POK Ark Survival Ascended Server Management Script

Introduction

POK-manager.sh is a powerful and user-friendly script for managing Ark Survival Ascended Server instances using Docker. It simplifies the process of creating, starting, stopping, updating, and performing various operations on server instances, making it easy for both beginners and experienced users to manage their servers effectively.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Prerequisites
• Installation
• Usage
  • Commands
  • Examples
    • Creating an Instance
    • Starting and Stopping Instances
    • Sending Chat Messages
    • Scheduling Automatic Restarts with Cron
    • Scheduling Automatic Tasks with Cron
    • Custom RCON Commands
    • Backing Up and Restoring Instances
• User Permissions
• Docker Compose Configuration
• Ports
• Troubleshooting
• Hypervisor
• Links
• Support
• Conclusion
• Support the Project
• Star History

Prerequisites

Before using POK-manager.sh, ensure that you have the following prerequisites installed on your Linux system:

• Docker
• Docker Compose
• Git
• yq
• sudo access
• CPU - FX Series AMD Or Intel Second Gen Sandy Bridge CPU
• 16GB of RAM (or more) for each instance
• 80 GB for Server data
• Linux Host OS (Ubuntu, Debian, Arch)

Installation

1. Create or modify a user for the container:

   • For a new user named pokuser:

     sudo groupadd -g 1000 pokuser
     sudo useradd -u 1000 -g 1000 -m -s /bin/bash pokuser

   • To modify an existing user:

     sudo usermod -u 1000 <existing_username>
     sudo groupmod -g 1000 <existing_username>

2. Configure system settings:

   • Set vm.max_map_count temporarily:

     sudo sysctl -w vm.max_map_count=262144

   • For permanent setup, add vm.max_map_count=262144 to /etc/sysctl.conf, save, and apply changes:

     echo "vm.max_map_count=262144" | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf
     sudo sysctl -p

3. (Optional) Adjust folder permissions if not using a separate user:

   sudo chown -R 1000:1000 /path/to/your/instance/folder

4. Download and set up POK-manager.sh:

   • Option 1: Run the following command to download and set up POK-manager.sh in a single step:

     git clone https://github.com/Acekorneya/Ark-Survival-Ascended-Server.git && sudo chown -R 1000:1000 Ark-Survival-Ascended-Server && sudo mv Ark-Survival-Ascended-Server/POK-manager.sh . && sudo chmod +x POK-manager.sh && sudo mv Ark-Survival-Ascended-Server/defaults . && sudo rm -rf Ark-Survival-Ascended-Server

   • Option 2: Follow these step-by-step commands:

     git clone https://github.com/Acekorneya/Ark-Survival-Ascended-Server.git
     sudo chown -R 1000:1000 Ark-Survival-Ascended-Server
     sudo mv Ark-Survival-Ascended-Server/POK-manager.sh .
     sudo chmod +x POK-manager.sh
     sudo mv Ark-Survival-Ascended-Server/defaults .
     sudo rm -rf Ark-Survival-Ascended-Server

Usage

Commands

• -list: Lists all available server instances.
• -edit: Allows editing the configuration of a specific server instance.
• -setup: Performs the initial setup tasks required for running server instances.
• -create <instance_name>: Creates a new server instance.
• -start <instance_name|-all>: Starts a specific server instance or all instances.
• -stop <instance_name|-all>: Stops a specific server instance or all instances.
• -shutdown [minutes] <instance_name|-all>: Shuts down a specific server instance or all instances with an optional countdown in minutes.
• -update: Updates POK-manager.sh and all server instances.
• -status <instance_name|-all>: Shows the status of a specific server instance or all instances.
• -restart [minutes] <instance_name|-all>: Restarts a specific server instance or all instances with an optional countdown in minutes.
• -saveworld <instance_name|-all>: Saves the world of a specific server instance or all instances.
• -chat "<message>" <instance_name|-all>: Sends a chat message to a specific server instance or all instances.
• -custom <command> <instance_name|-all>: Executes a custom command on a specific server instance or all instances.
• -backup [instance_name|-all]: Backs up a specific server instance or all instances (defaults to all if not specified).
• -restore [instance_name]: Restores a server instance from a backup.
• -logs [-live] <instance_name>: Displays logs for a specific server instance (optionally live).

