This guide covers everything you need to get your Return to Moria dedicated server running on Legion Hosting, including first-time startup, server configuration, world settings, difficulty presets, how players connect, and save management. Return to Moria is a co-op survival crafting game set in the Mines of Moria, supporting up to 8 simultaneous players. For admin controls, permissions, and world management, see Return to Moria Admin and World Management.
MoriaServerConfig.ini file.
First Start
When you first receive your Return to Moria server, follow these steps to get it online:
- Log in to GPanel and select your Return to Moria server.
- Navigate to the Startup tab and review the default startup variables. Set the WORLD_NAME and SERVER_PASSWORD to your preference.
- Go back to the Console tab and click Start.
- The server will download and install the Return to Moria Dedicated Server files automatically on first boot. This may take several minutes.
- Once the console shows the server is ready and displays a join code, your server is online and ready for players to connect.
MoriaServerConfig.ini configuration file. Subsequent starts will be much faster unless an update is available.
GPanel Startup Variables
The following variables are available in the GPanel Startup tab. These are passed to the server on each start. Changes require a server restart to take effect.
| Variable | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
WORLD_NAME |
A Pterodactyl Server |
The world name. Maps to the World.Name setting in the config file. If a world with this name does not exist, a new one is created on startup. |
SERVER_PASSWORD |
(empty) | Optional password players must enter to join. Case-sensitive. Maximum 20 characters. Leave blank for an open server. |
DIFFICULTY |
normal |
Difficulty preset for new worlds. Options: story, solo, normal, hard, or custom. Only applies at world creation. |
Server Configuration File
For advanced settings beyond what the startup variables offer, you can edit the server configuration file directly. Stop your server before making changes.
File Location
MoriaServerConfig.iniOpen this file using the Files tab in GPanel or connect via SFTP. The file uses an INI format with sections. If the file does not exist, start and stop the server once to generate it.
Key Settings
| Section / Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
[Main] OptionalPassword |
(empty) | Server access password. Case-sensitive. Leave blank for no password. |
[World] Name |
Dedicated Server World |
The world name. If this world does not exist, a new one is created on startup. |
[World.Create] Type |
campaign |
World type: campaign or sandbox. Only used when creating a new world. |
[World.Create] Seed |
random |
World generation seed. Only used when creating a new world. |
[World.Create] Difficulty.Preset |
normal |
Difficulty preset: story, solo, normal, hard, or custom. |
[Performance] ServerFPS |
60 |
Server tick rate. Recommended: 60. Set to 30 if CPU usage is too high. |
[Performance] LoadedAreaLimit |
12 |
Max areas loaded simultaneously. Range: 4–32. Lower values reduce CPU/RAM usage. Default of 12 supports up to 8 players well. |
[Console] Enabled |
true |
Enables the server console window for entering commands. |
Example Configuration
[Main]
OptionalPassword=mypassword
[World]
Name=Legion Moria
[World.Create]
Type=campaign
Seed=random
Difficulty.Preset=normal
[Performance]
ServerFPS=60
LoadedAreaLimit=12
[Console]
Enabled=trueDifficulty Presets
The difficulty preset is set at world creation and determines combat, survival, and resource settings. The following presets are available:
| Preset | Description |
|---|---|
story |
Easiest difficulty. Reduced enemy damage and aggression, slower survival decay. Focused on exploration and the narrative experience. |
solo |
Tuned for single-player. Balanced for one dwarf without co-op assistance. |
normal |
The standard multiplayer experience. Balanced enemy difficulty and resource availability. |
hard |
Increased enemy damage, aggression, and survival difficulty. For experienced players. |
custom |
Granular control over individual difficulty settings. See Admin and World Management for custom difficulty options. |
How to Connect
Players can connect to your Return to Moria dedicated server using a join code or by direct IP connection. The game supports crossplay between PC (Steam/Epic), PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Option A — Join Code
- Launch Return to Moria.
- From the main menu, select Join World.
- Enter the join code displayed in the GPanel console when the server started.
- Enter the server password if one is set, then click Join.
Option B — Direct IP Connect
- Launch Return to Moria.
- From the main menu, select Join World.
- Click Advanced Join Options.
- Enter your server's IP address and port from GPanel's Network tab:
<your-server-ip>:<port> - Enter the server password if prompted and click Connect.
Save Management
Save File Location
World save files are stored on the server at:
Moria/Saved/SaveGamesDedicated/Save files use the .sav extension and are prefixed with MW_. Each world has its own save file based on the world name.
Manual Backups
- Stop the server from GPanel to ensure all data is written to disk.
- Connect to your server via SFTP or use the GPanel File Manager.
- Download the save files from the
Moria/Saved/SaveGamesDedicated/directory. - Store the backup on your local machine.
Migrating a Single-Player World
You can transfer an existing PC world save to your dedicated server:
- Locate your local save file (files starting with
MW_) in your PC save directory. - Upload the
.savfile to the server'sMoria/Saved/SaveGamesDedicated/folder via SFTP. - Set the
[World] NameinMoriaServerConfig.inito match the world name from the save file. - Start the server. It will load the migrated world.
Related Articles
- Return to Moria Admin and World Management — Admin setup, permissions, console commands, and world management
- How to Find Your Server IP and Port
- How to Upload Files via SFTP
- Server Startup Guide — General guide for starting any game server on Legion Hosting
Need Help?
If you run into issues with your Return to Moria server that are not covered here, open a support ticket and include your server IP, a description of the problem, and any relevant error messages from the GPanel console.
