Starting, Stopping, and Restarting

Use Start, Stop, and Restart to control when a server runs. Closing the browser or leaving the game does not stop hosting or hourly billing.

Before you begin

Open the correct server from Console. On a shared server you need Start/Stop permission; charges still use the owner's wallet. Tell players before stopping or restarting.

Power controls may appear as icons. Hover over them to identify Start, Stop, or Restart before selecting one.

Start a stopped server

  1. Check that the server is Stopped and review its current hourly rate.
  2. Select Start once.
  3. Wait through Starting until Running appears, then use the current connection details.

If Banked Hour has paid time remaining, startup uses it. If a saved configuration now costs more than the level already paid, the owner may need to pay the difference. With no paid time remaining, one full hour is charged before startup.

If credits are insufficient, the server stays Stopped. Add credits to the owner's wallet and retry Start on the same server. See Server Settings for configuration-change billing.

Stop and pause billing

  1. Ask players to finish their session.
  2. Select Stop.
  3. Wait for Stopping to become Stopped; do not assume the button click completed shutdown.
  4. Check Activity Log for any save warning before starting again.

A normal stop preserves the game's save data and pauses hourly billing. Unused paid time is held as Banked Hour, not returned to the wallet. The completed session contributes to Total Uptime. Stopping does not delete the server.

If an Auto-start schedule is enabled, it can start the server again later. Turn that action off and save the schedule if you want it to stay stopped.

Restart a running server

Select Restart only when you are ready to disconnect players. Wait for the server to return to Running before reconnecting. An ordinary Restart does not buy a separate new hour, but it does not pause the existing billing timer either.

For configuration or mod changes, follow that section's own save/apply procedure. Restart alone does not save an unsaved form.

If an operation does not finish

Follow the status message instead of repeatedly pressing controls. Some actions are unavailable during transitions. An Error can still be billed; use Stop when available if you intend to end the session, then wait for Stopped.

For a stuck start or repeated Error, follow My Server Won't Start. Keep the server while investigating; deletion permanently removes saves.