Examples

Creating an Instance

./POK-manager.sh -setup
./POK-manager.sh -create my_instance

Starting and Stopping Instances

./POK-manager.sh -start my_instance
./POK-manager.sh -stop my_instance

Sending Chat Messages

./POK-manager.sh -chat "Hello, world!" my_instance

Scheduling Automatic Restarts with Cron

To schedule automatic restarts using cron, add an entry to your crontab file. Here are a few examples:

• Restart all instances every day at 3 AM with a 10-minute countdown:

  0 3 * * * /path/to/POK-manager.sh -restart 10 -all
  

• Restart a specific instance every Sunday at 12 AM with a 5-minute countdown:

  0 0 * * 0 /path/to/POK-manager.sh -restart 5 my_instance
  

• Save the world of all instances every 30 minutes:

  */30 * * * * /path/to/POK-manager.sh -saveworld -all
  

Custom RCON Commands

You can execute custom RCON commands using the -custom flag followed by the command and the instance name or -all for all instances. Here are a few examples:

• Broadcast a message to all players on a specific instance:

  ./POK-manager.sh -custom "broadcast Hello, players!" my_instance

• List all players on all instances:

  ./POK-manager.sh -custom "listplayers" -all

• Give an item to a player on a specific instance:

  ./POK-manager.sh -custom "giveitem \"Blueprint'/Game/Mods/ArkModularWeapon/Weapons/IronSword/PrimalItem_IronSword.PrimalItem_IronSword'\" 1 0 0" my_instance

Scheduling Automatic Tasks with Cron

Cron is a time-based job scheduler in Unix-like operating systems that allows you to run commands or scripts automatically at specified intervals. You can use cron to schedule tasks like automated backups or saving the world state of your Ark Survival Ascended Server instances.

To set up a cron job for running POK-manager.sh commands, follow these steps:

1. Open the terminal and type crontab -e to edit your user's crontab file. If prompted, choose an editor (e.g., nano).

2. In the crontab file, add a new line for each command you want to schedule. The format of a cron job is as follows:

   * * * * * /path/to/command
   

   • The asterisks (*) represent the minute, hour, day of the month, month, and day of the week, respectively.
   • Replace /path/to/command with the actual command you want to run.

   For example, to save the world state of an instance named "my_instance" every 30 minutes, add the following line:

   */30 * * * * /path/to/POK-manager.sh -saveworld my_instance
   

   This command will run every 30 minutes, on the hour and half-hour (e.g., 12:00, 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, etc.).

   To create a backup of an instance named "my_instance" every 6 hours, add the following line:

   0 */6 * * * /path/to/POK-manager.sh -backup my_instance
   

   This command will run every 6 hours, starting at midnight (e.g., 12:00 AM, 6:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 6:00 PM).

3. Save the changes and exit the editor. The cron jobs will now run automatically at the specified intervals.

Here are a few more examples of commonly used cron job schedules:

• Every minute: * * * * *
• Every hour: 0 * * * *
• Every day at midnight: 0 0 * * *
• Every Sunday at 3:00 AM: 0 3 * * 0
• Every month on the 1st day at 5:30 AM: 30 5 1 * *

You can use online cron job generators like Crontab Guru to help you create and validate your cron job schedules.

Remember to replace /path/to/POK-manager.sh with the actual path to your POK-manager.sh script, and adjust the instance names and commands according to your requirements.

By scheduling automatic tasks with cron, you can ensure regular backups, world saves, and other maintenance tasks are performed without manual intervention, providing a more reliable and convenient server management experience.

Backing Up and Restoring Instances

POK-manager.sh provides commands for backing up and restoring server instances. Here's how you can use them:

• Backup a specific instance:

  ./POK-manager.sh -backup my_instance

• Backup all instances:

  ./POK-manager.sh -backup -all

• Restore a specific instance from a backup:

  ./POK-manager.sh -restore my_instance

When you run the -backup command for the first time, POK-manager.sh will prompt you to specify the maximum number of backups to keep and the maximum size limit (in GB) for each instance's backup folder. These settings will be saved in a configuration file (backup_<instance_name>.conf) located in the config/POK-manager directory.

Subsequent runs of the -backup command will use the saved configuration. If you want to change the backup settings, you can manually edit the configuration file or delete it to be prompted again.

The -backup command creates a compressed tar archive of the SavedArks directory for each instance, which contains the saved game data. The backups are stored in the backups/<instance_name> directory.

The -restore command allows you to restore a specific instance from a backup. When you run the command, POK-manager.sh will display a list of available backup archives for the specified instance. You can choose the desired backup by entering its corresponding number. The script will then extract the backup and replace the current SavedArks directory with the backed-up version.

