Dedicated Steam account and Steam Guard

Your Grounded 2 server downloads and updates the game from Steam (through SteamCMD). To do so, it has to log in to a Steam account that owns Grounded 2. You provide that account, and it must be dedicated to the server.

This page walks you through the 5 steps, in order. Allow about fifteen minutes, plus download time.

Step	What you do	Where
1	Create a second Steam account	Steam website
2	Buy Grounded 2 on that account (or gift it)	Steam store
3	Enter the account name and password	Panel, Startup tab
4	Enter the Steam Guard code and run the install again	Email + panel
5	Secure the account	Dedicated Steam account

Never use your main Steam account

The credentials you enter in the panel are stored in plain text in the server configuration. Only use an account created for the server, with no saved payment method and no valuable items. See Securing the dedicated account.

Why a dedicated account?

Steam only allows one game session at a time per account. Your server runs its own copy of Grounded 2, permanently logged in to the account you give it.

If you give the server your main account and then launch Grounded 2 on your PC with that same account, Steam closes one of the two sessions: your game or the server gets disconnected, and it happens again every time you launch. With a dedicated account, the server and the players never get in each other's way.

Nothing changes for playing

You and your friends play with your regular Steam accounts, through the Lantern launcher (see Joining the server). The dedicated account is for the server only: never log in with it to play.

Step 1: create a dedicated Steam account

1. Log out of Steam in your browser (or open a private browsing window)
2. Create a new account at store.steampowered.com/join
3. Use an email address you can access: that's where Steam will send the Steam Guard code in step 4
4. Pick an account name and a unique password that you don't use anywhere else
5. Keep the account name and password somewhere safe

Account name, not profile name or email

The server logs in with the Steam account name (the one you type to sign in), not the profile name shown on your profile or the email address. Mixing them up is the number one cause of failed installs.

Step 2: buy Grounded 2 on that account

The dedicated account must own Grounded 2 in its library. Two options:

• Buy the game directly on the Grounded 2 Steam page, while logged in to the dedicated account
• Gift it from your main account: on the game's Steam page, choose Purchase as a gift and select the dedicated account as the recipient. Steam asks you to pick the recipient from your friends list: first add the dedicated account as a friend, sending the invite from your main account (a brand-new account that hasn't bought anything usually can't send friend invites, but can accept them). Then accept the gift from the dedicated account.

Cost of the game

Grounded 2 costs around €30 on Steam (indicative price, may vary with sales). This purchase is not included in your YorkHost subscription: you buy it directly from Steam.

Steam Family Sharing isn't enough: the game must be in the dedicated account's own library. If you pay by card when buying directly, don't save it on the dedicated account (see Security).

Step 3: enter the credentials in the panel

1. Log in to your Game Panel: game.yorkhost.fr
2. Select your Grounded 2 server and open the Startup tab
3. In the STEAM_USER variable, enter the dedicated account's account name
4. In the STEAM_PASS variable, enter its password
5. Leave STEAM_AUTH empty for now
6. Make sure no space slipped in before or after the values

Server just delivered: "ACTION REQUISE" is expected

When you order, the server is created without a Steam account. Its first install therefore finishes without the game, and the Console shows a framed block starting with [YH] ACTION REQUISE : Compte Steam non renseigne... ("action required: Steam account not set"). Nothing is broken: just follow this page. Until the game is installed, every start repeats this message with a link to this guide, then the server stops.

Step 4: enter the Steam Guard code

Steam Guard protects Steam accounts: the first time an account logs in from a new device, in this case your server, Steam blocks the login and emails a verification code. The server can't read your emails, so you have to pass the code on to it. This is a normal, expected step during the first install.

Where to read what the server needs from you

Everything shows up in the panel's Console tab. At the end of the install, if something is blocking, a block framed by ===== lines starts with [YH] ACTION REQUISE : ("action required") and says exactly what to do. These messages are in French, without accents. The same text is saved in the YH-INSTALL-STEAM.txt file at the root of the server (Files tab). If everything went fine, the Console shows [YH] Installation terminee. Grounded 2 est installe, vous pouvez demarrer le serveur. ("install complete, you can start the server") instead. The list of possible messages: Steam-related errors.

