How to Self-Host a Movie Battles II Server: Complete Setup Guide

Movie Battles II is one of the most popular mods for Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, bringing class-based multiplayer combat to the Star Wars universe. Hosting your own server gives you complete control over maps, game modes, and player management. But the setup process can be confusing for beginners.

Self-Hosting vs Managed Hosting

This guide covers self-hosting on your own hardware. You'll handle downloads, configuration, port forwarding, and maintenance yourself. Perfect if you want complete control and don't mind the technical work.

Prefer hassle-free hosting? Ilyssa Hosting handles all of this automatically, plus adds Discord integration, anti-cheat, smart moderation, and automated player management. No downloads, no port forwarding, no manual updates. View managed hosting →

This guide walks you through everything you need to self-host your MBII server from scratch.

What is Movie Battles II?

Movie Battles II (MBII) is a total conversion mod for Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy that transforms the game into a team-based, class-focused multiplayer experience. Players choose between iconic Star Wars factions and classes, from Jedi and Sith to bounty hunters, soldiers, and more.

Unlike vanilla Jedi Academy, MBII features a detailed combat system with authentic blaster mechanics, lightsabre duelling improvements, and carefully balanced classes. Matches take place on maps recreating scenes from the films, with objectives ranging from defending the Death Star plans to escorting VIPs.

Prerequisites: What You Need

Before you can host an MBII server, you need several components. This is where many beginners get stuck.

1. Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy Base Game

MBII is a mod, not a standalone game. You need the base JKJA game files to run a server.

Where to get it: Steam, GOG, or original retail disc. The game frequently goes on sale for under £5.

2. Movie Battles II Mod Files

The actual MBII mod that transforms Jedi Academy into Movie Battles II.

Where to get it: MBII Community Downloads. Download the latest full release installer for your operating system.

3. OpenJK Server (Recommended)

Secure, open-source server binary that fixes vulnerabilities in the standard Jedi Academy server.

Where to get it: OpenJK GitHub Releases. Download the server package for your OS.

4. Standard Dedicated Server Files (Alternative)

Included with JKJA, but has known security vulnerabilities. Use OpenJK instead for public servers.

Where to get it: Included with JKJA installation. Look for jampded.exe (Windows) or the equivalent for Linux.

Common Mistake: Missing Base Game Files

Many beginners download only the MBII mod and wonder why it doesn't work. MBII requires the base Jedi Academy game files (specifically the assets0.pk3, assets1.pk3, etc. from the base folder). You cannot run MBII without these.

Using OpenJK for Secure Hosting (Recommended)

The standard Jedi Academy dedicated server (jampded.exe) has known security vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious players. For public servers, we strongly recommend using OpenJK instead.

What is OpenJK?

OpenJK is an open-source project that improves the Jedi Academy engine by fixing bugs, enhancing stability, and addressing security vulnerabilities. It's a drop-in replacement for the standard server binary, meaning all your configuration files and settings work exactly the same way.

Why Use OpenJK?

Security: Fixes known exploits that can crash your server or allow unauthorised access
Stability: Better handling of edge cases and improved performance
Drop-in replacement: Works with all existing MBII configurations and mods
Actively maintained: Regular updates and community support

OpenJK Setup Summary

Download OpenJK server binaries from GitHub Releases
Extract openjkded.exe (Windows) or openjkded (Linux) to your GameData folder
Use openjkded instead of jampded when starting your server
Everything else (configuration, mods, maps) works identically

Understanding the File Structure

This is crucial. JKJA and MBII have a specific folder structure you must follow:

GameData/
├── base/                    (Base Jedi Academy files)
│   ├── assets0.pk3
│   ├── assets1.pk3
│   └── assets2.pk3
├── MBII/                    (Movie Battles II mod files)
│   ├── MBAssets3.pk3
│   ├── MBModels.pk3
│   ├── z_MBAssets3.pk3
│   └── ... (other MBII .pk3 files)
├── openjkded.exe            (OpenJK server - RECOMMENDED)
├── jampded.exe              (Standard server - has vulnerabilities)
├── jasp.exe                 (Windows game client)
└── server.cfg               (Your server configuration)

Key Points:

base folder: Contains vanilla JKJA files. These are required and come with your JKJA installation.
MBII folder: Contains all Movie Battles II mod files. Created when you install MBII.
.pk3 files: Packaged archives containing game assets (maps, models, textures, sounds).
server.cfg: Your server configuration file (we'll cover this in the configuration guide).

