Set Up an SCP Secret Laboratory Server – Complete Guide 2025

What is SCP: Secret Laboratory?

SCP: Secret Laboratory is a free multiplayer horror shooter by Northwood Studios based on the SCP universe. Players take on the roles of SCPs (anomalous entities), Foundation personnel, or Chaos Insurgents. Each class has a different objective: SCPs kill everyone, Foundation personnel secure the facility, and Chaos tries to free D-Class personnel.

To run your own server, Northwood provides an official dedicated server package. At game-serverhosting, it runs fully preconfigured in our panel — no own hardware, no Linux knowledge required.

Order a Server

To start your own SCP-SL server, select the game in the order wizard. Servers are available in different slot sizes (typically: 10–20 slots for private sessions, up to 40 for public servers with an active moderation team).

Rent an SCP Secret Laboratory Server

After ordering, your server is installed automatically. You will see in the dashboard when it switches to “ready” — this usually takes 2–5 minutes.

Ports and Connection

An SCP-SL server uses UDP port 7777 by default for gameplay. Your actual port may differ depending on availability — you can find the exact port in the panel under the connection details.

Players connect in-game via:

1. Direct connection: Select Server → Direct Connection → IP:Port
2. Public server list: Only if you mark the server as public and register it on the Northwood server list

Configuration

You do not need to edit files by hand: In the server panel under Settings, there is a guided configuration editor. Server name, maximum player count, tickrate, reserved slots, admin permissions, and more are available there as a form — each with a short explanation. We safely write your changes back to the config file, including an automatic backup.

Prefer editing the file directly? Gameplay settings are stored in config_gameplay.txt, admins in config_remoteadmin.txt. You can also edit them manually via the file manager in the app directory — changes take effect after the next server restart.

Configure Remote Admin

Remote Admin is SCP-SL’s built-in admin tool. Admins can observe active rounds, ban, kick, and teleport players, and set game variables — all without console access.

Set Admin Permissions

The easiest way to assign admin rights is in the guided editor (Panel → Settings → Administration section, see screenshot below): click Add admin, enter the SteamID64 (or Discord ID), and choose a role — Owner, Admin, or Moderator. We safely write this back to config_remoteadmin.txt, including an automatic backup. No file tinkering needed.

If you prefer doing it manually: Admin rights are listed in config_remoteadmin.txt in the Members: list, each as UserID@steam: Role:

Members:
 - 76561198012345678@steam: owner
 - 76561198087654321@steam: admin
 - 412589631478520369@discord: moderator

Each line is UserID@platform: Role. The platform is @steam (SteamID64) or @discord (Discord user ID). You can find your SteamID64 at https://steamid.io/ — just paste in your Steam profile.

Permission Flags

Plugins with EXILED

EXILED (EXtended In-place Loading of External Dlls) is the official plugin framework for SCP-SL. It enables server plugins similar to Paper plugins for Minecraft.

Install EXILED

1. Download the latest EXILED version from GitHub: https://github.com/ExMod-Team/EXILED/releases
2. Extract EXILED.tar.gz and upload the DLL files to the EXILED/Plugins folder via the file manager
3. Restart the server — EXILED creates the folder structure automatically

Popular Plugins

Plugins are placed as .dll files in EXILED/Plugins/. After a restart, they are loaded automatically.

Common Issues

Server does not appear in the list The server must be explicitly marked as public and registered with Northwood Studio. Check list_nick and server_nick in the configuration.

Players cannot connect Make sure the correct UDP port (from the panel connection details) is forwarded. At game-serverhosting, this is configured automatically.

EXILED plugin does not start Check the dependencies: some plugins require a specific EXILED version. Versions must be compatible with each other.

Conclusion

Your own SCP-SL server gives you full control over game mode, player count, admin permissions, and plugins. At game-serverhosting, the technical part runs automatically — you only configure the gameplay parameters and maintain your moderation team.

Rent an SCP Secret Laboratory Server →

FAQ

How many players can an SCP-SL server have?

The standard limit is 20 players. You can increase the max_players setting in config_gameplay.txt up to 40+ — but keep in mind that more players require more server resources (RAM, CPU).

Do I need to register with Northwood Studios?

Only for public servers that should appear in the server list. Private servers (direct connection) do not require registration.

What is the difference between EXILED and normal SCP-SL?

EXILED is a plugin framework that runs on top of the server process. It changes the player experience through plugins you choose yourself — from basic SCP-SL all the way to heavily modified RP servers.

Can I influence an active round as an admin?

Yes — via Remote Admin (the M key in-game), admins can trigger round events, spawn SCPs, teleport players into rooms, or force the round to end.