Set up your SCP: Secret Laboratory server

This guide is based on a real OmneHosting SCP: Secret Laboratory server. It applies to the standard server. The EXILED edition adds a plugin framework on top of it.

What to expect

• The game files are small: about 0.6 GB to download and under 1 GB on disk.
• The server uses about 1.2 GB of memory once it is running.
• The first install can fail once with Failed to install app '996560' (Missing configuration). If it does, reinstall once more. See Game install problems.

First start: answer three questions

The server is run by a tool called LocalAdmin. The first time you start it, it waits for you to answer questions in the Console. Type each answer in the command box at the bottom of the Console and press Enter. Until you answer, the server stays on Starting.

1. Do you accept the EULA [yes/no] Read the SCP: SL EULA (the page is linked in the console), then type yes.
2. Do you want to edit that configuration [edit/keep]: Type keep to use the defaults. They include restarting after a crash and deleting old LocalAdmin logs after 90 days.
3. Do you want to save the configuration only for THIS server ... or should it become a GLOBAL configuration ... [this/global]: Type this.

After the third answer, the server starts. A healthy start prints lines like:

Done, your server IP address is <your address>
Initializing game server...
Server starting at all IPv4 addresses and port <your port>
Idle mode is now available.

You only answer these once. On later starts the server goes straight through.

Make yourself an admin

Remote Admin permissions are in config_remoteadmin.txt.

1. Stop the server.
2. Open Files, go to .config/SCP Secret Laboratory/config/<your port>/, and open config_remoteadmin.txt.
3. Under Members:, add a line with your Steam ID and a role, in this format:

Members:
 - <your SteamId64>@steam: owner

Discord accounts use @discord instead of @steam. Save the file and start the server.

Where your files are

Everything is under .config/SCP Secret Laboratory/config/<your port>/:

File	What it is
config_gameplay.txt	Gameplay settings.
config_remoteadmin.txt	Admin roles and permissions.
config_localadmin.txt	LocalAdmin settings.
config_sharing.txt	Server sharing settings.
UserIDWhitelist.txt	Whitelist of players.
UserIDReservedSlots.txt	Players who keep a slot.
UserIdBans.txt and IpBans.txt	Bans.

Plugins use the LabAPI folder next to it. LocalAdmin logs are in LocalAdminLogs.

Join the server

Find your address and port on the Network page. See Network and ports. To appear in the public server list, an SCP: SL server has to be verified by the game’s developers. See SCP: Secret Laboratory server problems.

More: SCP: Secret Laboratory server settings and options.