SandboxRoleplayModded

Onset server hosting

Name: Onset Server Hosting
Brand: GamezServers
Availability: InStock

A Lua scripted open world where your server packages are the game

Host an Onset server for Lua scripted roleplay, racing or freeroam. Load your own packages and plugins, list it publicly or keep it private for your community.

Deploy now, starting at $1.25 Compare plans

Staying longer? Subscribe and get 50% off your first month

DDoS protected
24/7 support
Live the moment you pay

Split the billUp to 10 friends, own cards
Custom plansAny RAM up to 32 GB
Prepaid or monthly3 days to 1 year
Live in 60 secondsNo setup, no waiting
Cancel any timeNo contracts, ever

Pick your Onset plan

Every plan is live the moment you pay. Upgrade or cancel from your dashboard any time.

Starter

2 GB

50% off your first month$2.49USD first month

Then $4.99/mo. $0.17 a day.

2 GB RAM
2 vCPU cores
DDoS protection included
24/7 support

Deploy Starter

Standard

4 GB

50% off your first month$4.99USD first month

Then $9.99/mo. $0.33 a day.

4 GB RAM
2 vCPU cores
DDoS protection included
24/7 support

Deploy Standard

Pro

8 GB

50% off your first month$9.99USD first month

Then $19.99/mo. $0.67 a day.

Splitting with 3 friends? $6.02 each/mo

8 GB RAM
2 vCPU cores
DDoS protection included
24/7 support

Deploy Pro

Build your own

Want something in between? Customize your Onset server.

Any RAM from 2 to 32 GB
3 days up to a year
Prepaid or subscription
Server type and settings

Customize

What comes set up on a Onset server

Lua packages

Everything players do comes from your packages: jobs, races, minigames, admin tools. Upload them and list them in the config.

Built for big servers

Onset servers can be configured for up to 300 player slots with the maxplayers setting.

Database plugins

The MariaDB plugin lets roleplay packages save players, money and property in a real database.

Public or private

Set masterlist to true to show in the public server list, or leave it off and share the address.

A look inside Onset

Real screenshots from the game. Click any of them to see it full size.

How much RAM does a Onset server need?

Find the row that sounds like your group and we will point you at the right plan.

Your server	RAM	Plan
Private freeroam or package testing	2 GB	Starter$4.99/mo
Roleplay server with several packages and a database	4 GB	Standard$9.99/mo
Large scripted community with many players	8 GB	Pro$19.99/mo

This is the panel. Click around.

This is the Onset panel you get. Click any button, or type a command.

panel / onset

Online

Onset Server

play.gamezservers.com:7777

CPU21%

Memory2.5 / 4 GB

Players3 online

[12:00:00] Starting Onset server

[12:00:03] Loading world

[12:00:06] Server started on port 7777

[12:00:09] Ready for players. Try a button.

Power

How to join your Onset server

1
Install Onset on Steam and launch it.
2
Find your server in the server browser, or use direct connect.
3
For direct connect, enter 203.0.113.24.
4
Wait for the package files to download, then you spawn in.

Common problems

Packages only load if their folder name is in the packages list in server_config.json. Uploading the folder alone is not enough.

First join can take a while: players download your package files from the server before spawning in.

Test new packages on a backup first. A Lua error in one package shows in the live console and can stop the rest from loading.

Server not responding

Make sure the server is online. Servers sleep after 4 days with nobody playing, and anyone with access can start them again from the dashboard in one click.

Use the server address

Do not use localhost, 127.0.0.1 or your own IP from a home hosting guide. Copy the exact address of the server.

No port forwarding or firewall changes

Opening ports on your router is only for hosting a server at home, so there is nothing to change to join this one. If Windows asks whether to let the game through the firewall, choose Allow.

Modding your Onset server

Onset servers run Lua packages and native plugins listed in server_config.json. Many open source packages from the community are on GitHub.

FreeroamSandboxZeus admin packageMariaDB pluginINI plugin

Onset server hosting, explained

Onset is an open world multiplayer sandbox from Blue Mountains with no built in objective. The map, cars, weapons and NPCs are there, and everything players actually do comes from the server's Lua packages. Over 400 scripting functions let communities build roleplay cities, racing leagues, prop hunt, freeroam and their own minigames. It is still an Early Access game on Steam.

