Setting up a server for Nerf ArenaBlast is not a difficult task, but the steps vary depending on your computer and intended audience. For example, almost no setup is required to play a game with another computer on your Local Area Network (LAN), but you may need to do extra work if you intend to allow any and all internet players to get in. However, once your initial setup is complete, you will find that rarely will you need to repeat it.
1. Allow Nerf ArenaBlast through Windows Firewall
You should start by making sure that Nerf ArenaBlast is not blocked by Windows Firewall. If you do not use Windows Firewall (it must be OFF) you can skip this step.
2. Port forwarding
Forwarding your ports is an essential step if you wish your server to be publicly visible on the internet. Port forwarding steps vary dependent on your brand and model of wireless router. Regardless, you must be able to access the administrative or configuration page of your router to be able to forward ports.
Once you have found your port forwarding page (possibly included within a port triggering area) you need to forward a few ports. Port 4444 and 4445 are the required port numbers, while UDP is the required protocol type. Make sure to also select the correct device IP. You should use the internal IP of the computer where you wish to host the server. Do not use your publicly visible internet IP, rather, use the IP assigned internally to the device by the router (generally in the form 128.0.0.2 or similar) Once this step is complete, your server should show up to anyone playing the game online.
3. Setting up the server through Nerf ArenaBlast
Now all you need to do is set up your server through the built-in menus in Nerf ArenaBlast. Start by going to the Multiplayer menu and selecting the setup server tab. You are now faced with a rather daunting amount of options. Obviously, you should set your starting map, time limit, point limit, map rotations, mutators, gametype, difficulty etc... before hand, but only a few of these options concern the functionality of your server.
- Public versus Private: A private server shows up only to computers on your LAN. Internet players can still join if they know your server's public IP and the above firewall and port forwarding was done correctly. A public server is open to anyone on the internet.
- Participate versus Dedicated: A participate server requires that you, as the server host, remain in game and on the server for the entirety of its lifespan. If you quit, the server quits. If you crash, the server crashes. A dedicated server however, runs in the background and does not require any players to continue to run. When in dedicated mode, the server shows up as a tiny Nerf logo in your system tray (bottom right-hand corner of your taskbar). Right click it to see some options you can modify while it runs.
- Server Name: Important because this is how people on the internet will recognize your server. Make sure to change this from the default if you wish to stand out.