Dockerize ARK managed with ARK-Server-Tools

You can use this image in order to start an ARK-Server for either public or private sessions.
The Server itself is managable by ARK-Server-Tools.

Tags

This image always installs the latest version of ARK-Server currently avaialable.
Thus, the tags are reffering to the ARK-Server-Tools version which is used by the corresponding image.

Usage

⚠️ Windows / WSL Notice ⚠️

Mount the container volumes directly inside WSL's filesystem. Mounting them inside a filesystem managed by Windows causes the installation to be painfully slow or even get stuck.

Startup your ARK-Server

Basic configuration

The basic configuration of your server is done by using environment variables when starting the container:

Variable	Default value	Explanation
SESSION_NAME	Dockerized ARK Server by github.com/hermsi1337	The name of your ARK-session which is visible in game when searching for servers
SERVER_MAP	TheIsland	Desired map you want to play
SERVER_PASSWORD	YouShallNotPass	Server password which is required to join your session. (overwrite with empty string if you want to disable password authentication)
ADMIN_PASSWORD	Th155houldD3f1n3tlyB3Chang3d	Admin-password in order to access the admin console of ARK
MAX_PLAYERS	20	Maximum number of players to join your session
UPDATE_ON_START	false	Whether you want to update the ARK-server upon startup or not
BACKUP_ON_STOP	false	Create a backup before gracefully stopping the ARK-server
PRE_UPDATE_BACKUP	true	Create a backup before updating ARK-server
WARN_ON_STOP	true	Broadcast a warning upon graceful shutdown
ENABLE_CROSSPLAY	false	Enable crossplay. When enabled battleye should be disabled as it likes to disconnect epic players
DISABLE_BATTLEYE	false	Disable Battleye protection
ARK_SERVER_VOLUME	/app	Path where the server-files are stored
GAME_CLIENT_PORT	7777	Exposed game-client port
UDP_SOCKET_PORT	7778	Raw UDP socket port (always Game client port +1)
RCON_PORT	27020	Exposed RCON port
SERVER_LIST_PORT	27015	Exposed server-list port
GAME_MOD_IDS	empty	Additional game-mods you want to install, seperated by comma. (e.g. GAME_MOD_IDS=487516323,487516324,487516325)

Get things runnning

docker-run

I personally prefer docker-compose but for those of you, who want to run their own ARK-server without any "zip and zap", here you go:

# You may want to change SESSION_NAME, ADMIN_PASSWORD or host-volume
$ docker run -d --name="ark_server" --restart=always -v "${HOME}/ark-server:/app" -e SESSION_NAME="Awesome ARK is awesome" -e ADMIN_PASSWORD="FooB4r" hermsi/ark-server:latest

docker-compose

In order to startup your own ARK-server with docker-compose - which I personally preffer over a simple docker run - you may adapt the following docker-compose.yml:

version: '3'

services:
  server:
    restart: always
    container_name: ark_server
    image: hermsi/ark-server:latest
    volumes:
      - ${HOME}/ark-server:/app
      - ${HOME}/ark-server-backups:/home/steam/ARK-Backups
    environment:
      - SESSION_NAME=${SESSION_NAME}
      - SERVER_MAP=${SERVER_MAP}
      - SERVER_PASSWORD=${SERVER_PASSWORD}
      - ADMIN_PASSWORD=${ADMIN_PASSWORD}
      - MAX_PLAYERS=${MAX_PLAYERS}
      - UPDATE_ON_START=${UPDATE_ON_START}
      - BACKUP_ON_STOP=${BACKUP_ON_STOP}
      - PRE_UPDATE_BACKUP=${PRE_UPDATE_BACKUP}
      - WARN_ON_STOP=${WARN_ON_STOP}
    ports:
      # Port for connections from ARK game client
      - "7777:7777/udp"
      # Raw UDP socket port (always Game client port +1)
      - "7778:7778/udp"
      # RCON management port
      - "27020:27020/tcp"
      # Steam's server-list port
      - "27015:27015/udp"
    networks:
      - default

After applying your changes to the docker-compose.yml above, light it up:

$ docker-compose up -d

Tweak configuration

After your container is up and ARK is installed you can start tweaking your configuration.
Basically, you can modify every setting which ARK-Server-Tools are capable of.
For reference of the available commands check their docs.

The main config files are located at the following path in the container:

• /app/server/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini
• /app/server/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/Game.ini

You can easily apply your changes directly into these files.

Alternatively, it is possible to run any available command with ARK-Server-Tools and apply your changes that way:

$ docker exec -u steam ark_server arkmanager status
$ docker exec -u steam ark_server arkmanager update --force
$ docker exec -u steam ark_server arkmanager installmods

For a full list of all available commands check here

Add cronjobs

It is also possible to add cronjobs inside the cointainer. You could use the crontab for update- or backup-stuff.
In order to do so, edit the crontab-file located direct in the server-volume.

$ vim "${HOME}/ark-server/crontab"

Add your desired cronjobs with valid syntax:

0 0 * * * arkmanager update --warn --update-mods >> ${SERVER_VOLUME}/log/crontab.log 2>&1
0 0 * * * arkmanager backup >> ${SERVER_VOLUME}/log/crontab.log 2>&1

Close file (:wq) and restart the container:

$ docker restart ark_server

Configure Steam login session

In order for steamcmd to respect your user's non-anonymous dlc's and stuff, you have to mount the steam-session inside the ark-server container.

To do so, you first need to login with steamcmd in order to create a valid session:

$ root@myVPS:/var/storage/ark-server# mkdir Steam
$ root@myVPS:/var/storage/ark-server# chown 1000.1000 Steam
$ root@myVPS:/var/storage/ark-server# docker run --rm --entrypoint /home/steam/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh -it -u steam -v $(pwd)/Steam:/home/steam/Steam hermsi/ark-server '+login YOUR_STEAM_USERNAME "YOUR_STEAM_PASSWORD"'
Redirecting stderr to '/home/steam/Steam/logs/stderr.txt'
[  0%] Checking for available updates...
[----] Verifying installation...
Steam Console Client (c) Valve Corporation - version 1654574676
-- type 'quit' to exit --
Loading Steam API...OK
Logging in user 'YOUR_STEAM_USERNAME' to Steam Public...
Enter the current code from your Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator app
Two-factor code:FOOBAR
OK
Waiting for client config...OK
Waiting for user info...OK

Steam>quit

Afterwards, set the env-var STEAM_LOGIN to your user and mount the newly created Steam-directory inside your Ark-container:

    environment:
      STEAM_LOGIN: "YOUR_STEAM_USERNAME"
    volumes:
      ./Steam:/home/steam/Steam:rw

Then, arkmanager will install / update ark using your provided login.

⚠️ Upgrade-Information ⚠️
If you upgrade from an image-version prior to the timestamp 1656497302 you'll have to edit line 15 in arkmanager.cfg.
Replace with: steamlogin="${STEAM_LOGIN}"

Sponsors

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