# s&box Server Launch Parameters (/docs/sbox/launch-parameters)



import { Step, Steps } from 'fumadocs-ui/components/steps';

s\&box has a small launch surface — three switches cover essentially every operator setup. This is by design: the engine takes care of networking via Steam lobbies, so there's no IP/port to configure and no `server.cfg` to edit. Anything beyond the flags below is configured by the game package itself, not by you. See [What the gamemode controls vs what you control](/docs/sbox/gamemode-vs-operator-config) for the full split.

The three switches [#the-three-switches]

| Switch                   | Arguments                          | Description                                                                                                                                                                         |
| ------------------------ | ---------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `+game`                  | `<packageIdent> [mapPackageIdent]` | The game package to load, and optionally a starting map. Idents are `org.name`, all lowercase.                                                                                      |
| `+hostname`              | `<name>`                           | The lobby title other players see. Spaces are allowed.                                                                                                                              |
| `+net_game_server_token` | `<token>`                          | A persistent Steam game-server token so your server keeps the same Steam ID across restarts. Optional; only available at full release. See [Server Token](/docs/sbox/server-token). |

A complete launch line looks like:

```
+game facepunch.walker garry.scenemap +hostname My Dedicated Server
```

In the [LOW.MS Control Panel](https://panel.xgamingserver.com), set this in **Commandline Manager** and save.

Default Server Directory [#default-server-directory]

After installing via SteamCMD, the server lives at:

```
steamcmd/steamapps/common/sbox dedicated server
```

Self-hosted launch examples [#self-hosted-launch-examples]

If you're running outside the panel:

Windows [#windows]

Create a `.bat` file next to `sbox-server.exe`:

```bat
echo off
sbox-server.exe +game facepunch.walker garry.scenemap +hostname My Dedicated Server
```

Linux [#linux]

The server runs on .NET, so the **.NET Runtime** must be installed. In a shell script:

```bash
#!/bin/bash
./sbox-server.exe +game facepunch.walker garry.scenemap +hostname "My Dedicated Server"
```

`chmod +x run-server.sh` and run it.

Loading a Local Project [#loading-a-local-project]

You can pass the path to a `.sbproj` file to `+game` to load a project directly from disk. Connected clients receive code changes and **hotload them live** — useful for iteration. See [Loading a Local Project](/docs/sbox/local-projects).

What isn't a launch flag [#what-isnt-a-launch-flag]

People often look for these and they aren't operator-side switches:

* **Tickrate / update rate** — set by the gamemode via `NetworkingSettings.UpdateRate`, not a CLI flag.
* **Max players** — set by the gamemode via `LobbyConfig.MaxPlayers`. The default comes from the game package.
* **Lobby privacy (public/friends-only/private)** — gamemode-controlled via `LobbyConfig.Privacy`.
* **Port / query port** — discovery is via Steam lobbies, not classic IP+port. There is no `+port` or `+net_query_port` flag on a current s\&box server.
* **RCON** — no RCON protocol exists yet for s\&box. Use the panel's **Web Console** for live console access.

The full breakdown of what's gamemode-controlled vs operator-controlled is in [Gamemode vs Operator Config](/docs/sbox/gamemode-vs-operator-config).

Related Guides [#related-guides]

* [Change Game & Map](/docs/sbox/change-game-and-map)
* [Change Server Name](/docs/sbox/change-server-name)
* [Server Token](/docs/sbox/server-token)
* [Local Projects](/docs/sbox/local-projects)
* [Gamemode vs Operator Config](/docs/sbox/gamemode-vs-operator-config)