This guide covers administration for your Night of the Dead dedicated server, including admin setup, console commands, player management, world management, and troubleshooting. For initial server setup, see Night of the Dead Server Setup Guide.
Admin Setup
Night of the Dead uses a password-based admin system. To gain admin access, you need to configure an admin password and authenticate in-game.
Setting the Admin Password
- Stop your server from GPanel.
- Go to the Startup tab and set the
SERVER_ADMIN_PASSWORDvariable, or edit the server configuration file directly. - In the configuration file (
LF/Saved/Config/ServerSettings.ini), set:
[SystemSettings]
IngameAdminPassword=YourSecureAdminPassword
- Save the file and start the server.
Logging In as Admin
Once connected to your server in-game:
- Open the in-game console by pressing ` (tilde/backtick) or the designated console key.
- Type the following command to authenticate:
EnableCheats YourSecureAdminPassword - If the password is correct, you will receive a confirmation message and gain access to admin commands.
Adding Persistent Admins
For servers with multiple admins, you can add Steam IDs to a whitelist so they do not need to re-authenticate each session. Add entries to the configuration file:
[ServerSettings]
# Admin Steam IDs (one per line)
AdminSteamID=76561198012345678
AdminSteamID=76561198087654321
steamid.io. The ID is a 17-digit number starting with 7656119.
Console Commands
Admin commands are executed through the in-game console (press `) after authenticating. The following tables list the most commonly used commands.
Player Management
| Command | Usage | Description |
|---|---|---|
ListPlayers |
ListPlayers |
List all connected players with their IDs |
KickPlayer |
KickPlayer <playerID> |
Kick a player from the server |
BanPlayer |
BanPlayer <playerID> |
Ban a player from the server |
UnbanPlayer |
UnbanPlayer <steamID> |
Remove a ban by Steam ID |
ServerMessage |
ServerMessage <text> |
Send a broadcast message to all players |
World and Game Control
| Command | Usage | Description |
|---|---|---|
SetTimeOfDay |
SetTimeOfDay <hour> |
Set the in-game time (0-24, e.g., 12 for noon) |
SetDifficulty |
SetDifficulty <level> |
Change the difficulty (0=Easy, 1=Normal, 2=Hard, 3=Nightmare) |
SaveWorld |
SaveWorld |
Force a manual save of the world state |
SetWeather |
SetWeather <type> |
Change the current weather (clear, rain, fog, storm) |
TogglePvP |
TogglePvP |
Enable or disable PvP mode |
Shutdown |
Shutdown <seconds> <message> |
Schedule a server shutdown with warning message |
Spawn and Utility Commands
GiveItem <itemID> <amount>-- give an item to yourselfGiveItemToPlayer <playerID> <itemID> <amount>-- give an item to a playerGiveExperience <amount>-- grant experience pointsTeleport <x> <y> <z>-- teleport to coordinatesTeleportToPlayer <playerID>-- teleport to another playerGod-- toggle invincibilityFly-- toggle fly mode for free movement
World Management
Saving the World
The server auto-saves at regular intervals, but you can force a manual save at any time using the SaveWorld command. This is recommended before performing any administrative actions that might affect the world state.
Resetting the World
To perform a full world reset:
- Stop the server from GPanel.
- Navigate to
LF/Saved/SaveGames/via the File Manager or SFTP. - Delete or rename the save files in this directory.
- Start the server. A fresh world will be generated.
SaveGames_backup).
Managing Day/Night Cycle
Use SetTimeOfDay <hour> to change the time at runtime (e.g., SetTimeOfDay 12 for noon). For permanent changes, modify the DayNightCycleSpeed and DayTimeRatio values in the configuration file (see the Server Setup Guide).
Ban Management
Use BanPlayer <playerID> to ban a connected player and UnbanPlayer <steamID> to remove a ban. The ban list file is located in the server's configuration directory and can be edited directly via SFTP when the server is stopped.
Troubleshooting
Server Not Appearing in Browser
- Wait at least 2-3 minutes after startup for the server to register with the master server list.
- Verify the server started successfully by checking the console output in GPanel.
- Try connecting via direct IP to confirm the server is running.
Server Crashes
- Check the server logs in
LF/Saved/Logs/for error details. - Corrupted save files can cause crashes -- try renaming the save directory and starting fresh to test.
- If crashes occur after a game update, try reinstalling via GPanel's Reinstall option (back up saves and configs first).
- Large player-built bases can impact performance. Reduce
ZombieSpawnRateif the server struggles during horde events.
Players Cannot Connect
- Confirm the server is fully started in GPanel and has not reached the
MaxPlayerslimit. - If using a password, ensure players are entering it correctly.
- Verify all players are running the same game version as the server.
Related Articles
- Night of the Dead Server Setup Guide
- How to Find Your Server IP and Port
- How to Upload Files via SFTP
- Getting Started with Your New Server
If you need further assistance with server administration, please open a support ticket and our team will help you out.