Wreckfest server_config.cfg and Event Loop Explained

Q: How do I make a Wreckfest event loop?

Add one eladd= line per event at the bottom of serverconfig.cfg, with el settings under each, then restart.

Q: Why is my Wreckfest setting ignored?

The line still starts with #, or you edited initialserverconfig.cfg instead of the config the server loads.

Q: How do I limit a Wreckfest server to one car class?

Set carclassrestriction to the class, or elcarclassrestriction for a single event.

A Wreckfest dedicated server is configured in server_config.cfg. The top part sets the lobby: name, password, max_players, bots, the default track and gamemode, vehicle_damage, car restrictions, admins and mods. The event loop at the bottom is a list of events, each starting with an el_add=<track> line followed by el_ settings for that event, such as el_gamemode, el_laps and el_car_class_restriction. Lines starting with # are ignored. Edit, save, restart.

Which file to edit

The server ships with initial_server_config.cfg. Copy it to server_config.cfg and only edit the copy. Steam updates can reset the initial file, and you would lose your work. If you keep several setups, such as race night and derby night, save them as separate files and start the server with -s server_config=<file>.

Lobby settings

server_name=Thursday Banger Night
welcome_message=Clean first corner please.
password=
max_players=24
bots=6
ai_difficulty=amateur

Key	What it does
`server_name`	Name in the browser, up to 63 characters
`welcome_message`	Message shown to drivers on join
`password`	Join password, blank for public, up to 31 characters
`max_players`	Total slots, up to 24
`bots`	AI cars from 0 to 24, counted inside the 24 slots
`ai_difficulty`	Bot skill

Default event settings

These apply when the event loop is off, and as defaults:

track=bigstadium_demolition_arena
gamemode=derby
laps=3
time_limit=0
elimination_interval=0
num_teams=2
vehicle_damage=normal
car_class_restriction=a
car_restriction=
special_vehicles_disabled=0
car_reset_disabled=0
car_reset_delay=0
wrong_way_limiter_disabled=0
weather=

Key	What it does
`track`	Track ID to load
`gamemode`	For example `racing`, `derby`, `derby deathmatch`, `team race`, `team derby`, `elimination race`
`laps`	Laps for race modes, 1 to 60
`time_limit`	Minutes for deathmatch style derbies
`elimination_interval`	Seconds between eliminations in elimination race, 0 or 20 to 120
`num_teams`	2 to 4 for team modes
`vehicle_damage`	Damage model; `realistic` turns derbies brutal
`car_class_restriction`	Limit cars to one class, such as `a`, `b` or `c`
`car_restriction`	Limit everyone to one specific car
`special_vehicles_disabled`	`1` blocks lawnmowers, sofas and other specials
`car_reset_disabled`	`1` stops drivers resetting their car
`car_reset_delay`	Seconds before a reset is allowed
`wrong_way_limiter_disabled`	`1` turns off the wrong way penalty
`weather`	Fixed weather, or blank for the track default

Wreckfest, a demolition racing game

Admins and privileges

clear_users=1
owner_disabled=1
admin_steam_ids=76561198000000001
op_steam_ids=76561198000000002,76561198000000003

owner_disabled=1 stops the first driver to join from getting owner rights.
admin_steam_ids gets full control. op_steam_ids are moderators.
clear_users=1 clears previously stored privileges on start, so the lists in the file are the only ones that count.

All IDs are SteamID64 values, comma separated. Admins can change events and kick or ban from chat.

The event loop

Without an event loop, the server runs the default event forever. With one, it moves to the next event after each race and cycles back to the top at the end. Each event begins with el_add:

el_add=gravel1_main_loop
el_gamemode=racing
el_laps=4
el_car_class_restriction=b
el_weather=

el_add=bigstadium_demolition_arena
el_gamemode=derby
el_car_class_restriction=a
el_car_reset_disabled=1

Settings after an el_add line belong to that event until the next el_add. Available el_ keys mirror the defaults: el_gamemode, el_laps, el_num_teams, el_car_class_restriction, el_car_restriction, el_weather, el_car_reset_disabled and a wrong way limiter switch. Copy the exact key names from the commented examples in your own config file, since spelling must match. Anything you leave out falls back to the defaults above.

Tips that save frustration:

Write gamemode values exactly. Multi word modes such as team race need the exact spelling, and some guides recommend quotes (el_gamemode="team race") so they are read correctly.
Track IDs are not display names. Use the internal track ID. The game's own initial config file includes a list of track IDs in its comments, which is the most reliable reference for the version you run.
Alternate pace. Two races, then a derby, keeps a lobby from emptying when one style gets tiresome.
When an admin picks an event by hand, the loop can stop. Restart the server to get it cycling again.

Mods

mods=folder_one,folder_two

Copy each mod's folder to the server's mods directory, then list the folder names here. Every driver needs the same mods subscribed on the Steam Workshop, or they are kicked for missing content. Popular picks include big track packs and car packs, and a mod heavy server benefits from more memory.

Network keys

steam_port, query_port and game_port set the three UDP ports (27015, 27016 and 33540 by default), and lan=0 keeps the server on Steam rather than LAN only. Leave these alone unless you run more than one server on the same machine.

Wreckfest gameplay screenshot

On a hosted server

On a GamezServers Wreckfest server, Server Name and Password are set in the control panel and passed to the server at launch, and the ports are handled for you. The Config Path field picks which config file loads, so you can switch between a race night file and a derby file with one change and a restart. Everything else in this guide is edited in server_config.cfg in the file manager. For setup basics, see how to host a Wreckfest server, and for other racers with servers, the best racing games with dedicated servers.

FAQ

How do I make a Wreckfest event loop?

Add one el_add=<track> line per event at the bottom of server_config.cfg, with el_ settings under each, then restart.

Why is my Wreckfest setting ignored?

The line still starts with #, or you edited initial_server_config.cfg instead of the config the server loads.

How do I limit a Wreckfest server to one car class?

Set car_class_restriction to the class, or el_car_class_restriction for a single event.

Do bots count toward the player limit in Wreckfest?

Yes. Bots and drivers share the 24 slots.