ServerLoadingScreen
Development release: server-managed loading backgrounds and logos, content-verified client cache and configurable display time. Install on server and clients.
About this mod Author’s original text
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 d
Install & use Install: BepInEx plugin
- The archive from playbuff is the mod itself — usually a BepInEx plugin (a .dll or a plugin folder once unzipped).
- Recommended: use a community mod manager (such as r2modman) — pick this game, import the mod, and the manager sets up BepInEx and its dependencies for you.
- Manual route: install the BepInEx loader in the game folder, then drop the unzipped .dll or plugin folder into BepInEx/plugins/.
- Launch the game — the BepInEx console logs every plugin it loads; seeing this mod in the log means it is installed.
Mods with listed dependencies need those installed too, or they will not load. Options are usually changed in-game or in the plugin's config file. In multiplayer, the host and every client need the same mods installed.
Install these first, or the mod will not work: