Server Loading Screen

Use your own background and transparent logo for Valheim server loading screens. Configure the images on the dedicated server; clients download them through the existing game connection and reuse verified cached files on later joins. No image host or extra network port is needed.

Development release: this version has automated tests, but its native Steam transfer performance and complete in-game behaviour still need broader validation. Steam networking is the target; Crossplay/PlayFab has not been validated.

Installation

Install ServerLoadingScreen by SchmittIT and its BepInEx dependency in both the dedicated-server and client profiles. Use matching versions. Launch clients with Start modded in r2modman. Keep your existing dedicated-server launch procedure.

Players without this mod may still join, but see the normal loading screen. Requirements imposed by other mods are independent.

Server setup

Start the server once to generate BepInEx/config/local.serverloadingscreen.cfg. Place your own images in the server profile's BepInEx/config/ServerLoadingScreen/ directory:

• background.png, or background.jpg / background.jpeg
• logo.png for an optional transparent logo

In the server configuration:

Section / option	Purpose
Server / BackgroundFile	Leave blank for the default names above, or set a local image filename.
Server / LogoFile	PNG filename; leave blank to disable the logo.
Server / Welcome	Optional short welcome text.
Layout / LogoWidth, LogoX, LogoY	Proportional logo size and placement.
Layout / MinimumDisplaySeconds	Minimum display duration, default 5 seconds, range 5–60. The image remains visible if loading takes longer.
Server / TransferRateKiB	Temporary per-connection Steam upload ceiling during image transfer, default 4096 KiB/s (maximum 8192; existing values are preserved). Set 0 to keep the game's limit unchanged. Previous settings are restored after the transfer. Actual throughput varies.

The public ServerId is generated automatically. Clients do not need to enter an ID or configure images.

Behaviour and limits

The mod replaces the background, native logo, tips and loading symbol during the initial server join. Until verified images are available, the replacement is black. The initial player spawn waits for the minimum display time; there is no separate fade sequence. Main menu, startup intro and later respawns are outside the intended scope.

Only missing or changed images are downloaded. Cached content is matched by SHA-256 after the current server confirms its manifest, so server restarts do not invalidate identical images. The cache is in BepInEx/cache/ServerLoadingScreen-v1/ within the profile. Existing older cache entries are reused after validation.

Backgrounds support PNG/JPG/JPEG up to 8 MiB, 4096 pixels per edge and 8,388,608 pixels total. Logos support static PNG up to 2 MiB and 2048×2048 pixels. Cache storage is bounded to 128 MiB and 64 files when writing. Smaller images reduce first-download time.

Missing server support, invalid images and transfer/display errors fall back to the normal loading flow. Updates do not include or overwrite your configuration. No world files, player files, credentials, game assemblies or server images are included in this package.

Deutsch

Dieselbe Mod auf Server und Clients installieren. Bilder und Einstellungen werden ausschließlich am Server gepflegt; Clients übernehmen sie automatisch. Die Mindestanzeigezeit steht unter [Layout] MinimumDisplaySeconds (Standard 5 Sekunden). Vorhandene Bilder werden nach Prüfsummenabgleich wiederverwendet, auch nach Serverneustarts. Die CFG entsteht beim ersten Start und wird nicht mit Updates überschrieben.

Dies ist eine Entwicklungsversion mit automatisierten Prüfungen. Die tatsächliche Übertragungsgeschwindigkeit und Darstellung müssen für die jeweilige Spiel-/Modkombination geprüft werden. Eigene Bilder verwenden, die du an Mitspieler weitergeben darfst.

1.0.8: server-controlled animation

Install 1.0.8 on BOTH server and clients (protocol v4). In the SERVER CFG, use [Layout] LoadingAnimation = Hammer (default), Campfire, or Off. Hammer shows a smith's hammer and sparks; Campfire shows flames and embers. Both are language-independent. Clients cannot override this choice; the old [Client] ShowLoadingAnimation entry is ignored. Before the server manifest arrives, no animation is shown. Existing image cache and transfer settings are preserved. Save the server CFG before the next join.