ARK: Survival Ascended Linux Server Manager – Docker & Non-Docker

This repository provides a set of scripts—primarily ark_instance_manager.sh and ark_docker_manager.sh—for installing and managing ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) servers on Linux. Since there is no official Linux server for ASA, these scripts leverage Proton (plus other utilities) to run the Windows server executable on Linux. The solution does not require Docker and includes features for multi-instance management, backups, automated restarts, and more.

Note: There is also a Docker-based script, ark_docker_manager.sh, which containerizes the entire setup if you prefer Docker. This script uses Docker containers to run the server instances, with the server files and configurations mounted as Docker volumes. This approach ensures that the server data remains accessible and separate from the containerized runtime environment while leveraging Docker for process isolation and dependency management.
The usage of both scripts is nearly identical—commands, instance creation, backups, and restarts work the same way. With the Docker-based script, the server binaries and save data are shared through volumes, allowing the same file structure as the non-Docker setup. For simplicity, this README focuses on ark_instance_manager.sh; if you choose the Docker route, simply run ark_docker_manager.sh instead and follow the same steps.

If you prefer the flexibility and modularity of Docker, the ark_docker_manager.sh script makes it easy to containerize your server setup without changing the workflow or configuration methods.

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Table of Contents

• 1. Key Features
• 2. System Requirements
• 3. Installation & Setup
• 4. Usage
  • 4.1 Interactive Menu
  • 4.2 Command-Line Usage
• 5. Managing Instances
  • 5.1 Creating a New Instance
  • 5.2 Configuration Files
  • 5.3 Maps and Mods
  • 5.4 Clustering
• 6. Backups & Restores
• 7. Automated Restarts
• 8. RCON Console
• 9. Troubleshooting
• 10. Credits
• 11. License

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1. Key Features

• No Docker Required – Runs the Windows ASA server on Linux via Proton. (Or use the Docker script if you prefer!)
• Automatic Dependency Checking – Installs or warns about missing libraries (e.g., 32-bit libs, Python). (only for non Docker version)
• Multi-Instance Management – Configure and run multiple servers on one machine.
• Interactive Menu – User-friendly text-based UI for setup, instance creation, and day-to-day tasks.
• Command-Line Interface – Ideal for automation (cron jobs, scripts) or remote management.
• Support for Mods & Maps – Specify custom maps and Mod IDs in each instance’s config.
• Custom Start Parameters – Easily enable crossplay or disable BattlEye in instance_config.ini.
• Cluster Support – Link multiple servers under one Cluster ID for cross-server transfers.
• Backup & Restore – Archive world folders to .tar.gz and restore them when needed.
• Automated Restarts – Optional script announces, updates, and restarts your servers on a schedule.
• RCON Integration – A Python-based RCON client (rcon.py) for server commands and chat messages.

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2. System Requirements

• CPU: Minimum 4 cores (6–8 recommended).
• RAM: Minimum 16 GB (8 GB often leads to crashes or poor performance).
• Storage: Enough disk space for ARK server files (can be quite large).
• Linux Distribution with a package manager (apt-get, zypper, dnf, or pacman).
• sudo/root privileges if you need to install missing dependencies.
• Internet Connection for downloading server files, SteamCMD, and Proton.

Note: ASA is resource-intensive. Monitor your CPU/RAM usage if running multiple instances.

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3. Installation & Setup

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/Zerschranzer/Linux-ASA-Server-Manager.git
   cd Linux-ASA-Server-Manager

2. Make scripts executable:

   chmod +x ark_instance_manager.sh ark_restart_manager.sh rcon.py

   (If using Docker, also chmod +x ark_docker_manager.sh.)

3. Run ark_instance_manager.sh (no arguments):

   ./ark_instance_manager.sh

   • From the interactive menu, choose "Install/Update Base Server".
   • This installs (or updates) ASA server files via SteamCMD.
   • Important: Always do this step before creating any instances to ensure all server binaries and Proton are properly set up.

4. (Optional) Create a symlink to run the script from anywhere:

   ./ark_instance_manager.sh setup

   • This adds asa-manager to ~/.local/bin (if on your PATH), so you can type asa-manager globally.

If you prefer Docker, the above steps also apply to ark_docker_manager.sh. Just pick "Create ARK base image" from the menu instead of "Install/Update Base Server".

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4. Usage

4.1 Interactive Menu

Running ./ark_instance_manager.sh with no arguments enters a menu-based interface:

1) Install/Update Base Server
2) List Instances
3) Create New Instance
4) Manage Instance
...

Use the numbered options to install the server, create/edit instances, start/stop servers, manage backups, etc.

(With Docker: ./ark_docker_manager.sh provides a nearly identical menu.)