With a code sent by email (most common case)

1. Once STEAM_USER and STEAM_PASS are set, start the install: Settings tab, then Reinstall Server, and confirm
2. Follow the install in the Console tab. The server logs in to Steam, which refuses the login and emails a code: the install finishes without the game and the Console shows [YH] ACTION REQUISE : Steam Guard : Steam vient d'envoyer un code par e-mail a l'adresse du compte dedie... ("Steam just emailed a code to the dedicated account's address"). That's normal at this stage. The server only makes one login attempt in this case, so that several codes aren't sent.
3. Open the mailbox of the dedicated account and find the Steam email containing the code (short, usually 5 characters). Remember to check your spam folder.
4. Go back to the Startup tab and paste the code into the STEAM_AUTH variable, with no spaces
5. Right away, run the install again: Settings → Reinstall Server, then confirm
6. Follow the Console: Steam accepts the login and the Grounded 2 download starts. It can take several minutes.
7. When the Console shows [YH] Installation terminee. Grounded 2 est installe, vous pouvez demarrer le serveur., start the server from the Console

No need to clear STEAM_AUTH

Once the install has succeeded, you can leave the code in STEAM_AUTH. The server's Steam session is remembered and kept on its disk, including across later reinstalls. If the old code is refused during a later install, the server automatically tries again without a code, using the remembered session.

Use the code quickly

A Steam Guard code expires quickly and only works once. If it's refused (expired, mistyped or already used), the Console shows Code Steam Guard invalide ou expire ("invalid or expired code") and Steam may have sent a new code: paste the latest code you received into STEAM_AUTH, then run the install again right away.

If the account uses the Steam mobile app

If you enabled the Steam Mobile Authenticator (Steam Guard Mobile) on the dedicated account, the code doesn't arrive by email: it's shown in the Steam app on the phone linked to that account, and the Console shows Ce compte utilise l'authentificateur mobile Steam ("this account uses the Steam mobile authenticator").

• Recommended: switch the dedicated account to email Steam Guard (the account's Steam Guard settings, in the app or on the Steam website), then run the install again and follow the email procedure above. It's much easier to manage for a server account.
• Otherwise: the app's code changes roughly every 30 seconds. Copy the one currently shown into STEAM_AUTH, then start the reinstall immediately. In some cases the app may also ask you to confirm the login.

However, we advise against turning Steam Guard off entirely.

Steam asks for a code again later

The server's Steam session is remembered and kept across reinstalls: you don't have to enter a code every time. Steam may still ask for a new one, for example after a password change or if the server's login looks new to Steam. The Console then shows [YH] ACTION REQUISE : Steam Guard... again: simply repeat steps 3 to 7 above with the new code.

Reinstalling and backups

On the very first install, there's no world to lose yet. Later on, take a backup from the Backups tab before any reinstall: a reinstall can replace or delete files.

Step 5: secure the dedicated account

Credentials stored in plain text

The account name and password entered in the Startup tab are stored in plain text in the server configuration. Anyone with access to that tab (you, and any subusers you give access to) can read them.

To make sure this account carries no risk:

• An account dedicated to the server only, never your main account nor that of a friend who plays
• No saved payment method: if Steam offers to remember your card during the purchase, decline or remove it afterwards
• No valuable items, inventory or games on this account: Grounded 2 only
• A unique password, not used anywhere else
• Keep Steam Guard enabled and keep access to the account's email address

If the dedicated account's password changes (by you or after a reset), update STEAM_PASS in the Startup tab. It will be used on the next reinstall, which downloads and updates the game. Steam may then ask for a new Steam Guard code: see above.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my main Steam account? No. The server and your game would keep disconnecting each other, and your credentials would be stored in plain text in the server configuration. Always create a dedicated account.

Is the game included in my subscription? No. Grounded 2 (around €30, indicative Steam price) is bought directly on Steam, for the dedicated account. The YorkHost subscription covers hosting the server.

Is Steam Family Sharing enough? No. The game must be bought on the dedicated account, or gifted to it with Purchase as a gift.

Can one dedicated account be used for several servers? Plan one dedicated account per server: Steam only allows one game session at a time per account.

Do my friends also need a dedicated account? No. Only the server needs the dedicated account. Each player joins with their own Steam account, which must own Grounded 2, and the Lantern launcher: see Joining the server.

Should I clear STEAM_AUTH after the install? No. You can leave the code: the Steam session is remembered, and if the old code is refused during a reinstall, the server automatically tries again without a code.

The game still won't install, what should I do? Read the [YH] ACTION REQUISE block in the Console (or the YH-INSTALL-STEAM.txt file), then see the Steam-related errors section of the troubleshooting page: invalid credentials, expired code, game not owned, too many attempts…

Need help?

Our team is available 7 days a week on Discord or through your client area. Never share the credentials of your main Steam account, not even with support.