Features

RCON / Game Integration

Execute Minecraft server commands from stream events using Source RCON protocol with auto-reconnect, template variables, and viewer-driven gameplay actions. NEW in v1.2.55+

Overview

RCON (Remote Console) integration lets VMSC send commands directly to your Minecraft server (or any game server that implements the Source RCON protocol) in response to stream events. Viewers can spawn mobs, give items, apply potion effects, send title messages, and more — all by interacting with your stream.

VMSC connects over TCP with automatic reconnection and exponential backoff, so the link stays alive even if the server restarts mid-stream.

New Feature

RCON / Game Integration was introduced in VMSC v1.2.55. Make sure you are running this version or later to access RCON controls.

Setting Up RCON

To connect VMSC to your game server, you need the server address, RCON port, and RCON password.

  1. Enable RCON on Your Server

    In your Minecraft server.properties file, set the following:

    enable-rcon=true
rcon.port=25575
rcon.password=your_secure_password

    Restart the server after saving changes.

  2. Configure VMSC

    In VMSC, navigate to Outputs > RCON. Enter the Server Address (e.g., localhost or your server IP), Port (default 25575), and RCON Password.

  3. Connect

    Click Connect. A green status indicator confirms the connection is active. If the server is unreachable, VMSC will retry with exponential backoff.

  4. Test

    Click Send Test Command to execute a harmless command (e.g., say VMSC Connected!) and verify it appears in the server console.

Security

RCON transmits your password in plaintext over TCP. Only use RCON over localhost or a trusted network. Never expose your RCON port to the public internet without a firewall or VPN.

TCP Auto-Reconnect

If the connection to the game server is lost (server restart, network hiccup, etc.), VMSC automatically attempts to reconnect using exponential backoff:

  • First retry after 1 second.
  • Subsequent retries double the interval: 2s, 4s, 8s, 16s, up to a maximum of 60 seconds.
  • Once reconnected, the backoff resets and queued commands (if any) are sent.
  • A status indicator in the RCON settings panel shows the current connection state: Connected, Reconnecting, or Disconnected.

RCON Actions

The following actions are available when adding an RCON action to a rule:

Action Parameters Description
Execute Command Command string (free-text) Sends any raw command to the server console. Supports template variables. Use this for full flexibility.
Spawn Entity Entity type, position, NBT data (optional) Spawns a mob or entity at a specified location. NBT data lets you customize the entity (e.g., custom name, equipment, attributes).
Give Item Item ID, count, player selector Gives an item to the specified player. Defaults to the nearest player if no selector is provided.
Apply Effect Effect type, duration, amplifier, player selector Applies a potion effect (speed, strength, invisibility, etc.) to the targeted player.
Send Title Title text, subtitle text, fade-in, stay, fade-out Displays a large title message on screen for the targeted player or all players.

Template Variables

All RCON action fields support template variables that inject event data into commands at runtime. Common variables include:

Variable Description Example Value
{{user.username}} The username of the viewer who triggered the event. CoolViewer42
{{user.nickname}} The display name (nickname) of the viewer. Cool Viewer
{{event.giftName}} Name of the gift sent (for gift events). Rose
{{event.giftCount}} Number of gifts in the event. 5
{{event.giftDiamonds}} Diamond value of the gift. 100
{{event.message}} Chat message text (for chat events). Hello streamer! 
Example command template:
say {{user.nickname}} just gifted {{event.giftCount}} {{event.giftName}}!

Example Rules

Here are some example rules that demonstrate how to connect stream events to in-game actions:

Gift Triggers Mob Spawn

Trigger: Gift Received (any gift)

Action: Spawn Entity

Entity: minecraft:zombie
Position: ~ ~ ~5 (5 blocks in front of player)
NBT: {CustomName:'{"text":"{{user.nickname}}"}'}

Every gift spawns a zombie named after the viewer near the player.

Follow Gives Item

Trigger: New Follower

Action: Give Item

Item: minecraft:diamond
Count: 1
Player: @p

Every new follower gives the nearest player a diamond.

Large Gift Triggers Boss

Trigger: Gift Received

Condition: giftDiamonds >= 1000

Actions:

  1. Spawn Entity: minecraft:wither
  2. Send Title: "{{user.nickname}} SUMMONED THE WITHER!"
  3. Execute Command: playsound minecraft:entity.wither.spawn master @a

Chat Command Applies Effect

Trigger: Chat Command !speed

Action: Apply Effect

Effect: minecraft:speed
Duration: 30 seconds
Amplifier: 2
Player: @p

Viewers type !speed to give the player a 30-second speed boost.

Cooldowns Recommended

Always set cooldowns on RCON rules to prevent viewers from flooding your game server with rapid commands. A cooldown of 5–15 seconds per rule is a good starting point.

Server Compatibility

VMSC uses the Source RCON protocol, which is supported by:

  • Minecraft Java Edition (vanilla and modded servers)
  • Minecraft Bedrock Edition (with RCON-compatible server software)
  • Paper, Spigot, Purpur, and Fabric servers
  • Any game server implementing the Source RCON protocol (ARK, Rust, Factorio, etc.)

The built-in actions (Spawn Entity, Give Item, Apply Effect, Send Title) use Minecraft command syntax. For non-Minecraft servers, use the Execute Command action with the server's native command syntax.