How to set up an SCP: Secret Lab server from scratch

What you need first

• An active SCP: SL plan on Fatality Servers. See our SCP: Secret Lab hosting plans.
• An SCP: SL Central Auth account (auth.scpslgame.com) — required to verify the server onto Northwood's master list.
• A Steam copy of SCP: Secret Laboratory for each player who wants to connect (the game itself is free, but you need a Steam account).
• A basic SFTP client (FileZilla, WinSCP). Configs are plain text.

Deploy the server (1-click)

Our SCP: SL template runs SteamCMD to pull the dedicated server (App ID 996560), writes default configs, and opens UDP 7777 on your plan's IP.

1. Pick the SCP: SL template at checkout

   On the SCP: Secret Lab hosting page, pick a plan. Most community servers run 20-40 slots; casual "fun" servers 50-70; max is 100 per server instance.

2. Wait for SteamCMD

   Server binary is ~4 GB. First install takes 3-6 minutes.

3. Paste your Central Auth credentials

   On first boot, the panel prompts for your SCP: SL Central Auth email + password so the server can verify. See the Verify via Central Auth section for details.

4. Confirm the server is listening

   [INFO] [core] Starting SCP: Secret Laboratory dedicated server 13.X.X.
   [INFO] [core] Steam App ID: 996560
   [INFO] [core] Listening on port 7777
   [INFO] [core] Verifying server against Central Auth...
   [INFO] [core] Server verified successfully. Server ID: XXXX.
   [INFO] [core] Ready. Waiting for players.

Verify via Central Auth

SCP: SL servers aren't listed or usable until they're verified against Northwood's auth system. This is the equivalent of the GSLT system in CS2 / Rust.

1. Create a Central Auth account

   Register at auth.scpslgame.com. Verify your email. Confirm your account owns SCP: SL via your Steam profile link.

2. Enter credentials on first boot

   The server's startup process prompts for your Central Auth email + password in the console. Our panel wraps this in a first-boot wizard.

3. Server gets verified

   After first successful verification, the server binds to your account permanently (a verkey.txt is written into AppData/SCP Secret Laboratory/). Future boots don't need the password. Keep that file safe — it IS your verification token.

4. Server appears in the browser

   Within 2-5 minutes, your server is listed in the in-game server browser under your chosen region.

File layout & where things go

SCP: SL's layout splits configs between the server install folder and the user-profile folder:

/server-root/
├── LocalAdmin                  — Northwood's server launcher wrapper
├── LocalAdmin.exe
├── SCPSL.x86_64                — main server binary (Linux)
├── SCPSL.exe
├── dedicated.sh                — Linux launcher script
└── logs/                       — per-session logs

~/.config/SCP Secret Laboratory/   (Linux)
   OR %APPDATA%\SCP Secret Laboratory\   (Windows)
├── verkey.txt                  — verification token (don't share!)
├── config/
│   └── [PORT]/                 — one folder per server port (7777, 7778, ...)
│       ├── config_gameplay.txt
│       ├── config_remoteadmin.txt
│       ├── config_localadmin.txt
│       ├── serverbans.txt
│       ├── config_sharing.txt
│       └── scp_both_banlist/
└── PluginAPI/
    └── [PORT]/
        ├── main.cfg            — NWAPI config
        └── plugins/            — .dll plugin files

~/.config/EXILED/               (EXILED-specific)
├── Plugins/
│   └── [PORT]/                 — per-port plugin folder
├── Configs/
│   └── [PORT]/
│       └── <plugin-name>/
└── logs/

Core config_gameplay.txt

Edit config_gameplay.txt. Plain key: value pairs. Key settings:

### --- Server identity ---
server_name: My SCP:SL Server [EU]
server_ip: any
port_queue: 7777
max_players: 30
friendly_fire: false
friendly_fire_mult: 0.0
friendly_fire_mult_ntf: 0.2

### --- Matchmaking / rounds ---
serverlist_visibility: public
round_start_delay: 90
restart_timeout: 30
server_tickrate: 60

### --- Spawns / team composition ---
team_respawn_queue: 40114014
spawn_protect_time: 5
spawn_protect_disable_after_damage: true

### --- SCP / class caps ---
# SCP lottery weights (how often each SCP spawns):
scp_lottery_disable: false
# Default role percentages are in the team_respawn_queue
mtf_queue_starting: 4
chaos_queue_starting: 4
ntf_queue_wave_size_step: 2