Note: Restoring a backup will overwrite the current saved game data for the specified instance.

User Permissions

POK-manager.sh can work with any user as long as it has the correct PUID and PGID of 1000:1000. This is required for the container to have the necessary permissions for volumes and to avoid running as root, which enhances security.

If you prefer not to modify the user's UID and GID, you can bypass the permission checks by running the script with sudo. For example:

sudo ./POK-manager.sh -create my_instance

Using sudo grants the script the necessary privileges to change permissions to 1000:1000 as required by the container.

Docker Compose Configuration

When creating a new server instance using POK-manager.sh, a Docker Compose configuration file (docker-compose-<instance_name>.yaml) is generated. Here's an example of the generated file:

Environment Variables

Variable	Default	Description
INSTANCE_NAME	Instance_name	The name of the instance
BATTLEEYE	TRUE	Set to TRUE to use BattleEye, FALSE to not use BattleEye
TZ	America/Los_Angeles	Timezone setting: Change this to your local timezone.
RCON_ENABLED	TRUE	Needed for Graceful Shutdown
DISPLAY_POK_MONITOR_MESSAGE	FALSE	TRUE to Show the Server Monitor Messages / Update Monitor Shutdown
UPDATE_SERVER	TRUE	Enable or disable update checks
CHECK_FOR_UPDATE_INTERVAL	24	Check for Updates interval in hours
UPDATE_WINDOW_MINIMUM_TIME	12:00 AM	Defines the minimum time, relative to server time, when an update check should run
UPDATE_WINDOW_MAXIMUM_TIME	11:59 PM	Defines the maximum time, relative to server time, when an update check should run
RESTART_NOTICE_MINUTES	30	Duration in minutes for notifying players before a server restart due to updates
ENABLE_MOTD	FALSE	Enable or disable Message of the Day
MOTD		Message of the Day
MOTD_DURATION	30	Duration for the Message of the Day
MAP_NAME	TheIsland	The map name (`TheIsland') Or Custom Map Name Can Be Enter aswell
SESSION_NAME	Server_name	The session name for the server
SERVER_ADMIN_PASSWORD	MyPassword	The admin password for the server
SERVER_PASSWORD		Set a server password or leave it blank (ONLY NUMBERS AND CHARACTERS ARE ALLOWED BY DEVS)
ASA_PORT	7777	The game port for the server
RCON_PORT	27020	Rcon Port Use for Most Server Operations
MAX_PLAYERS	127	Max allowed players
NOTIFY_ADMIN_COMMANDS_IN_CHAT	FALSE	Set to TRUE to notify admin commands in chat, FALSE to disable notifications
CLUSTER_ID	cluster	The Cluster ID for Server Transfers
PASSIVE_MODS	123456	Replace with your passive mods IDs
MOD_IDS	123456	Add your mod IDs here, separated by commas, e.g., 123456789,987654321
CUSTOM_SERVER_ARGS		If You need to add more Custom Args -ForceRespawnDinos -ForceAllowCaveFlyers

---

version: '2.4'

