This guide covers server administration, world management, player management, configuration tuning, and troubleshooting for your Smalland: Survive the Wilds dedicated server on Legion Hosting. Smalland does not have traditional console commands or an RCON system — all server management is done through GPanel startup variables and file management. For initial server setup, startup variables, and how to connect, see Smalland Server Setup Guide.

Server Administration

Since Smalland lacks traditional admin commands, server administration is performed through GPanel and file management. Here is how to handle common admin tasks:

Starting and Stopping the Server

• Use the Console tab in GPanel to start, stop, and restart your server.
• Always stop the server before making configuration changes to ensure settings are applied correctly.
• Monitor the console output for errors or connection information.

Updating the Server

1. Stop the server in GPanel.
2. Back up your world save data via SFTP before updating.
3. Use GPanel's reinstall or update feature to fetch the latest server version.
4. Start the server. It will run the updated version with your existing world.

Player Management

Without built-in admin commands, player management on a Smalland server is handled through the following methods:

Password Protection

The simplest way to control who can access your server is to set a PASSWORD in the GPanel Startup tab. Only players who know the password can connect. Change the password and restart to immediately lock out unwanted players.

Private Server

Set PRIVATE=1 in the startup variables to hide your server from the public server browser. Players will need to connect directly using your server IP and port, limiting access to those you share the connection details with.

Dealing with Problem Players

Since Smalland does not have kick or ban commands, use the following approaches:

• Change the password: Update the PASSWORD and restart the server. Share the new password only with trusted players.
• Go private: Set PRIVATE=1 and distribute the direct connect details only to approved players.
• Disable PvP: If player-vs-player conflict is the issue, set FRIENDLYFIRE=0 to prevent PvP damage.

World Management

Switching Between Worlds

Smalland uses the WORLDNAME startup variable to determine which save file to load. You can maintain multiple worlds:

1. Stop the server in GPanel.
2. Change the WORLDNAME to a new name (no spaces allowed).
3. Start the server. A new world is generated with the new name.
4. To switch back, change WORLDNAME to the previous name and restart.

Resetting a World

1. Stop the server in GPanel.
2. Open the File Manager in GPanel or connect via SFTP.
3. Locate and delete the save files associated with your WORLDNAME.
4. Start the server. A fresh world will be generated using the current settings.

Backing Up Your World

1. Stop the server in GPanel to ensure all data is written to disk.
2. Connect via SFTP or use the GPanel File Manager.
3. Download the save files for your active world.
4. Store the backup on your local machine or cloud storage.

Restoring a Backup

1. Stop the server in GPanel.
2. Upload your backed-up save files via SFTP, replacing the existing ones.
3. Ensure the WORLDNAME matches the restored save.
4. Start the server. It will load the restored world.

Tuning Gameplay Settings

All gameplay tuning is done through the GPanel Startup tab. Here are detailed explanations and recommendations for each setting:

Creature Difficulty

• CREATUREHEALTHMODIFIER (20–300): Scales creature health. 100 is normal. Set below 100 for easier combat, above 100 for harder. A value of 200 doubles all creature health.
• CREATUREDAMAGEMODIFIER (20–300): Scales creature damage. 100 is normal. Lower values make creatures hit softer. A value of 50 halves all creature damage.

Survival Settings

• NOURISHMENTLOSSMODIFIER (0–100): Controls how fast hunger depletes. 100 is normal rate. Set to 0 to completely disable hunger drain.
• KEEPINVENTORY (0 or 1): When enabled, players keep all items on death. Recommended for casual or building-focused servers.

Building Settings

• DETERIORATION (0 or 1): Controls building decay. 1 = deterioration enabled (default). Set to 0 to prevent building decay. Recommended to disable for servers where players may not log in daily.

Day and Season Length

• LENGTHOFDAYSECONDS: Default is 1800 seconds (30 minutes). Increase for longer days or decrease for faster day/night cycles. Very short days (under 600 seconds) can feel hectic.
• LENGTHOFSEASONSECONDS: Default is 10800 seconds (3 hours). Seasons affect weather, creature behavior, and available resources. Longer seasons give players more time to prepare for seasonal changes.

Troubleshooting

Server Not Appearing in Browser

• Ensure the server is fully started and running in GPanel.
• Verify that PRIVATE is set to 0 if you want the server to be publicly visible.
• Both the server and connecting players must have Cross Play enabled in the game settings.
• Wait a few minutes after startup for the server to register with the master server list.

Players Cannot Connect

• Check that the server is running in GPanel.
• Verify the password matches (if one is set).
• Ensure players have Cross Play enabled.
• Try direct connect using the IP and port from the GPanel Network tab.
• See How to Find Your Server IP and Port for connection details.

Server Crashing

• Check the GPanel console for error messages.
• Verify that WORLDNAME does not contain spaces or special characters.
• If crashing started after a game update, restore a backup and wait for a patch, or open a support ticket.

Settings Not Taking Effect

• All changes require a full server restart. Simply stopping and starting is sufficient.
• Double-check that you saved your changes in the GPanel Startup tab before restarting.
• Ensure values are within the valid range for each setting (e.g., CREATUREHEALTHMODIFIER must be between 20 and 300).

World Not Loading / Corrupt Save

• Restore from a backup if available.
• If no backup exists, change WORLDNAME to a new name to generate a fresh world.
• The old save files can be deleted manually through the File Manager or SFTP.

Related Articles

• Smalland Server Setup Guide — Initial setup, startup variables, gameplay settings, and how to connect
• How to Find Your Server IP and Port
• How to Upload Files via SFTP
• Server Startup Guide

Need Help?

If you run into issues with your Smalland 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.