Quake3Servers for quake lan parties

Features:

• Starts multiple servers in a tmux session
• Supports Quake Live with minqlx, Quake 3 and ioQuake3
• Spawn new server scripts detect tmux session and attach to them or launch standalone
• Systemd service for automatic launch on startup and start/stop all of them
• Detects used port and spawn in a free one
• Spawn master server with dpmaster for q3 and ioq3

Install

Clone the repo onto a Debian/Ubuntu box and run the installer:

git clone <this-repo> quake3servers
cd quake3servers
sudo ./install.sh

It is idempotent and runs these steps in order (run a subset with sudo ./install.sh <step ...>):

Step	What it does
deps	System packages (tmux, git, python, redis, avahi, 32-bit libs…)
user	Creates the lanparty service user
symlinks	Links repo→/usr/local/games/quake3servers, .conf+.env→/etc, .service→systemd, q3servers CLI→/usr/local/bin, creates the log dir
dpmaster	Clones + builds dpmaster, installs to /usr/local/bin
redis	Enables Redis (minqlx backend)
ioquake3	Verifies the ioq3 dedicated server
quake3	Prepares the q3ded data dirs
quakelive	steamcmd → QLDS + minqlx + plugins + python venv
avahi	Sets hostname + mDNS so clients reach lanparty.local
service	Enables (and optionally starts) the systemd service

Copyrighted game data cannot be downloaded automatically — the installer tells you where to drop the Quake 3 retail .pk3 files and the q3ded / mods.

Configuration

Settings are split in two files:

• quake_servers.env — scalar KEY=value settings (hostname, paths, passwords, FPS, Redis, minqlx owner/plugins). Also read directly by systemd.
• quake_servers.conf — sources the .env and adds the server definitions, which are bash arrays (mode:port1:port2:...) systemd can't parse.

Set Q3SERVERS_RCON_PASSWORD in the .env before a real party. Sample per-gametype files live in configs/ — copy them into place:

• configs/ioq3/*.cfg, configs/q3/server.cfg → the matching fs_game mod dir (e.g. osp/, arena/).
• configs/ql/mappool_*.txt → the QLDS dir (referenced by sv_mapPoolFile). Verify each map is installed — some require Steam Workshop items.

Control (q3servers CLI)

q3servers status              # systemd + tmux state
q3servers list                # running servers (tmux panes)
q3servers attach              # attach to the tmux session
q3servers start|stop|restart  # control the systemd service
q3servers add ioq3 1v1 [port] # spawn one extra server (game: ioq3|q3|ql)
q3servers logs [name]         # tail a server log

tmux-based commands run as the service user, e.g. sudo -u lanparty q3servers attach. Each server tees its output to Q3SERVERS_LOG_DIR (/var/log/quake3servers).

TODO:

• Quake 3 retail data + 1.32 point release (manual: copyrighted)

  • ra3 (Rocket Arena 3)
  • RA3 autoexec is not loaded so can't place 200-100, falling damage... :(

• ioquake3 osp mod + extra maps

• Verify minqlx build artifacts layout on target box

• config files (per-gametype .cfg), extra maps, extra mods

• Other server mods

  • instagib
  • freeze tag
  • defrag/race
  • red rover
  • More mods for QL (requires workshop items) https://steamcommunity.com/app/282440/discussions/0/490125103624446696/

• NTH: Web: Web server to spawn or kill servers. Also rcon commands? Web to browse servers Download links (official or hosted) QL Factories Publish match results on discord (screenshot?) Record matches Add workshop items for minqlx sounds Add match stats and other minqlx plugins