services:
  asaserver:
    build: .
    image: acekorneya/asa_server:2_0_latest
    container_name: asa_my_instance
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      - INSTANCE_NAME=my_instance            # The name of the instance
      - TZ=America/Los_Angeles               # Timezone setting: Change this to your local timezone. Ex.America/New_York, Europe/Berlin, Asia/Tokyo
      - BATTLEEYE=FALSE                      # Set to TRUE to use BattleEye, FALSE to not use BattleEye
      - RCON_ENABLED=TRUE                    # Needed for Graceful Shutdown / Updates / Server Notifications
      - DISPLAY_POK_MONITOR_MESSAGE=FALSE    # Or TRUE to Show the Server Monitor Messages / Update Monitor 
      - UPDATE_SERVER=TRUE                   # Enable or disable update checks
      - CHECK_FOR_UPDATE_INTERVAL=24         # Check for Updates interval in hours
      - UPDATE_WINDOW_MINIMUM_TIME=12:00 AM  # Defines the minimum time, relative to server time, when an update check should run
      - UPDATE_WINDOW_MAXIMUM_TIME=11:59 PM  # Defines the maximum time, relative to server time, when an update 
      - RESTART_NOTICE_MINUTES=30            # Duration in minutes for notifying players before a server restart due to updates
      - ENABLE_MOTD=FALSE                    # Enable or disable Message of the Day
      - MOTD=                                # Message of the Day
      - MOTD_DURATION=30                     # Duration for the Message of the Day
      - MAP_NAME=TheIsland                   # TheIsland, ScorchedEarth, TheCenter, Aberration / TheIsland_WP, ScorchedEarth_WP, TheCenter_WP, Aberration_WP / Are the current official maps available
      - SESSION_NAME=Server_name             # The name of the server session
      - SERVER_ADMIN_PASSWORD=MyPassword     # The admin password for the server 
      - SERVER_PASSWORD=                     # Set a server password or leave it blank (ONLY NUMBERS AND CHARACTERS ARE ALLOWED BY DEVS)
      - ASA_PORT=7777                        # The port for the server
      - RCON_PORT=27020                      # The port for the RCON
      - MAX_PLAYERS=70                       # The maximum number of players allowed on the server
      - SHOW_ADMIN_COMMANDS_IN_CHAT=FALSE    # Set to TRUE to notify admin commands in chat, FALSE to disable notifications
      - CLUSTER_ID=cluster                   # The cluster ID for the server
      - MOD_IDS=                             # Add your mod IDs here, separated by commas, e.g., 123456789,987654321
      - PASSIVE_MODS=                        # Replace with your passive mods IDs
      - CUSTOM_SERVER_ARGS=                  # If You need to add more Custom Args -ForceRespawnDinos -ForceAllowCaveFlyers
    ports:
      - "7777:7777/tcp"
      - "7777:7777/udp"
      - "27020:27020/tcp"
    volumes:
      - "./ServerFiles/arkserver:/home/pok/arkserver"
      - "./Instance_my_instance/Saved:/home/pok/arkserver/ShooterGame/Saved"
      - "./Cluster:/home/pok/arkserver/ShooterGame/Saved/clusters"
    mem_limit: 16G

Ports

The following ports are used by the Ark Survival Ascended Server:

• 7777:7777/tcp: Game port
• 7777:7777/udp: Game port

the following ports are used by RCON

• 27020:27020/tcp: RCON port

Note: The query port is not needed for Ark Ascended.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter the following error in your logs:

asa_pve_Server | [2023.11.06-03.55.48:449][  1]Allocator Stats for binned2 are not in this build set BINNED2_ALLOCATOR_STATS 1 in MallocBinned2.cpp

Run the following command to temporarily fix the issue:

sudo sysctl -w vm.max_map_count=262144

To make the change permanent, add the following line to /etc/sysctl.conf and apply the changes:

echo "vm.max_map_count=262144" | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf
sudo sysctl -p

Hypervisors

Proxmox VM

The default CPU type (kvm64) in proxmox for linux VMs does not seem to implement all features needed to run the server. When running the docker contain In that case just change your CPU type to host in the hardware settings of your VM. After a restart of the VM the container should work without any issues.

Links

• Docker Installation
• Docker Compose Installation
• Git Downloads
• Ark Survival Ascended Server Docker Image
• Server Configuration
• POK-manager.sh GitHub Repository

Support

If you need assistance or have any questions, please join our Discord server: KNY SERVERS

Conclusion

POK-manager.sh is a comprehensive and user-friendly solution for managing Ark Survival Ascended Server instances using Docker. With its wide range of commands and ease of use, it simplifies the process of setting up, configuring, and maintaining server instances. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced user, POK-manager.sh provides a streamlined approach to server management, allowing you to focus on enjoying the game with your community. If you encounter any issues or have questions, don't hesitate to reach out for support on our Discord server.

We Also have Ark Servers for people who dont have the requirements to host a full cluster of all the Ark Maps when they release.

🎮 Join Our Community Cluster Server:

• Server Name: POK-Community-CrossARK.

• Running Both Map in Cluster and More to Come as they release and added to the cluster.

• PVE: A peaceful environment for your adventures.

• Flyer Carry Enabled: Explore the skies with your tamed creatures.

• Official Server Rates: Balanced gameplay for an enjoyable experience.

• Always Updated and Events run on time of released

• Active Mods: We’re here to assist you whenever you need it.

• Discord Community: Connect with our community and stay updated.

• NO CRYPOD RESTRICTION USE THEM ANYWHERE!..

Make sure to select "SHOW PLAYER SERVER" To be able to find it in unofficials Servers

Support the Project

If you find POK-manager.sh useful and would like to support its development, you can buy me a coffee! Your support is greatly appreciated and helps me continue maintaining and improving the project.

Your contributions will go towards:

• Implementing new features and enhancements Thank you for your support!

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Star History