Headless client

The headless client is an exclusive Fika feature that allows you to host a raid on a separate Escape From Tarkov instance. You are able to offload the AI calculation and other resource-intensive task to improve game play performance. FPS gains are usually around 25% to 50% depending on your computer specifications and amount of bots in the game.

Please note that there is some technical knowledge required to achieve this. If you absolutely have no experience, you will have a hard time.

Specifications

  • The headless client is basically another Fika instance that will automatically host raids. All players becomes clients (including the player host).

  • Graphic rendering is disabled to make the headless client as lightweight as possible. However, the headless client is NOT a true headless headless server. It still requires all the game files and a pretty hefty amount of RAM to work (especially for bigger maps such as Streets or Lighthouse).

  • It is recommended to run the headless client on a separate physical machine. The headless client will NOT work on a VPS. If you really wish to use a paid host, rent a dedicated server.

  • A graphic card is NOT required to run the headless client, however it is helpful for configuring mods.

Recommended hardware requirements

  • Dedicated machine for running the headless client. VPS will NOT work.

  • A modern CPU with at least 4 cores @ 4GHz+.

  • 32 GB RAM (16 GB can work but will provide reduced performance due to virtual paging).

  • 100 GB disk space with SSD/NVME drive. HDD is NOT supported.

Notes

  • The installation process below will guide you through the steps to set up the SPT server and headless client on the same machine. It is possible to separate the SPT server and the headless client, but there is no performance benefit, and the steps are more involved. Therefore, this setup will not be covered in this guide.

  • Linux is NOT supported and covered by this article. Visit the dedicated Linux channel in our Discord for assistance.

Installation

1

Install Escape From Tarkov using BSG Launcher

Escape From Tarkov must be installed on the server where you are planning to install the headless client. This is required to ensure that you own the game.

Fika will NOT work if you skip this step!

2

Install SPT

If your SPT server is currently located on a different machine, please copy it to the server where you are planning to install the headless client. It must contain the full game. If you are unable to copy it due to the size, install SPT on the server using the SPT Installer instead.

Do NOT install SPT in your official Escape From Tarkov folder!

3

Download Fika-Installer

4

Copy Fika-Installer.exe inside the SPT folder

5

Run Fika-Installer.exe

If you get an admin rights prompt, this is normal. Fika-Installer requires admin rights to set up the firewall rules.

6

Choose Install Fika

7

Go back to the main menu when installation is completed

8

Choose Advanced options

9

Choose Install Fika Headless

10

Choose Create a new headless profile

11

Close Fika-Installer when installation is completed

12

Start SPT.Server.exe

Wait for "Server is running, happy playing" message in the console.

13

Start the headless client script

Right-click Start_headless_xxx.ps1 and click Run with Powershell.

WARNING

If the PowerShell window briefly appears and then disappears then your ExecutionPolicy might be set to Restricted. This should be RemoteSigned by default but used to be Restricted, so if your Windows installation is not recent or you do not have PowerShell updated it will be set to Restricted.

To update your execution policy, open a PowerShell window and write:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

Once done, press ENTER and close the window. You can read more about Execution Policies here.

14

Wait for the headless client to load

Two console windows will appear after running the script: the Fika Headless Watcher and the headless client console. Do not close them. Wait for the headless client to load. Activity will stop in the console when loading is completed.

15

Start Fika

The headless client is now ready to host a raid. Start Fika (SPT.Launcher) on your computer.

Do NOT start SPT.Launcher.exe on the headless client server!

16

Host a raid using the headless client

Navigate the in-game menu like you would normally do to reach the Raids menu and click Host Raid.

Check the Use Dedicated Host box and press Start. This will request the headless client to start a raid in the selected location. Wait for the headless client to load the raid.

17

Start the raid when the headless client is ready

Your friend(s) can join the headless client's raid when you see this screen. When everybody has joined, press Start Raid.

Modding

The headless client is very sensitive to modding. Do NOT install the same mods you use in Fika. Because the headless client is heavily modified, most mods will likely cause crashes or make it unstable.

✅ YOU CAN INSTALL:

  • AI mods (SAIN)

  • Spawn mods (MOAR, DONUTS)

  • Mods that specifically mention headless client support (That's Lit, UIFixes, etc.)

❌ DO NOT INSTALL:

  • RAM/VRAM cleaner mods (RAM Cleaner, VRAM Cleaner, etc.)

  • Performance mods (DeClutter, etc.)

  • Any other mods not listed in the YOU CAN INSTALL section

Troubleshooting

  • If the Use dedicated host checkbox is greyed out, it means that the headless client is unavailable. It could be caused by unsupported mods installed in the headless client, networking issues, or other factors. Note that the headless client can only host one raid at a time.

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