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Team Fortress 2

Unraid dedicated server hosting for Team Fortress 2

Team Fortress 2 Server Setup

Video IBRACORP Team Fortress 2 Server Tutorial

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Disclaimer

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Please read our disclaimer https://docs.ibracorp.io/#disclaimer

Credits​

RoleContributor
Writer / Producerich777
Video Recording and VoiceIBRACORP
Contributorich777
Testing / ProofreadingIBRACORP Community

Feature List​

Team Fortress 2 Dedicated Server Features:

  • Full Team Fortress 2 multiplayer server
  • Support for up to 24+ players
  • Custom map support
  • MetaMod and SourceMod compatibility
  • RCON remote administration
  • Configurable game modes and settings

Prerequisites​

System Requirements:

  • CPU: 4+ cores (2.0GHz or higher)
  • RAM: 6GB minimum
  • Storage: 10GB available space
  • Network: Stable internet connection with port forwarding capability
  • Steam Account: Required for server token generation

Installation​

Unraid Docker Template​

Team Fortress 2 / ich777's Repository / Gaming

Installation Steps:

  1. Head to the Community Applications store in Unraid
  2. Search for and click to install Team Fortress 2 from ich777's Repository
  3. If you are using a custom Docker network, select it in the 'Network Type' field
  4. Enter the host port you want to map for the server. By default it is 27015. Only change it if this port is already in use
  5. Generate Steam Token:
    • Visit Steam Token Generator
    • Log in with your Steam account
    • Create a new token for App ID 440 (Team Fortress 2)
    • Copy the generated token
  6. Configure Container:
    • Paste your Steam token in the STEAMTOKEN field
    • Set GAMEMODE to your preferred game mode (e.g., cp, ctf, pl)
    • Configure MAXPLAYERS (default: 24)
  7. Click Apply and wait for the container to pull down and start
  8. Port Forwarding: Forward port 27015 (UDP/TCP) on your router to your Unraid server

Docker Compose​

version: '3.8'
services:
  tf2-server:
    image: ich777/steamcmd:tf2
    container_name: tf2-server
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      - STEAMTOKEN=YOUR_STEAM_TOKEN_HERE
      - GAMEMODE=cp
      - MAXPLAYERS=24
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
    ports:
      - "27015:27015/tcp"
      - "27015:27015/udp"
    volumes:
      - ./tf2-data:/serverdata/steamcmd/tf2

Installation Steps:

  1. Save the above configuration as docker-compose.yml
  2. Replace YOUR_STEAM_TOKEN_HERE with your Steam token
  3. Start the container: 
    docker compose up -d
  4. Monitor logs for successful startup

Configuration​

Server Setup Process:

  1. The server will automatically download Team Fortress 2 files on first startup
  2. Wait for the download to complete (this may take 15-30 minutes)
  3. Once complete, your server will be available at YOUR_SERVER_IP:27015
  4. Players can connect using the console command: connect YOUR_SERVER_IP:27015

Server Customization:

  • Configuration Files: Located in /serverdata/steamcmd/tf2/tf/cfg/
  • Custom Maps: Place in /serverdata/steamcmd/tf2/tf/maps/
  • Server Settings: Edit server.cfg for advanced configuration

Server Modification​

Adding Custom Maps​

  1. Access your server files through Unraid shares or container console
  2. Navigate to /serverdata/steamcmd/tf2/tf/maps/
  3. Upload your custom map files (.bsp format)
  4. Restart the server or use RCON to change maps

MetaMod & SourceMod Installation​

MetaMod Setup:

  1. Download MetaMod from official website
  2. Extract files to /serverdata/steamcmd/tf2/tf/
  3. Add "metamod" to your gameinfo.txt

SourceMod Setup:

  1. Download SourceMod from official website
  2. Extract files to /serverdata/steamcmd/tf2/tf/
  3. Restart server to load plugins

Configuration Options​

Server Settings​

SettingDescriptionDefaultExample
GAMEMODEGame mode typecpcp, ctf, pl, koth
MAXPLAYERSMaximum players2416, 32
STEAMTOKENSteam server tokenRequiredGenerated from Steam
HOSTNAMEServer nameTF2 ServerMy TF2 Server

Advanced Configuration​

Edit server.cfg for advanced settings:

// Server name
hostname "My Team Fortress 2 Server"

// RCON password
rcon_password "your_secure_password"

// Server password (leave empty for public)
sv_password ""

// Game settings
mp_timelimit 30
mp_maxrounds 5
tf_weapon_criticals 1

FAQs​

How do I host a private server?​

Set a server password in your configuration:

sv_password "your_password"

How do I change the server name?​

Edit the hostname setting in server.cfg:

hostname "Your Server Name Here"

How do I set an RCON password?​

Add the following to server.cfg:

rcon_password "your_secure_rcon_password"

Server not visible in browser?​

  1. Ensure port 27015 is forwarded properly
  2. Check your Steam token is valid and properly configured
  3. Verify the server is running without errors in the logs
  4. Make sure sv_lan 0 is set in your configuration

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

Server Won't Start:

  • Verify Steam token is correct for App ID 440
  • Check available disk space (minimum 10GB)
  • Review container logs for error messages

Players Can't Connect:

  • Confirm port forwarding is configured correctly
  • Check firewall settings on router and server
  • Ensure server is not set to LAN mode (sv_lan 0)

Performance Issues:

  • Monitor CPU and RAM usage
  • Reduce maximum players if experiencing lag
  • Consider upgrading server hardware

Log Analysis​

# View container logs
docker logs tf2-server

# Follow logs in real-time
docker logs -f tf2-server

Special Thanks​

  • ich777 developer for their excellent Docker container and guidance
  • To our fantastic Discord community and our Admins DiscDuck and Hawks for their input and documentation (as always)

Please support the developers and creators involved in this work to help show them some love. ❤️

Final Words​

We hope you enjoyed this guide. It was conceptualized, written, and implemented by our Admin Sycotix.

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