Project Zomboid Deployment with Terraform and Ansible

This documentation provides a high-level overview of setting up a Project Zomboid dedicated server using Terraform for VM provisioning and Ansible for server configuration.

Table of Contents

1. Overview
2. Project Structure
3. Key Configuration Points
4. Deployment Steps
5. Playit.gg Tunnel Setup
6. Troubleshooting

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Overview

This project automates the deployment of a Project Zomboid server on a Proxmox Virtual Environment (PVE). It includes:

• Terraform: Provisions the virtual machine.
• Ansible: Configures the server, including SSH, firewall, and server-specific settings.
• Playit.gg Tunnel: Exposes the server to the internet using a secure tunnel.

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Project Structure

Here is an overview of the project directory:

project-zomboid/
│
│ # Ansible
├── site.yml                  # Main Ansible playbook
├── bootstrap.yml             # Playbook for initial setup
├── requirements.yml          # Ansible role dependencies
├── group_vars/
│   ├── all.yml               # General variables
│   └── vault.yml             # Encrypted sensitive variables
│
├── roles/
│   ├── ssh/                  # SSH configuration role
│   ├── firewall/             # Firewall setup role
│   ├── playit/               # Playit agent setup role
│   ├── node_exporter/        # Monitoring setup role
│   └── server/               # Server configuration role
│       ├── defaults/
│       └── main.yml          # Configure mods and global server settings
│
│ # Terraform
├── main.tf                   # Proxmox resource definitions
├── pool.tf                   # Proxmox pool settings
├── vms.tf                    # Virtual machine configuration
├── variables.tf              # Terraform variable definitions
├── terraform.tfvars          # User-specific variable values
├── credentials.auto.tfvars   # Sensitive credentials (git-ignored)
└── README.md                 # Documentation

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Key Configuration Points

Terraform Variables

• terraform.tfvars: Define VM properties such as IP address, memory, and CPU.
• credentials.auto.tfvars: Store sensitive Proxmox API credentials securely.

Ansible Variables

• group_vars/all.yml: Contains general variables like new_admin_user.
• group_vars/vault.yml: Encrypted sensitive variables, including:
  • server_password: The Project Zomboid server password.

Playbooks and Roles

• bootstrap.yml: Sets up SSH and firewall.
• site.yml: Configures the server and Playit tunnel.
• roles/server/defaults/main.yml: Allows adding/removing mods and updating global server's settings.

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Deployment Steps

Terraform

1. Initialize Terraform:

   terraform init

2. Apply the configuration:

   terraform apply

Ansible

1. Run the bootstrap playbook:

   ansible-playbook bootstrap.yml -i inventories/main/hosts

2. Configure the server:

   ansible-playbook site.yml -i inventories/main/hosts

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Playit.gg Tunnel Setup

Playit.gg allows you to expose your server to the internet without requiring port forwarding. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Download the Playit.gg Agent and Service

Executing the site.yml playbook will automatically install the Playit agent and setup the service. The service will be restarted once the next parts are done.

2. Create a New Tunnel

1. Run the Playit agent on your server:

   sudo -u playit /usr/local/bin/playit

2. Follow the instructions to link your machine with your Playit.gg account. Once linked, you'll have an auto-generated configuration file set up in ~/.config/playit/.

3. Use the Playit dashboard to create a tunnel:

   • Go to All Agents and select your agent.
   • Select Add Tunnel.
   • Choose UDP protocol.
   • Enter the port number your Project Zomboid server uses (default: 16261).
   • Assign a subdomain or custom domain to your tunnel.

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Troubleshooting

Terraform Errors

• Verify API credentials and Proxmox connectivity.

Ansible Vault Issues

• Ensure the vault file is encrypted and the password is correct.

Zomboid Server Issues

• Ensure the Zomboid service is running:

  sudo systemctl status zomboid

• Check logs for errors:

  sudo journalctl -u zomboid

Playit Tunnel Issues

• Ensure the Playit agent is running:

  sudo systemctl status playit

• Check logs for errors:

  sudo journalctl -u playit