Launch your server without the launch-night disaster.
The 14-day countdown we use with coaching clients: freezes, tests, dry runs, and the hotfix window. The full checklist is on this page. The email version is printable and comes with the weekly Server Owner's Brief.
T-14Infrastructure freeze
- VPS provisioned near your players (4+ cores, 8GB+ RAM, NVMe)
- txAdmin running with scheduled restarts and backups
- Framework version pinned. No more core updates until after launch
- MariaDB + oxmysql connected, identifier columns indexed
- Domain, Discord, and cfx.re join link all working
T-10Content freeze
- Script stack final. Nothing new gets installed from here
- Every job loop tested end to end: start, work, earn, spend
- Streamed assets audited. Fresh-client join under two minutes
- Economy starting balances and prices reviewed once more
T-7Closed test
- 5-10 trusted players run every core loop for a full evening
- Every F8 error logged with a repro note
- resmon screenshot at idle and under load. Fix anything above 0.5ms idle
- Bug list triaged: launch blockers vs post-launch fixes
T-3Load test + backups
- Stress night with as many players as you can gather
- Database backup verified by actually restoring it once
- Slow-query log clean: nothing over 50ms on hot paths
- Anti-cheat and permissions sanity pass (admin menus locked down)
T-1Staff dry run
- Staff roles, tools, and escalation path rehearsed
- Launch-day announcement scheduled in Discord
- Greeter roster assigned for the first nights
- Rollback plan written: what you do if it goes sideways
Day 0Launch event
- Open with an event, not just an open gate: storyline, city event, or double-everything night
- Clips channel pinned. Ask players to capture moments
- Owner and staff visibly in the city all evening
- Day-two reason announced before the night ends
Day +1Hotfix window
- Morning triage: crashes, dupes, economy leaks first
- Ship visible fixes fast and say so in Discord. Players forgive bugs they see fixed
- Check day-1 return rate. It predicts your month
- Thank-you post + clip recap to keep momentum
Want us to check your launch plan against your actual server?
Run the free Server Checkup, or join Elite and we review your launch plan with you, week by week.