======== Dedicated Server Settings ========

**Server hosting for TTT is still early and subject to change.** This page documents the current dedicated-server setup as of 5/14/26.

This page does **not** explain how to install or start a baseline s&box dedicated server. For general s&box dedicated server setup, see:

[[https://sbox.game/dev/doc/systems/networking-multiplayer/dedicated-servers/|s&box Dedicated Servers]]

[[https://physgun.com/help/game-hosting/sbox/how-to-make-a-sbox-server/|How to make a s&box server]]

**For the easiest server hosting**, your best option is using [[http://physgun.com/thieves|physgun]]. You can even get 30% off with code "TTT"!

{{::phys_ttt.png?400|}}


===== Basics =====

**Live package ident:**

<code text>
thieves.terrortown
</code>

**Native startup map:**

Choose the startup map with the native s&box launch command. The map ident after the game ident is the boot map. TTT also uses that boot map as the empty-server reset map.

===== Launch Example =====

Typical dedicated launch shape (replace ports and map with your values):

<code text>
-headless +game thieves.terrortown thieves.rooftops +hostname "Test" +port 00000 +net_query_port 00000 +net_hide_address 0
</code>


====== Configuration Files ======

TTT currently uses three operator-facing files:

^ File ^ Purpose ^
| ''server_settings.json'' | Small dedicated-server bootstrap config: lobby max players/privacy and curated map rotation. |
| ''config/convar/game.json'' | Native s&box saved ConVars. Most gameplay/rule settings live here now. |
| ''roles.json'' | Moderator/Admin/Owner role assignments written by TTT role commands. |

===== server_settings.json =====

''server_settings.json'' lives under the package's game data folder.

Example:

<code text>
data/thieves/terrortown/server_settings.json
</code>

The game creates this file with active defaults the first time a dedicated server starts without one.

Current editable shape:

<file json server_settings.json>
{
  "SchemaVersion": 2,
  "Lobby": {
    "MaxPlayers": 24,
    "Privacy": 0
  },
  "MapVote": {
    "Maps": "thieves.rooftops;thieves.whitehouse;thieves.minecraft_t5"
  }
}
</file>

==== server_settings.json Fields ====

^ Field ^ Default ^ Description ^
| ''SchemaVersion'' | 2 | Generated by the game for future migrations. Leave this alone. |
| ''Lobby.MaxPlayers'' | 24 | Maximum player count for the lobby. Keep this aligned with any external server-manager player limit. |
| ''Lobby.Privacy'' | 0 | Lobby privacy: 0 public, 1 private, 2 friends only. Public dedicated servers should use 0. |
| ''MapVote.Maps'' | Curated built-in map list | Dedicated map vote rotation. Separate map idents with semicolons, commas, or newlines. |

==== Map Vote Rotation ====

Dedicated map vote pool example:

<code json>
"MapVote": {
  "Maps": "thieves.rooftops;thieves.dolls;throwupproducs.islandtropical"
}
</code>

Separate map idents with semicolons, commas, or newlines.

<code text>
orgident.mapident;orgident.mapident
</code>

Duplicate entries are collapsed. Maps outside the built-in curated list are ignored for dedicated map vote rotation. Make sure at least one valid map remains.

You can print the current built-in map whitelist from the server console with:

<code text>
t.server.maps
</code>

====== Deprecated Or Ignored Settings ======

^ Old Setting ^ Current Status ^
| ''Server.StartupMap'' | Removed. Use the native ''+game org.game org.map'' launch argument. |
| Scalar ''Lobby'' gameplay fields such as ''MaxRounds'', ''RoundTimeMinutes'', ''KarmaEnabled'', ''ProximityVoiceRange'', etc. | Removed from ''server_settings.json''. Use the matching saved ConVar instead. |
| ''MapVote.Whitelist'' | Migrated to ''MapVote.Maps'' if ''Maps'' is missing. |
| ''MapVote.Blacklist'' | No longer the dedicated rotation model. If only ''Blacklist'' is present, defaults are backfilled into ''MapVote.Maps''. |