Server setup and troubleshooting

Required mod

RaG Core is required by CfgPatches.requiredAddons[]. Install and enable RaG Core and RaG Infected Hordes on server and every client. Server -mod list order does not control PBO loading; declared addon dependencies do.

Installation

1. Stop server.
2. Install original RaG Core and RaG Infected Hordes releases.
3. Copy keys into server keys directory when host does not manage them.
4. Add both mods to server/client mod set.
5. Start server once, then stop it.
6. Edit generated files under RaG_Core/Configs/RaG_InfectedHorde/.
7. Restart and inspect validation logs before opening server.

Controlled test

Use staging server. Temporary test values:

"ActiveHordeMax": 1,
"SpawnTime": 1,
"SpawnChancePercent": 100,
"MinInfectedCount": 10,
"MaxInfectedCount": 10,
"HordeActiveInfectedMax": 10,
"MinimumPlayersOnline": 1,
"PlayerActivationRadius": 1000

Keep one enabled location near test player. Confirm spawn notification, gradual formation, themed infected, attachments, cargo loot, lifetime, despawn notification, and cleanup. Use temporarily high attachment chances when testing. Restore production values afterward.

For performance testing, source repository defines 100, 250, and 500 infected presets. Do not begin at 500 on production hardware. Establish baseline first.

Optional integrations

No integration below is required. When installed, current source detects:

• TraderPlus, Trader, and DayZ Expansion Market safe zones: protected players do not activate proximity-based hordes;
• Basic Territories: territory members do not activate proximity-based hordes while inside their territory area;
• vanilla permanent and dynamic contaminated areas: overlapping horde locations are excluded, and overlapping dynamic events are cancelled over active hordes;
• RaG Dragons: overlapping active dragon and horde locations are excluded.

These checks have no JSON toggles. SpawnOnlyNearPlayers=false bypasses protected-player activation filtering, but contaminated-area and dragon overlap checks still apply.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Check
Missing dependency or script compile error	RaG Core missing, outdated, or mismatched between server and clients.
JSON files not generated	Confirm active server profile, write permission, both mods loaded, and no earlier startup error. Expected folder is RaG_Core/Configs/RaG_InfectedHorde/.
No horde at server startup	Expected. First attempt waits SpawnTime minutes.
Attempts run but no horde forms	Check ActiveHordeMax, player count, SpawnChancePercent, global capacity, enabled locations, proximity, and [ValidationReport].
No free spawn location	Every location disabled, occupied, too far from eligible players, overlapping contaminated/dragon event, or absent. On another map, replace Chernarus defaults.
Log says No eligible players outside protected areas	Every living player is in supported safe zone or their Basic Territories area. Move eligible player outside, or disable proximity spawning deliberately.
Horde stops forming	Check FPS pause log, global population cap, and repeated spawn failures.
No valid spawn position repeats	Location lacks usable navmesh/open space, area too small, players too close, or candidates remain visible. Move center or increase area. Ten consecutive failures despawn horde.
Custom infected disappears from JSON	Class missing or does not inherit ZombieBase/DayZInfected. Load provider mod on both sides and verify exact class name.
Custom attachment disappears from JSON	Class missing from supported config roots. Verify exact class and provider mod.
Valid attachment never appears	Chance rolls independently, item must fit infected attachment slot, and earlier successful entry may occupy same slot. Check GiveLoadoutAttachments warning.
Custom loot disappears from JSON	Class missing from supported config roots. Verify exact class and provider mod.
Valid loot never appears	Chance rolls independently and item must fit infected cargo. Check warning logs for creation failure.
Same location never returns	ReleaseHordeLocations is false; set true or restart server.
Bodies vanish during fight	Active horde retains at most 25 tracked corpses. This cap is not configurable.
Hordes are smaller/fewer than configured	HordeActiveInfectedMax caps reserved total. Raise carefully and watch server FPS.
Hordes spawn with unexpected theme	Location category missing/misspelled or lacks matching loadout, so validator changed it to Default. Current medical category is Medical, not old FirstResponder.
Dynamic contaminated event disappears	Expected when its 120-meter event circle overlaps active horde area. Check [ContaminatedArea_Dynamic] debug line.

Useful log lines

Search server logs for:

[RaG_Hordes]
[ValidationReport]
[CanRunForFPS]
[SpawnOneInfected]
[SpawnFailureSummary]
[GiveLoadoutAttachments]
[ContaminatedArea_Dynamic]

Startup report should show status=OK. For support, include main and loadout JSON, report line, exact map, active mod set, connected player count, server FPS, and relevant error block.