Red Faction Command Line Parameters

This article is regarding Red Faction

Red Faction has support for command-line parameters that specify variables to the EXE before loading.

The command-line is often known as command-line, commandline, cmdline.

Purposes of the command-line parameters
Various command-line parameters are available to control operation of the game.

General command-line parameters/switches

 * -level  - Specifies a level to load in single player mode. The .rfl extension can be omitted.
 * -mod - Runs a client/serverside mod. The parameter must match the name of the mod's folder in /mods/.
 * -dedicated - Hosts a dedicated server with the specified config (set up in dedicated_server.txt). If no config name parameter is given, it will default to the first configuration in dedicated_server.txt
 * -port - Runs the server or client on the specified port.
 * -lanonly - Forces a server to not contact the game tracker. However, using this switch does not restrict connections from non-LAN clients.  Assuming ports are forwarded and NAT is set up appropriately, people outside of a LAN can still join the server, assuming they know the IP and port.

Command-line parameters/switches for mappers

 * -timedemo  - When an appropriate RFL name is specified (with the .rfl extension omitted), a player will be automatically spawned at the origin of the level (XYZ: 0, 0, 0) and spin in a circle once. Framerate statistics are displayed in the console and dumped to timedemo.txt
 * -frameratetest  - This does the same as -timedemo, with the exception that the test will be performed at the origin, and every path node in the level. Caution must be used if not playing RF in windowed mode, as there is no way to exit the game until the test has completed (except for killing the process, which is difficult in fullscreen mode).

Command-line switches for graphics

 * -voodoo - Forces RF to use a Voodoo graphics card, ignoring the card specified in the launcher.
 * -voodoo3 - Same results as -voodoo, except for Voodoo3 cards as opposed to the original Voodoo.

Hidden command-line switches

 * -startpos - Used by RED to begin the level at the camera position.
 * -startdir - Assumed to specify starting directory.
 * -trackerip  - This command-line switch, although undocumented by Volition, is verified to exist in all released versions of Red Faction, official and unofficial. (Multi Beta Test, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, Pure, Crystal) An IP or hostname is specified, and the game will use that server as the game tracker.  (Ex: -trackerip rfgt.factionfiles.com)

Deprecated command-line switches

 * -multilog - Only works in Red Faction Multiplayer Test (beta). When used, the server will write a log of joining players and runtime to NAME_DayMoDD_HHMM.txt.  An example can be seen below:


 * 12/16 15:37:38~  Player Default has joined
 * 12/16 15:38:18~  Player nick has joined
 * 12/16 16:18:43~  Red Faction has been active for 0 hours, 42 minutes, and 1 seconds
 * 12/16 17:00:44~  Red Faction has been active for 1 hours, 24 minutes, and 2 seconds
 * 12/16 17:42:45~  Red Faction has been active for 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 3 seconds
 * 12/16 18:16:20~  Player digi has joined

RED Command-line switches
See RED Editor

Related Pages

 * Console commands
 * Red Faction
 * Geomod
 * RED Engine
 * RED
 * Parker
 * dedicated_server.txt
 * Rate presets