Be clear eyed about the state of the game: the developers have not shipped an update in several years, and the player count is small. The people still playing are scripting communities and groups who like having a whole city to themselves. For them a dedicated server is the game, since the packages, rules and economy only exist while the server runs.

Onset reads server_config.json, where you set the player cap, the packages and plugins to load, and the masterlist flag that puts you in the public list. Upload packages over SFTP or the file manager and add them to the list. Auto update is in the panel, the live console shows package errors as they happen, and one click backups save your database files before a big change.

The base server is light. Memory use comes from what your packages do: saved player data, spawned vehicles and objects, and how many people are walking around. A private freeroam or test server fits 2 GB. A roleplay server with several packages and a database is happier on 4 GB, and only big script heavy communities need 8 GB. You can change plans any time, and the bill is prorated.

Onset server guides

How to

Onset5 min read

How to Add Lua Packages to an Onset Server

Add Lua packages to an Onset server: the packages folder, package.json, the packages list in server_config.json, a test package and load errors.

Read

Setup

Onset5 min read

How to Host an Onset Server in 2026 (and Is It Still Worth It)

Host an Onset server: SteamCMD app 1204170, server_config.json, ports 7777, 7776 and 7775, packages and masterlist. Plus an honest look at the game's state.

Read

Fixes

Onset5 min read

Onset Server Not Showing in List or Players Can't Connect

Onset server missing from the list, or players stuck connecting or downloading? Fix masterlist, the three ports, broken JSON, package errors and the password.

Read

All guides

Included on every plan

Always on DDoS protection
24/7 support from real people
Low ping game hardware
Live the moment you pay
Your own address and port
Live console with full access
One click game actions
One click backups
Upgrade or cancel any time

Common questions

How many players can an Onset server hold?

The maxplayers setting in server_config.json goes up to 300. Real capacity depends on how heavy your Lua packages are.

Do players need to own Onset to join?

Yes. Each player needs Onset from Steam. The server itself runs on our side and doesn't need a copy.

How do I add Lua packages?

Upload the package folder into the server's packages directory, then add its name to the packages list in server_config.json and restart.

How do I make my server public?

Set masterlist to true in server_config.json and restart. The server then shows in the public server list.

Is Onset still being updated?

Not actively. The last developer update was several years ago, and it remains in Early Access. Servers still run, and the scripting tools still work.

Can I use a database for roleplay saves?

Yes. The MariaDB plugin connects packages to a database. Point it at a database you control, then load the plugin in server_config.json.

What ports does Onset use?

The main game port, plus query on the port minus 1 and HTTP file downloads on the port minus 2. Players only enter the main address.

Where can I find packages?

The Onset developer wiki documents the scripting API, and community packages are shared on GitHub and the Onset Discord.

Is GamezServers affiliated with Onset?

No. You rent and control your own dedicated Onset server. GamezServers is not affiliated with the game's developer or publisher.

Can my friends and I split the cost?

Yes. At checkout choose "Me and my friends" and up to 10 people each pay their own share with their own card, on any plan length, from 3 days to a year. It is not a payment plan: nobody pays in parts over time, each friend simply pays their own share. You pay yours, send each friend their link, and the server starts straight away. Each share includes a $1 payment fee.

Can I build a custom plan?

Yes. Every game has a Build your own page: pick any amount of RAM up to 32 GB, any length from 3 days to 1 year, prepaid or a subscription, plus your server type and settings. A custom size costs 15% more per GB than the standard plans next to it.

Can I pay once instead of a subscription?

Yes. Pick Prepaid and pay once for 3 days, 30 days, 6 months or a year. Nothing renews: when the time is up the server pauses and keeps its world for 14 days. Add time or switch to a subscription from your panel any time. Short rentals cost more per day, since every server is set up from scratch.

How fast is setup, really?

Your server starts building the moment Stripe confirms payment. Most are online in under a minute, and the address and login appear on your dashboard automatically.