This guide covers RCON administration, player management, bot configuration, custom maps, and troubleshooting for your OpenArena dedicated server. OpenArena is a free deathmatch FPS based on the id Tech 3 engine. For initial setup, configuration, and connection instructions, see OpenArena Server Setup Guide.
1. RCON Setup
Set the RCON password in baseoa/server.cfg:
seta rconPassword "YourStrongPassword"Authenticate in-game via console (~):
rconPassword YourStrongPassword
rcon <command>You can also send commands directly through the GPanel Console tab without RCON authentication.
2. Player Management Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
rcon status | List all connected players with their client numbers and IPs. |
rcon kick <client_num> | Kick a player by client number (get from status). |
rcon clientkick <client_num> | Alternative kick command. |
rcon banClient <client_num> | Ban a player by client number. |
rcon banUser <playername> | Ban a player by name. |
3. Map and Game Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
rcon map <mapname> | Change to a new map, disconnecting players. |
rcon g_gametype <value> | Change game mode (0=FFA, 3=TDM, 4=CTF, etc.). |
rcon timelimit <minutes> | Change the time limit. |
rcon fraglimit <frags> | Change the frag limit. |
rcon map_restart | Restart the current map. |
rcon nextmap | Skip to the next map in the rotation. |
4. Server Management Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
rcon sv_hostname "Name" | Change server name. |
rcon g_password "pass" | Set or change join password. |
rcon say "message" | Send server-wide chat message. |
rcon sv_maxclients <num> | Change max player count (requires map restart). |
rcon exec <filename> | Execute a config file. |
rcon quit | Shut down the server. |
5. Bot Management
OpenArena has built-in bot support for filling empty server slots.
| Command / CVar | Description |
|---|---|
rcon addbot <name> <skill> | Add a bot. Skill: 1 (easiest) to 5 (hardest). |
rcon kick <botname> | Remove a specific bot. |
rcon bot_minplayers <num> | Auto-fill with bots until this player count is reached. Bots leave as real players join. |
rcon bot_nochat <0/1> | Disable bot chat. 1 = no bot chat. |
Example: Keep 8 Players with Bots
Add to server.cfg:
seta bot_minplayers 8Bots automatically join when fewer than 8 players are connected and leave as humans join.
6. Custom Maps and Mods
- Download custom
.pk3map/mod files. - Upload to
baseoa/via SFTP (see How to Upload Files via SFTP). - Restart the server. The
.pk3files are loaded automatically. - Change to the new map with
rcon map <mapname>.
.pk3 files to join servers with custom maps. Enable auto-download with sv_allowDownload 1 in server.cfg.
7. Troubleshooting
Server Not Starting
- Check the GPanel console for error messages.
- Verify GAME_MAP is set to a valid map name.
- Try
aggressororoa_dm1as a known-good default map.
Players Cannot Connect
- Verify the server is running in GPanel.
- Check the correct IP and port from the Network tab.
- Ensure
sv_pureis set to0if players have different pk3 file versions.
Bots Not Working
- Ensure the map has bot route support (AAS file). Most default maps include this.
- Verify
bot_minplayersis set to the desired number. - Custom maps may not have bot support unless an AAS file was generated.
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Need Help?
If you run into issues with your OpenArena 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.
