The complete guide · 5 min read
Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy Server Hosting: The Complete Guide
More than twenty years after Raven Software released it, Jedi Academy still has some of the most dedicated multiplayer communities in gaming, built almost entirely around lightsaber duels, clans and mods. This guide explains how a hosted Jedi Academy server works, which modes and settings matter, how to handle maps and mods, and how to keep a community coming back.
By Matthew Griffin, Owner, Gaming DeluxePublished · Updated
In this guide
- Why Jedi Academy Servers Still Matter
- Choosing a Server Style
- server.cfg: The File That Runs Your Server
- Custom Maps and Keeping Players in Sync
- Server Mods and OpenJK
- Moving an Existing Clan Server to Us
- Hardware, Ping and Why Location Matters
- Running a Jedi Academy Community
- What to Compare Before Renting a Jedi Academy Server
- Jedi Academy Server Glossary
- Jedi Academy Server Help and Next Steps
Why Jedi Academy Servers Still Matter
Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is the Raven Software entry in the Jedi Knight series. It lets players build their own lightsaber from handle to blade, fight with two sabers or a double-bladed saber, and use Force powers on either the light or the dark side. For multiplayer, Raven included six modes, including the team-based Siege mode and the two-on-one Power Duel, and 23 arenas.
What keeps the game alive is the saber combat. It rewards timing, footwork and practice, so players stay with it for years and organise themselves into clans with their own servers, rules and rituals. There is no official matchmaking to fall back on, which means the community lives on servers that people host. A server with a stable address, a consistent style and a responsive admin becomes a home base.
Choosing a Server Style
| Style | What players come for | Suggested plan |
|---|---|---|
| Duel server | One-on-one saber fights and rankings | 12 Slots |
| Free for all | Casual sabers, Force powers and weapons | 16 Slots |
| Capture the Flag or team games | Organised team play | 24 Slots |
| Siege and events | Full teams on objective maps | 32 Slots |
Many long-running communities pick one style and stick to it, because players return for a familiar experience. If you want variety, keep the base style fixed and run special nights for other modes.
server.cfg: The File That Runs Your Server
Almost everything about a Jedi Academy server is set in one plain text configuration file, server.cfg, which our panel opens in the browser. It holds the server's name, the join and remote admin passwords, the game mode, time and score limits, and the list of maps to rotate through.
- Stop the server before you edit server.cfg.
- Change the name, passwords and mode first, then the limits and rotation.
- Save the file and start the server.
- Join and check that the mode and first map are what you expect.
- Keep a downloaded copy of the working file for safekeeping.
Custom Maps and Keeping Players in Sync
Custom maps are one of the joys of a Jedi Academy community, from duel platforms to huge recreations of film locations. Upload map files over SFTP, add them to the rotation in server.cfg and restart.
Players need the same files as the server. A short, curated map list is easier for newcomers than a hundred-map rotation that sends them off to download files before they can play. Publish a list of your server's maps, with download links, on your community page or Discord, and keep it up to date when you change the rotation.
Server Mods and OpenJK
Many Jedi Academy servers run a mod. Admin mods add better tools for kicking, muting and managing duels; gameplay mods change saber systems or add new modes; total conversions turn the game into something new. Each runs in its own mod folder and is selected when the server starts.
- Read the instructions: every mod has its own install notes, and some need extra settings.
- Match versions: players usually need the same mod version as the server.
- Change one thing at a time: if the server will not start, you will know why.
- Back up first: take a backup before replacing a mod.
OpenJK is a community project that maintains and improves the engine for Jedi Academy and Jedi Outcast. It aims for full backwards compatibility with the existing games and mods and marks Jedi Academy multiplayer as stable. If your community uses it or a mod built on it, tell our support team and we will help you set the server up to match.
Moving an Existing Clan Server to Us
Plenty of Jedi Academy communities have run the same server for years, often on a host that has since dropped the game or on an old machine at someone's home. Moving is mostly a matter of bringing your files with you.
- Collect your server.cfg, any other config files, the map files and the mod folder you run.
- Order the plan that matches your usual player count; you can change it later without losing anything.
- Stop the new server, upload your files over SFTP into the matching folders and replace the default server.cfg with yours.
- Start the server, check the log viewer for missing files, and join to test the mode and first map.
- Tell your players the new address, and keep the old server running for a few days with a message pointing to the new one if you can.
If something does not load, it is almost always a missing file or a path that differs from the old host. Our support team can look at the log with you and point to the problem.
Hardware, Ping and Why Location Matters
A Jedi Academy server needs very little memory, which is why every plan includes the free 5GB tier. What players notice is responsiveness. Saber fights are decided by timing and position, so a server far away from its players feels sluggish no matter how fast it is. Every plan runs on 5.0GHz CPUs with NVMe storage, and the real choice is location: run the ping test on this page from a few regulars' PCs and choose the lowest common result. All locations cost the same.
Running a Jedi Academy Community
- Keep the address stable: returning players connect by IP or favourites, so do not move the server without warning.
- Set clear rules: duel etiquette matters; post the rules in the server name or message of the day.
- Hold regular events: a weekly tournament or clan night keeps a server busy.
- Share admin work: sub-users give trusted admins panel access without your password.
- Restart daily: schedule a restart at a quiet hour.
Jedi Academy is a finished game, so there are no surprise patches to break a working server. Your job is to keep it running, curated and friendly. Do that, and a small server can keep the same regulars for years.
What to Compare Before Renting a Jedi Academy Server
Jedi Academy hosting looks simple. These points separate a good host from a frustrating one.
- Config accessYou should be able to edit server.cfg yourself, at any time.
- SFTP for maps and modsReal file access is essential for custom content.
- Mod helpAsk whether support will help you set up the mod your community uses.
- PingSaber timing suffers from lag; pick a host near your players.
- BackupsCheck that offsite backups are kept and can be restored.
- Price per slotCompare like for like, and look for setup fees.
Jedi Academy Server Glossary
- Duel
- A one-on-one saber fight.
- Power Duel
- A two-on-one duel mode added in Jedi Academy.
- Siege
- The team-based objective mode.
- server.cfg
- The file that sets the server's name, passwords, mode and maps.
- RCON
- Password-protected remote admin from the in-game console.
- Mod folder
- A separate folder holding a mod's files, chosen when the server starts.
- OpenJK
- A community-maintained engine project for Jedi Academy and Jedi Outcast.
- Clan
- An organised group of players, often with its own server.
Jedi Academy Server Help and Next Steps
Guides for the jobs you will do most.
How this guide was made: researched from the Jedi Academy Steam store page and the OpenJK project page, drafted with AI assistance, checked against our live order form and knowledge base for every plan, price, location and panel tool, and reviewed by Matthew Griffin before publishing. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Sources, checked 23 October 2026:
- Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy on Steam (Raven Software; LucasArts, Lucasfilm, Disney; Windows and macOS; six multiplayer modes including Siege and Power Duel; 23 multiplayer arenas)
- OpenJK on GitHub (community engine for Jedi Academy and Jedi Outcast, backwards compatibility, Jedi Academy multiplayer stable, GPLv2)
- Gaming Deluxe knowledge base: How to use our SFTP service
- Gaming Deluxe order form, Star Wars Jedi Knight III: Jedi Academy