Hosting & Networking

Network Modes

Mode	Description	Use Case
`host`	Server + local client	Solo or small groups
`server`	Dedicated server only	Always-on multiplayer
`client`	Connect to a server	Join an existing game
`none`	No networking	Offline testing

Host Mode

Host mode starts a server and connects a local player automatically. This is the simplest way to play with friends.

./isometry --campaign=mygame --network=host \
  --port=5000 --username=host_player --secret=secret

Other players connect as clients to your IP address.

Dedicated Server

For always-on multiplayer, run a dedicated server:

./isometry --campaign=mygame --network=server \
  --port=5000 --username=server --secret=adminpass

Server Deployment

Systemd Service

[Unit]
Description=Isometry Game Server
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=isometry
ExecStart=/opt/isometry/isometry \
  --campaign=mygame --network=server --port=5000 \
  --username=server --secret=secret
Restart=always
RestartSec=5

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Port Configuration

Default port: 5000 (UDP)
Port range: 1024–65535
Forward UDP traffic on your router/firewall

Security

Encryption keys are generated on first server launch and stored locally.
Client passwords are encrypted during transmission.
The engine checks everyone is on the same campaign version.
The maximum client count is configurable (default: 4095).

Where to next

Playing — controls and gameplay mechanics.
Installation — download and set up Isometry.