All guides
How to build a Linux dedicated server from Unity
Step by step: build a headless Linux dedicated server from Unity 6 with Build Profiles, bind it correctly, test it and pack it for hosting.
Read the guide →GuideHost a Node.js WebSocket game server: what to prepare
Get a Node.js 24 WebSocket game server ready for NetCraftGames: the one command that packs it, the WebSocket path setting, socket.io and what does not work.
Read the guide →GuideMirror server on the cloud: ports and firewall checklist
A practical ports and firewall checklist for running a Mirror dedicated server on a cloud machine: KCP, Telepathy and SimpleWeb ports, binding and testing.
Read the guide →GuideHost a Python WebSocket game server: what to prepare
Get a Python 3.12 WebSocket game server ready for NetCraftGames: the command that vendors Linux wheels, the WebSocket path setting and what does not work.
Read the guide →GuideGodot dedicated server export checklist
A checklist for exporting a Godot 4 dedicated server for Linux: export mode, headless start, ENet versus WebSocket, ports, saves and packing.
Read the guide →GuideIdle shutdown: why paying for empty servers is waste
Why paying for empty game servers is waste, how much it costs in hours, how idle shutdown works safely, and what your server must report for it to work.
Read the guide →GuideWebSocket vs UDP for browser multiplayer
Browsers cannot use raw UDP. Compare WebSocket, WebRTC data channels and native UDP for multiplayer games, and pick the right transport for your players.
Read the guide →GuideWhat a connection config file must contain
What a deployment manifest and a player connection config must contain for a hosted multiplayer server, with a real example and the rules that cause rejections.
Read the guide →GuideUnreal Engine Linux dedicated server checklist
A checklist for packaging an Unreal Engine dedicated server for Linux: source build, server target, cook and stage, port 7777, start script, versions.
Read the guide →GuideHow to host a multiplayer game server cheaply
Honest ways to host a multiplayer game server cheaply: stop idle hours, right-size, mind egress, use free tiers and decide when managed hosting is worth it.
Read the guide →GuideWebRTC signaling for browser games, explained
What a WebRTC signaling server does for a browser multiplayer game, why STUN is not a relay, when TURN is needed, and the offer, answer and ICE flow.
Read the guide →GuideShare your game with players: a link, a QR code and a live status
How the NetCraftGames share page works for a first-time publisher: one link and QR code, what players see, what it does not do, and how to replace it.
Read the guide →How these guides are written
Each guide starts with the direct answer, then the steps, then the mistakes that waste the most time. Facts about engines come from the engine vendors' own documentation, linked at the bottom of each guide with the date we read it. Where something depends on your engine version, the guide says so instead of guessing. Everything is written for owners: game developers who already have, or are close to having, a working multiplayer build.
Start here by problem
- "I need a Linux server build." Unity, Godot or Unreal.
- "Players cannot connect." The Mirror ports checklist applies to any UDP or TCP game, then see when a connection fails.
- "My server is Node.js or Python." Node.js or Python: what the host provides and the one command that packs your project.
- "Browser players." WebSocket vs UDP and WebRTC signaling.
- "It costs too much." Idle shutdown and hosting cheaply.
- "How do I give friends a link?" Share your game with players: one link, a QR code and a live status.
- "What does the host need from me?" Connection config contents.