4.2 Command-Line Usage

For quick tasks or automation, pass arguments directly:

# Installs/updates the base server
./ark_instance_manager.sh update

# Starts all existing instances
./ark_instance_manager.sh start_all

# Stops all running instances
./ark_instance_manager.sh stop_all

# Shows which instances are currently running
./ark_instance_manager.sh show_running

# Deletes an instance (prompts for confirmation)
./ark_instance_manager.sh delete <instance_name>

# Managing a specific instance
./ark_instance_manager.sh <instance_name> start
./ark_instance_manager.sh <instance_name> stop
./ark_instance_manager.sh <instance_name> restart
./ark_instance_manager.sh <instance_name> send_rcon "<RCON command>"
./ark_instance_manager.sh <instance_name> backup <world_folder>

(In Docker mode, replace ark_instance_manager.sh with ark_docker_manager.sh.)

Use these for scripts (like cron) or when you know exactly what action is needed.

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5. Managing Instances

Each instance lives in instances/<instance_name> with its own configs and logs, allowing fully independent servers.

5.1 Creating a New Instance

1. In the interactive menu, choose "Create New Instance".
2. Enter a unique name (e.g., island_server_1, gen2_pvp); avoid extremely similar names like instance vs. instance1.
3. The script creates the folder structure and opens instance_config.ini for you to edit.

5.2 Configuration Files

1. instance_config.ini
   • Main server settings for each instance, such as:
     • ServerName, ServerPassword, ServerAdminPassword, MaxPlayers
     • MapName, ModIDs, Port, QueryPort, RCONPort, SaveDir
     • ClusterID (if clustering), CustomStartParameters (e.g., -NoBattlEye -crossplay)
2. GameUserSettings.ini in instances/<instance_name>/Config/
   • ARK’s standard server settings (XP rates, rules, etc.).
3. Game.ini (optional)
   • For advanced config (engrams, spawn weights, etc.).

Tip: Stopping the server before editing these files is recommended. Changes apply on the next start.

5.3 Maps and Mods

• Map: Set MapName in instance_config.ini (e.g., TheIsland_WP, Fjordur_WP).
• Mods: Add a comma-separated list of mod IDs under ModIDs=.

5.4 Clustering

1. Set a shared ClusterID in each instance’s instance_config.ini.
2. The script automatically creates a cluster directory and links them.
3. Players can transfer characters/dinos/items between these servers in-game.

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6. Backups & Restores

Backups preserve your world data in .tar.gz archives:

• Via menu: "Backup a World from Instance". Select the instance and world folder.
• Via CLI:

  ./ark_instance_manager.sh <instance_name> backup <world_folder>

  It creates an archive in backups/.

  Stop the server first to avoid corrupt backups.

Restores are menu-driven under "Load Backup to Instance". This overwrites existing world files with those from your chosen archive.

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7. Automated Restarts

The ARK Server Manager now makes it easy to configure automated restarts, tailored for users of all experience levels. Restart automation is integrated directly into the interactive menu, eliminating the need for manual configuration.

Configuration via the Interactive Menu

To set up automated restarts:

1. Open the ARK Server Manager and select "12) Configure Restart Manager" from the main menu.
2. Follow the prompts to:
   • Select the instances for which you want to enable automated restarts.
   • Define announcement times and messages for notifying players before the restart.
   • Schedule a daily restart time using Cron (e.g., every day at 3:00 AM).

The configuration is automatically applied, and any existing Cron jobs for the restart manager are updated or replaced. This ensures the process is both simple and error-free for all users.

Advanced: Manual Configuration

For advanced users, manual configuration is still possible by editing the top of ark_restart_manager.sh:

• instances=("myserver1" "myserver2")
• announcement_times=(1800 1200 600 180 10)
• announcement_messages=("Server restart in 30 minutes" ... )

Scheduling with Cron

The interactive menu also automates the Cron job setup. If you prefer manual scheduling, you can still add the following to your crontab:

crontab -e
# Example: daily restarts at 4:00 AM
0 4 * * * /path/to/ark_restart_manager.sh

Logs are kept in ark_restart_manager.log.

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8. RCON Console

The rcon.py script is a Python-based RCON client:

./rcon.py 127.0.0.1:27020 -p "MyRconPassword"

• Opens an interactive console (RCON>) to send commands (e.g., broadcast Hello!).

Or send a single command:

./rcon.py 127.0.0.1:27020 -p "MyRconPassword" -c "SaveWorld"

ark_instance_manager.sh uses rcon.py for graceful shutdown and interactive RCON access from the menu.
(Again, this applies equally to ark_docker_manager.sh.)

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9. Troubleshooting

• Check Logs: instances/<instance_name>/server.log for server errors. In Docker mode, you can also check with docker logs ark_<instance_name>.
• Dependencies: If missing, the script instructs how to install them for your distro.
• Unique Ports: Ensure each instance uses different ports, and open them in your firewall if needed.
• Naming Collisions: Distinct instance names prevent accidentally stopping the wrong server.
• System Resources: ASA is resource-heavy; watch CPU/RAM usage, especially with multiple instances.

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10. Credits

• SteamCMD for server file updates.
• Proton GE Custom for running Windows apps on Linux.
• Docker (for ark_docker_manager.sh) if you choose the containerized approach.

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11. License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. Feel free to modify and share these scripts. If you enhance or fix them, consider opening a PR so others benefit.

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Enjoy managing your Ark Survival Ascended server(s) on Linux!
If you run into any issues or have suggestions, please open an issue or pull request on GitHub.