### --- Gameplay mechanics ---
disable_spawn_protection: false
protected_rooms: Hcz_079,Ez_Pc,Hcz_049
round_time: 0              # 0 = unlimited
can_spectator_chat_view_self: true
cicero_chat_enabled: true
spectator_chat: true

### --- Anti-grief ---
nontrusted_player_team_killing: false
server_ignore_afk_detection: false
afk_warn_seconds: 120
afk_kick_seconds: 180

### --- Logging ---
server_log_level: 2
logs_with_timestamps: true
logs_dispatch_cron: false

Most-tweaked values:

• server_name — browser name, ~60 chars.
• serverlist_visibility — public, verified_only, or private. public for community servers.
• friendly_fire — true or false. Default is false; most community servers leave it off and let plugins grant selective FF to specific teams.
• round_start_delay — seconds from lobby-full to round start. 30-90 is standard.
• server_tickrate — 60 default; 128 possible on powerful plans but niche.
• max_players — slot count. Match your plan.

Remote admin & config_remoteadmin.txt

SCP: SL's admin system is called Remote Admin (RA). It's an in-game overlay (press M as admin) and a command console.

Grant admin permissions

Edit config_remoteadmin.txt. The important bits are the groups and players sections:

### --- Groups ---
# Each group has a set of permissions + cosmetics
[groups]

owner:
  inheritance: []
  permissions: .*
  shared: false
  hidden_by_default: false
  cover: true
  kick_power: 10
  required_kick_power: 10
  badge_color: red
  badge_text: "[OWNER]"

admin:
  inheritance: []
  permissions: PlayersManagement,ServerConsoleCommands,SetGroup,Kick,Ban,ForceclassSelf,Overwatch,Announcer
  kick_power: 8
  required_kick_power: 8
  badge_color: orange
  badge_text: "[Admin]"

moderator:
  inheritance: [admin]
  permissions: ""
  kick_power: 5
  required_kick_power: 5
  badge_color: yellow
  badge_text: "[Mod]"

### --- Player assignments ---
[players]
YourSteamID64@steam: owner
76561198012345678@steam: admin
some-central-auth-uuid@northwood: moderator

Reload after edits — in-game console (press ~ as admin):

reloadperms

Kick power

A player with kick_power 8 can kick/ban anyone with required_kick_power 8 or lower. Means your owner (kick_power 10) can kick admins (required 8), admins can kick mods (required 5), mods can kick players (required 0).

Common RA commands

.restart                           — restart the round
.round-end                         — force end round
.kick <playerid> <reason>
.ban <playerid> <minutes> <reason>
.unban <steam64>
.mute <playerid> <minutes>
.tpto <playerid>                   — teleport to a player
.tpall                              — teleport all players to you
.forceclass <playerid> <role>
.give <playerid> <item>
.server_event <event>               — trigger warhead / Nuke / MTF etc.
.cassie "<message>"                 — speak via C.A.S.S.I.E.
reloadconfig                        — reload config_gameplay.txt
reloadperms                         — reload config_remoteadmin.txt
reloadbans

EXILED vs NWAPI / LabAPI

Vanilla SCP: SL has an in-game admin panel but no real plugin system. Communities add plugins via one of two frameworks:

Framework	Model	Plugins	Performance
EXILED	Harmony-patched runtime mod loader, large ecosystem	~500+ plugins, mature API	Very good
NWAPI / LabAPI	Official Northwood plugin system (2023+)	Smaller but growing; officially supported	Very good, future-proof

EXILED has the wider plugin catalogue today, and most mature servers still use it. NWAPI / LabAPI is Northwood's first-party system and will likely overtake EXILED as the ecosystem matures. Some plugins exist on both; some are EXILED-only.

Install EXILED

1. Download the latest installer

   From github.com/ExMod-Team/EXILED/releases — grab the current installer executable (Exiled.Installer-Linux or Exiled.Installer-Win.exe).

2. Run the installer on the server

   SSH / panel console, run:

   ./Exiled.Installer-Linux

   Installer drops Exiled.Loader.dll into the game's Managed folder and sets up ~/.config/EXILED/.

3. Restart the server

   Console shows [EXILED] Exiled 9.X.X is loading... and then Exiled loaded successfully.

