How to run a custom scenario on your Empyrion server

Empyrion's big community projects are scenarios rather than mods. A scenario replaces the playfields, blocks and progression, and it has to be installed on the server and on every player's PC.

1. Get the scenario

1. Subscribe to the scenario in the Steam Workshop on your own PC and let it download.
2. Open your local Empyrion folder and go to Content/Scenarios.
3. The scenario is a folder there, named after the scenario.

2. Upload it to the server

1. Stop the server in the Game Panel.
2. Open the Files tab and go to Content/Scenarios on the server.
3. Upload the whole scenario folder, keeping its name exactly as it is. Use SFTP, since scenarios are large.

3. Point the server at it

1. Open dedicated.yaml.
2. Under GameConfig, set CustomScenario to the scenario folder name.
3. Set GameName to a new value. A scenario change needs a new save, because the playfields no longer match the old galaxy.
4. Save and start the server. The first start builds the new galaxy and takes a while.

4. Get your players ready

• Players subscribe to the same scenario in the Steam Workshop.
• The version must match. After the scenario author publishes an update, the server files need updating too, or players are refused.
• Tell your group which scenario you run and link the workshop page.

5. Keeping a scenario updated

1. Take a backup of your save first.
2. Stop the server, replace the scenario folder with the new version, and start it.
3. Read the console. Scenario errors are reported by playfield name, which tells you which part failed.
4. Some scenario updates require a new galaxy. The author's notes will say so, and ignoring that is the usual cause of a broken save.

Open a ticket from Support in the Client Area with the console output if the server will not start after a scenario change.