Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast server

Run with Docker

First install Docker Engine and the Compose plugin on your Linux host. Run the commands below as a user allowed to access Docker; otherwise prefix Docker commands with sudo. The container manages its own linuxgsm user.

The jk2 image has LinuxGSM and every dependency for Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast already installed on Ubuntu 26.04. On first start it downloads the game server, then keeps it updated.

1. Create docker-compose.yml

Give the server a directory of its own and create the file inside it. Docker Compose looks for docker-compose.yml in the directory you run it from, so run every docker compose command below from this directory. Each server needs its own directory.

mkdir -p ~/docker/jk2server
cd ~/docker/jk2server
nano docker-compose.yml

Paste in one of the files below, then save and exit (in nano: CTRL+o, Enter, CTRL+x). The server's files will be stored in ~/docker/jk2server/jk2server, next to docker-compose.yml.

services:
  jk2server:
    image: ghcr.io/gameservermanagers/gameserver:jk2
    container_name: jk2server
    restart: unless-stopped
    network_mode: host
    volumes:
      - ./jk2server:/data
    environment:
      - UPDATE_CHECK=60

services:
  jk2server:
    image: ghcr.io/gameservermanagers/gameserver:jk2
    container_name: jk2server
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "27960:27960/udp"
    volumes:
      - ./jk2server:/data
    environment:
      - UPDATE_CHECK=60

Also published on Docker Hub as gameservermanagers/gameserver:jk2. Prefer docker run? See Docker help.

2. Add your Steam login before the first start

From the same directory, create the LinuxGSM config file in the server's data directory. LinuxGSM reads it on first start and keeps it on updates.

mkdir -p jk2server/config-lgsm/jk2server
nano jk2server/config-lgsm/jk2server/common.cfg

steamuser="username"
steampass='password'

3. Start it

cd ~/docker/jk2server
docker compose up -d
docker compose logs -f

The first start installs the server, which can take a while for large games. When it is ready the log shows the server details, including ports and passwords.

Ports

With host networking the server uses the host's ports directly. With bridge networking the compose file above publishes them. Either way, open them in your firewall.

These are the defaults. Run details to see every port the server uses and its protocol.

Manage the server

Show details, ports and passwords

docker exec -it --user linuxgsm jk2server ./jk2server details

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Open the live console (leave with CTRL+b then d)

docker exec -it --user linuxgsm jk2server ./jk2server console

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Restart the game server

docker restart jk2server

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Check for a game update now

docker exec -it --user linuxgsm jk2server ./jk2server update

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Update the image

cd ~/docker/jk2server
docker compose pull && docker compose up -d

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Server files, configs and logs live in ~/docker/jk2server/jk2server on the host: back up that directory. Docker help below covers permissions, environment variables and bridge networking.

docker run -d \
  --name jk2server \
  --network host \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -v "$PWD/jk2server:/data" \
  -e UPDATE_CHECK=60 \
  ghcr.io/gameservermanagers/gameserver:jk2

docker run -d \
  --name jk2server \
  -p 27960:27960/udp \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -v "$PWD/jk2server:/data" \
  -e UPDATE_CHECK=60 \
  ghcr.io/gameservermanagers/gameserver:jk2

environment:
      - UID=1001
      - GID=1001

Install on Linux

Install directly on a server running Ubuntu 26.04, Debian 11 or Enterprise Linux 8.

1. Create a user and log in

Creating users and installing system packages require administrator privileges. From your administrator account, use sudo below (omit it if already root). Install curl, tar and an editor such as nano with your distribution's package manager first.

sudo adduser jk2server

Give the user a strong password, then switch to its login shell:

sudo su - jk2server

Run all remaining commands as jk2server from its home directory, without sudo. On Enterprise Linux, create the account with sudo useradd -m jk2server and set its password with sudo passwd jk2server instead of adduser.

2. Download LinuxGSM

curl -Lo linuxgsm.sh https://linuxgsm.sh && chmod +x linuxgsm.sh && bash linuxgsm.sh jk2server

3. Add your Steam login

Create lgsm/config-lgsm/jk2server/common.cfg relative to the game-server user's home directory and add your dedicated Steam account:

mkdir -p lgsm/config-lgsm/jk2server
nano lgsm/config-lgsm/jk2server/common.cfg

steamuser="username"
steampass='password'

4. Install

./jk2server install

LinuxGSM checks dependencies and installs the game files. If this user has sudo access, it can install missing packages when prompted. Otherwise, ask an administrator to install the packages listed by LinuxGSM, then rerun this command as jk2server. Running ./jk2server install as root only installs dependencies, not the game server.

5. Configure and start the server

Review your LinuxGSM settings in lgsm/config-lgsm/jk2server/jk2server.cfg (instance settings) or lgsm/config-lgsm/jk2server/common.cfg (shared settings). Do not edit _default.cfg, which LinuxGSM updates automatically. Game settings use a separate config file; run ./jk2server details to find its path. Once configured, start the server explicitly:

./jk2server start

Ports

Open these ports in your firewall. They are the defaults; run ./jk2server details to see the ports your server uses.

Common commands

Start the server

start

./jk2server start

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Stop the server

stop

./jk2server stop

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Restart the server

restart

./jk2server restart

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Show details, ports and passwords

./jk2server details

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Open the live console (leave with CTRL+b then d; CTRL+c stops the server)

./jk2server console

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Update the game server

./jk2server update

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Run in the foreground to debug

./jk2server debug

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Back up the whole server

./jk2server backup

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List every command

./jk2server

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Automate with cron

Restart the server if it crashes, apply game updates and keep LinuxGSM current. Add these with crontab -e.

*/5 * * * * /home/jk2server/jk2server monitor > /dev/null 2>&1
*/30 * * * * /home/jk2server/jk2server update > /dev/null 2>&1
0 0 * * 0 /home/jk2server/jk2server update-lgsm > /dev/null 2>&1

Deploy from a cloud marketplace

LinuxGSM is available as a one-click app on two cloud providers. You get a fresh Ubuntu server with LinuxGSM ready to use, then install Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast on it.

Akamai (Linode) Marketplace

1. Open LinuxGSM on the Akamai Marketplace and start a deploy.
2. Choose a limited sudo username and, under the advanced options, set the game server name to jk2server.
3. Pick any plan with enough CPU, memory and disk for Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, then create the instance.
4. When it has finished setting up, log in over SSH or the Lish console and read the generated passwords, then switch to the linuxgsm user and install:

cat /home/YOUR_USERNAME/.credentials
su linuxgsm
cd /home/linuxgsm
./jk2server install

Akamai does not keep this app updated for you, so run ./jk2server update-lgsm now and then. Details are in the Akamai guide.

DigitalOcean Marketplace

Create a Droplet from the LinuxGSM 1-Click App, choosing a size with enough resources for Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. Log in over SSH and follow the Linux install steps for jk2server.

Remember to open the game's ports in the provider's cloud firewall as well as on the server.