4. Drop plugin DLLs into the plugin folder

   Per-port path: ~/.config/EXILED/Plugins/7777/. Each plugin is a single .dll. Restart to load.

Install NWAPI / LabAPI

NWAPI ships with the server since 2023. No install needed — it's already there. Drop plugin DLLs into:

~/.config/SCP Secret Laboratory/PluginAPI/7777/plugins/

Restart. Plugins show in console: [PluginAPI] Loaded plugin MyPlugin v1.0.0.

Popular plugins

EXILED (most popular)

• CustomRoles — define entirely new roles (custom HP, inventory, spawn conditions)
• CustomItems — create custom items (modified guns, keycard variants, new medkits)
• KeepInventory — preserve inventory through role changes
• RoundReports — round summary posted to a Discord webhook
• AdminToolbox — adds commands and GUI admin tools beyond vanilla RA
• Scp035 — brings back the old SCP-035 mechanic (possessed corpse)
• Scp914Upgrades — extensive 914 upgrade paths
• Respawn Timer — show next MTF/Chaos wave countdown to spectators
• SillyKillPlugin — fun kill feed

NWAPI / LabAPI

• LabAPI Core Plugins — official starter set
• Growing catalogue at github.com/northwood-studios — most EXILED plugins are being ported

Connect and test

1. Launch SCP: Secret Laboratory

   Main menu → Play.

2. Find your server

   Server browser → filter by name or region. Visible within 2-5 minutes of first successful verification.

3. Direct connect

   Game console (tilde):

   connect YOUR-SERVER-IP 7777

4. Authenticate as admin

   Join the server. Press M — the Remote Admin panel should open if your Steam64 is assigned to an admin+ group.

Common errors and fixes

"Authentication failed" / server can't verify

• Wrong Central Auth email/password — re-enter via panel first-boot wizard
• Central Auth account's email isn't verified yet — check your inbox
• Your Steam profile isn't linked to the auth account — link at auth.scpslgame.com
• Verification service outage (rare) — check Northwood's Discord announcements

Server doesn't appear in browser

• serverlist_visibility: private — set to public
• Verification failed silently — check logs/ for "verification successful"
• UDP 7777 blocked — check panel firewall
• Wait 2-5 minutes — master list indexing is slow

"EXILED failed to load"

• Your EXILED version doesn't match the current SCP: SL game version — EXILED lags 24-72 hours behind major SCP patches. Wait for an EXILED update.
• Run the installer again with the --pre-releases flag to get early builds during transition windows

Plugin loads but events don't fire

• Plugin built against old EXILED API — check its release notes for the EXILED version requirement
• Missing dependency plugin — check plugin README for "requires CustomRoles" etc.
• Plugin's config file is malformed — check ~/.config/EXILED/Configs/7777/<plugin>/config.yml; YAML is finicky about indentation

Round never starts / stuck in waiting lobby

• Minimum player count not reached — vanilla requires 2+ players
• A plugin is blocking OnRoundStart — check logs for plugin errors
• round_start_delay is very high and countdown is still running

RA commands say "You don't have permissions"

• Your Steam64 isn't in config_remoteadmin.txt under the right group
• After editing config_remoteadmin.txt, you didn't run reloadperms
• Group inherits from a non-existent parent group — check the inheritance list

Server crashes mid-round

• Check logs/<date>.log for the last exception — usually a plugin
• Disable plugins one at a time to isolate the crasher
• Low memory — upgrade RAM if plan is undersized
• After major SCP: SL patches, disable plugins entirely for 24h while EXILED/plugin authors update

"Player kicked for abnormal activity" on good players

SCP: SL's anti-cheat has false positives on high-latency connections. Mitigations:

• Ensure your plan's location is close to your playerbase — 100+ ms ping is where false positives start
• Lower server_tickrate from 60 to 50 if you have consistent sim hitching
• Report persistent false positives to Northwood's Discord with the affected player's server-side log

Save / ban list reset after restart

• File permissions wrong on ~/.config/SCP Secret Laboratory/config/7777/serverbans.txt — chmod 644
• You edited bans while the server was running; SCP: SL may overwrite on restart. Stop server before hand-editing.

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Stuck on something specific? Email support with your server IP, the last 200 lines of logs/<date>.log, and your config_gameplay.txt — we'll usually have an answer within the hour.