How to use BroLabz

You own the games. We host the servers.

This walkthrough gets you onto a BroLabz game server.

Fantasy knight at a glowing dungeon gate (BroLabz how-to art)

Once you are signed in, use the Dashboard to get around the site — Games, Start a server, customs, and votes.

First-time steps

First-time path: account, Discord, pick a server, copy the connect address, open your game

Follow these steps, then join.

Create a free account

Needed for private passwords and the Start button that boots a server. Create account and Sign in are in the top banner.

Join Discord

Community chat, voice, and the #games-info pin board (same passwords as the member site). The Discord icon is in the top banner.

Get the connect address

Public servers: the address is on the public game listing. Private servers: sign in — address and password are on the member site and Discord #games-info. After you sign in, open Games from the Dashboard.

Choose Always-on, On-demand, or Custom

Always-on: wait until Online, then connect.
On-demand: Dashboard → that game → Start → wait until Online.
Custom: check out your own server — you are the admin.
Those lists live on the Dashboard after you sign in.

Copy address · port · password

Use the copy boxes. Public servers have no password — still copy the connect address (and port if shown).

Open your game client

In your game: Multiplayer, favorites, or server browser — paste the connect address. Stuck? That game’s Discord #games-info pin has the exact clicks.

That’s it. Be excellent — adult community, no cheats, don’t wreck shared worlds, ask in Discord if you’re unsure.

That’s the join path. Next is how BroLabz runs a game server three ways — Always-on, On-demand, and Custom — and why an empty game server does not sit on the lab forever.

Three kinds of game servers

Same lab. Three ways a server can run.

Mode 1

Always-on

Community game servers that stay online. You do not press Start — they stay online. When status says Online, copy the connect address (and password if private). Best for drop-in whenever. They do not shut off for being empty.

Mode 2

On-demand

Shared game servers you Start when you are ready to play (needs a free account). If nobody is playing, they shut off after about one to two days so they do not sit on the lab all week. Bigger servers stop sooner. Then connect with the address and password from the member site.

Mode 3

Your own server

Custom

Your own dedicated game server. You are the admin — you decide open to anyone, or invite-only. If your custom game server sits empty (nobody playing) for about 24 hours, it auto-stops (world kept). Uses its own capacity pool.

Lab capacity

The lab can only run so many game servers at once. Light / Medium / Heavy next to a game is how much lab room that server takes — not how hard the game is, and not a pay tier.

Always-on, On-demand, and Custom each have their own meter. Filling On-demand does not fill Always-on. Same unit system on all three.

Light Medium Heavy

How Light / Medium / Heavy fill the meter

Light Light = 1 slot · On-demand shuts off after about 48 hours with nobody playing

Medium Medium = 2 slots · On-demand shuts off after about 36 hours with nobody playing

Heavy Heavy = 3 slots · On-demand shuts off after about 24 hours with nobody playing

Example: one Light + one Medium + one Heavy = 1 + 2 + 3 = 6 slots used. Starting another Heavy needs 3 free slots. If only 2 are free, that Start waits. The picture below is 3 Light + 2 Medium + 1 Heavy = 3 + 4 + 3 = 10 slots (Mediums always take a pair).

Example meter (any mode) 10 / 16 slots used · 6 free

Light slot Medium slot Heavy slot free slot

Meter full? That mode cannot start another server until something stops and those slots come back. Always-on stays up on purpose. On-demand frees slots when it shuts off empty. Custom frees slots when it auto-stops empty (~24h) or you stop the checkout.

Two clocks

They are not the same thing.

Clock 1 · the server

When an On-demand server is empty

Nobody in the game? A countdown starts. When it runs out, that server shuts off so it does not sit on the lab all week.

Light ~48 hours · Medium ~36 hours · Heavy ~24 hours

Someone joins? Countdown starts over. Busy servers stay up.
Custom uses the same idea, but one number: empty about 24 hours → auto-stop (any size). You can still stop it yourself.
Always-on skips this clock — those stay online on purpose.

Clock 2 · you

How many game servers you can boot today

Start is the button that boots an On-demand or Custom game server. Each member can only do that so many times in 24 hours. Bigger servers use more of that budget. Used boots refill on your account over 24 hours.

See it on your Dashboard: “Your Start budget · rolling 24h”.
This does not shut off a running server and does not change the lab meter. It just stops one person booting every game server for the day.

Votes · requests · passwords

Rock the vote

Petition to make a title Always-on (or retire one). Friends sign; staff can promote after threshold.

Request a game

Want a game we don’t host yet? Send a request — we review adding a dedicated server.

Passwords

Only on the signed-in member site and Discord #games-info. Never on X, never on the public homepage.

Common questions

Do I get games for free?

No. Buy the game on Steam (or Minecraft Java where the game listing says so). BroLabz is the multiplayer server, not a free game store.

Is the account free?

Yes — completely free. Sign up, get the connect address and passwords, press Start to boot an On-demand or Custom server, run customs, and vote — no payment required. Optional tips on the Fund page only help keep the lab online. They never buy extra Start-a-server clicks, Always-on pins, rank, or extra power.

Where is the game-server password?

The password you type in the game to connect. Public servers do not have one — just the connect address on the game listing. Private servers: sign in. The password is on the member site and Discord #games-info only — never on the public homepage or X.

Server shows Offline?

Always-on: check status or Discord (maybe updating).
On-demand: press Start on the member site — if the lab has capacity, the server will boot. Wait until it shows Online, then connect with the address and password.

What are light / medium / heavy?

Those labels are how much lab room a server uses — like seats on a bus, not how hard the game is and not pay tiers.

Light = 1 slot · Medium = 2 slots · Heavy = 3 slots. Each mode (Always-on, On-demand, Custom) has its own capacity meter made of those slots. A heavy title fills three slots; a light fills one.

On-demand servers shut themselves off if nobody is connected, so they do not sit on the lab all week. How long they wait depends on size: Light about 48 hours empty · Medium about 36 hours · Heavy about 24 hours. That empty-server countdown only runs while nobody is in the game. Someone joins? It starts over. Always-on servers do not use this countdown — they stay online on purpose. Custom has its own empty clock: about 24 hours (any size) → auto-stop. Full walkthrough is in the capacity section above.

Something’s broken

Discord first — game channel or #suggestions. Be kind; small crew.

Ready

Free account → Discord → copy the connect address → play.

Create free account Discord Games & join info

You own the games. We host the servers.