This guide covers admin setup, player management, server console usage, world management, and troubleshooting for your Foundry dedicated server. Foundry is a voxel factory-building game where players construct and automate complex production lines in a procedurally generated world. For initial server setup, configuration, world generation, and connection instructions, see Foundry Server Setup Guide.

1. Admin and Host Controls

Foundry dedicated servers use a host-based permission model. The server operator manages the server through a combination of the App.cfg configuration file and in-game host controls.

Server Operator Access

As the server operator, you manage your Foundry server through:

• GPanel Console: The server console in GPanel displays server output, connection events, and error messages. This is your primary monitoring tool.
• Configuration file: The App.cfg file controls all server settings. Edit it via the Files tab in GPanel or via SFTP. See Foundry Server Setup Guide for details.
• In-game controls: When connected to the server, the host player has access to additional management options through the in-game menu.

Server Password Protection

To restrict who can join your server, set a password in App.cfg:

server_password=YourSecretPassword

Players must enter this password when connecting. To make the server public again, clear the password value:

server_password=

Hiding the Server from the Browser

If you want a private server that does not appear in the Steam server browser, set:

server_is_public=false

Players can still join via direct connect using your IP and port, but the server will not be discoverable through browsing.

2. Player Management

Kicking Players

To remove a disruptive player from the server:

• In-game: Open the player list from the in-game menu, select the player, and use the kick option. This is available to the host player.
• Server restart: As a last resort, restarting the server from GPanel will disconnect all players. The disruptive player can be prevented from rejoining by setting a server password.

Banning Players

To permanently prevent a player from joining your server:

• Use the in-game ban option when available through the player management menu.
• Banned players are tracked by their Steam ID and will be rejected on future connection attempts.
• The ban list persists across server restarts.

Managing Player Count

Control how many players can be online simultaneously:

server_max_players=16

The default maximum is 32. Lowering this value is recommended if your server plan has limited resources, or if you experience performance issues with many players connected. Each connected player loads additional chunks around their position, increasing the server's processing load.

3. Server Console

The GPanel console displays real-time server output including:

• Player connection and disconnection events
• World save confirmations
• Error messages and warnings
• Server startup and shutdown status

Reading Console Output

Monitor the console for important messages:

4. World Management

Switching Between Worlds

Foundry supports multiple worlds through the server_world_name setting. Each world name corresponds to a separate save directory with its own factory, terrain, and player data.

1. Stop the server from GPanel.
2. Open App.cfg and change server_world_name to a different name:

   server_world_name=NewFactory

3. If you want a new world with specific terrain, also set a new map_seed value.
4. Start the server. If the world name does not already exist, a new world will be generated.

Resetting a World

To completely reset a world and start fresh with a new factory:

1. Stop the server from GPanel.
2. Connect via SFTP and navigate to the serverfiles/ directory.
3. Delete or rename the world folder (e.g., rename MyFoundry to MyFoundry_backup).
4. Optionally change the map_seed in App.cfg if you want different terrain.
5. Start the server. A fresh world will be generated using the configured seed.

Restoring a Backup

1. Stop the server from GPanel.
2. Connect via SFTP.
3. Upload your backed-up world folder to the serverfiles/ directory, replacing the current one.
4. Ensure the folder name matches the server_world_name in App.cfg.
5. Start the server. The backed-up world will be loaded.

5. Auto-Save Configuration

Foundry's auto-save system writes the full world state to disk at regular intervals. Configure it in App.cfg:

6. Troubleshooting

Server Crashes on Startup

• Check the GPanel console for error messages. Common causes include malformed App.cfg syntax (missing values, extra spaces around the = sign).
• Verify port values have not been manually changed. The ports must match what GPanel assigns.
• Try deleting App.cfg and restarting to regenerate a fresh config with defaults.
• If the crash is related to a specific world, try switching to a new server_world_name to test if the issue is save-related.
• If the crash persists, open a support ticket with your server IP and the full console output.

Players Cannot Connect

• Verify the server is running in GPanel. Check the console for errors during startup.
• Confirm the player is using the correct IP and port from the GPanel Network tab.
• Check that the server password is correct (passwords are case-sensitive).
• Ensure the server has not reached the server_max_players limit.
• Verify both the server and the player are running the same version of Foundry. Game updates can temporarily break compatibility.

Server Not Appearing in Browser

• Confirm server_is_public=true in App.cfg.
• The Steam server browser can take several minutes to index a new server. Try direct connect while waiting.
• Restart the server if it has been running for a long time without appearing. Sometimes the Steam master server connection can drop.

Performance Degradation with Large Factories

• Large factory builds with thousands of machines and conveyor belts increase server tick time. This is expected behavior in Foundry.
• Reduce server_max_players to lower the number of loaded chunks.
• Enable pause_server_when_empty=true so the server does not simulate the factory when nobody is online.
• Optimize your factory layout by consolidating production lines and reducing unnecessary conveyor routing.
• Increase autosave_interval if saves are causing periodic lag spikes on very large worlds.
• If performance remains poor after optimization, consider contacting support about upgrading your server plan.

Save Corruption

• If the server crashes during an auto-save, the save file may become corrupted.
• Restore from a manual SFTP backup if available. See Foundry Server Setup Guide for restore instructions.
• If no backup exists, try switching to a new server_world_name to start fresh while keeping the corrupted save in case a future update can recover it.
• Regular SFTP backups are the best protection against save corruption. Back up your world folder at least once per play session.

Related Articles

• Foundry Server Setup Guide
• 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 Foundry 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.