Installation Steps

Step 1: Install Jedi Academy

Install JKJA from Steam, GOG, or disc. Note the installation location (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Jedi Academy\GameData on Steam).

Verify the base folder exists and contains assets*.pk3 files.

Step 2: Install Movie Battles II

Run the MBII installer you downloaded from the MBII Community Downloads page.

Important: Point the installer to your JKJA GameData folder. The installer will automatically create the MBII folder and place all mod files inside it.

Step 3: Install OpenJK (Recommended)

Download and install OpenJK for secure server hosting:

Visit the OpenJK Releases page
Download the appropriate server package:
- Windows: Look for openjk-...-windows.zip (server files included)
- Linux: Look for openjk-...-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
Extract the archive and copy openjkded.exe (Windows) or openjkded (Linux) to your GameData folder
Linux only: In your MBII folder, you may find a file named jampgamei386.nopp.so. If so, rename it to jampgamei386.so (this is required for OpenJK to work with MBII on Linux)

Note: If you skip this step and use the standard jampded server, your server will have known security vulnerabilities. OpenJK fixes these issues while working exactly the same way.

Step 4: Create a Basic server.cfg

In your GameData folder, create a new text file called server.cfg. Here's a minimal starting configuration:

seta sv_hostname "My MBII Server"
seta g_motd "Welcome to my server!"
seta net_port 29070
seta rconpassword "your_secure_password"
set g_gametype 7
map mb2_dotf

We'll cover configuration in detail in the configuration guide.

Step 5: Start Your Server

Open a command prompt in your GameData folder.

If using OpenJK (recommended):

openjkded.exe +set fs_game MBII +exec server.cfg

If using standard server (not recommended for public servers):

jampded.exe +set fs_game MBII +exec server.cfg

⚠️ Warning: Standard server has known security vulnerabilities

The +set fs_game MBII tells the server to load the MBII mod instead of base Jedi Academy. On Linux, use ./openjkded or ./jampded instead.

Step 6: Port Forwarding

For players outside your network to connect, you need to forward UDP port 29070 on your router.

Port forwarding steps vary by router model. Search for "[your router model] port forwarding" for specific instructions.

Testing Your Setup

Once your server is running, test the connection:

Local test: Launch MBII, open the console (~), type /connect localhost
Remote test: Ask a friend to connect using your public IP:/connect your.public.ip.address
Check server list: Your server should appear in the in-game server browser after a few minutes

Common Beginner Mistakes

Missing Base Game Assets

Symptom: Server crashes on startup or shows "assets not found" errors.

Solution: Make sure you have the base folder with assets*.pk3 files from your JKJA installation.

Wrong File Locations

Symptom: Server loads but MBII content doesn't appear.

Solution: Verify your MBII folder is in GameData, alongside the base folder, not inside it.

Port Forwarding Not Configured

Symptom: You can connect locally, but friends can't connect.

Solution: Forward UDP port 29070 on your router to your computer's local IP address.

Mismatched MBII Versions

Symptom: Players get "version mismatch" errors when connecting.

Solution: Make sure your server and all players are running the same MBII version. Check the MBII Community Downloads page for the latest release.

Using Standard Server Binary (Security Risk)

Symptom: Server runs normally but is vulnerable to known exploits that can cause crashes or unauthorised access.

Solution: Download and use OpenJK server binaries instead of the standard jampded. OpenJK is a drop-in replacement that fixes security vulnerabilities while working identically. See the "Using OpenJK for Secure Hosting" section above.

Next Steps

You now have a basic MBII server running. But there's much more to configure for an optimal experience:

Server Configuration and RCON Commands - Customise your server settings and learn remote management
RTVRTM Map Voting Guide - Let players vote for maps and game modes
Advanced Features with Ilyssa Hosting - Discord integration, anti-cheat, and automated moderation

Alternative: Managed MBII Hosting

Self-hosting gives you complete control, but it also means managing hardware, port forwarding, uptime, and updates yourself. If you'd rather skip the technical headaches, managed hosting services handle all of this for you.

Ready for Hassle-Free Hosting?

Ilyssa Hosting provides pre-configured MBII servers with Discord integration, automated anti-cheat, smart ban management, and one-click map voting setup. No port forwarding, no manual updates, just gaming.

View MBII Hosting Plans

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