Server Mechanics

The server stays online continuously without needing a player to host. Several automatic behaviors handle game progression.

Host Player

The server runs an invisible "host" player that handles game progression:

Behavior	What It Does
Auto-sleep	Host goes to bed when all players are sleeping
Auto-pause	Game pauses when no players are online
Event skipping	Cutscenes are automatically skipped (festivals excluded)
Menu handling	Dialogs, level-ups, and shipping menus are dismissed
Mailbox checking	Mail is automatically checked each morning

Pause Behavior

• Players online: Game runs normally
• No players: Game pauses at whatever time the last player left, so the next player resumes exactly there
• Empty past 1:00 AM: The server waits a grace period (AUTO_SLEEP_GRACE_SECONDS, default 5 minutes) for a dropped player to return, then the host sleeps and the next player arrives at 6:00 AM
• Everyone leaves mid-event: A festival, wedding, or cutscene still running on the host is finished first, then the pause engages

Progression Unlocks

The host automatically unlocks certain progression items:

• Pet naming
• Cave choice (mushrooms or bats)
• Community Center door
• Sewers key (at 60+ museum artifacts)
• Fishing rod (Day 2)

Crop Preservation

Crops track their owner (the player who planted them). When owners go offline:

• Unwatered crops get extra days instead of dying
• Season-end death is delayed while the owner is offline
• Normal rules apply once the owner returns

Desync Protection

Network desyncs can freeze the game. The server automatically kicks stuck players:

Situation	Timeout	Action
Stuck at day transition	20 seconds	Kicked
Not ready during save	60 seconds	Kicked

Kicked players can reconnect immediately. Progress is not lost.

Chest Protection

To prevent griefing, the server locks player storage:

• Players cannot access other players' cabin chests
• Fridges and inventories are protected
• Only the cabin owner can access their storage

Festival Handling

• Host automatically joins festivals
• Players participate normally
• If stuck, an admin can use the !event command to force-start

For the full handling model and a per-festival reference, see Festival Handling in the developer docs.