/ - Default world folder