ARK server settings are split between two configuration files: toggles and some server options belong in GameUserSettings.ini under [ServerSettings], while gameplay rebalancing such as XP-per-level and engram-point changes belongs in Game.ini under [/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]. The exact location and default for some individual options can vary or conflict between community guides, so confirm changes on the ARK version you run. Restart the server after editing.
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Which ARK server settings file should you edit?
ARK uses separate INI files for server controls and deeper gameplay configuration. Editing the right file and section is essential: a valid-looking option placed in the wrong file may have no effect. The config directory is typically ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/ or ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/, depending on the server platform.
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| File and section | Typical purpose | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
GameUserSettings.ini[ServerSettings] |
Server toggles and various server options, usually near the bottom of the file. Some options may need to be added manually. | Not every setting’s placement is consistent across guides or builds. Check the specific option before adding it. |
Game.ini[/script/shootergame.shootergamemode] |
Gameplay rebalancing, including XP-per-level and engram-point configuration. | Options intended for this section do not take effect when passed as command-line arguments. |
Keep the section names exactly as shown, including the brackets and the slash in the Game.ini section name. A setting written under the wrong section can be ignored even if its spelling and value look plausible. If a host control panel edits the INI files for you, its labels may not match the underlying section names; check which file and section it changes before using both the panel and a manual edit.
What the common server toggles do
The following names and behaviors come from community guides rather than an official Studio Wildcard reference. Treat the listed defaults as reported defaults, not guarantees for every ARK edition, server build or existing configuration. Boolean values are generally written as True or False in the examples; verify accepted spelling and casing for your server.
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| Setting | Reported effect | Reported default or caveat |
|---|---|---|
serverPVE |
When True, disables PvP and runs the server as PvE. |
One community guide lists False as the default. Confirm current behavior on your build. |
serverHardcore |
When True, a player restarts at level 1 after dying. |
A community guide describes the effect; a dependable cross-version default was not established. |
allowThirdPersonPlayer |
Enables the third-person camera when True. |
Guides differ in casing. Use the spelling recognized by your server version. |
ShowMapPlayerLocation |
Controls whether player locations are shown on the map. | Community guides report False as the default. |
proximityChat |
Enables proximity chat when active. | Community guides report False as the default. |
AllowHitMarkers |
Enables hit markers for ranged attacks. | Community guides report False as the default. |
These options are server-wide choices, not cosmetic promises that necessarily override every client setting or mod. For example, changing a PvE/PvP toggle changes the server’s ruleset, while third-person and map-location settings affect how players experience or interpret the game. Decide the intended play style first, then check the live server rather than assuming a configuration line was applied.
How to set rates and gameplay multipliers
Rate multipliers change how quickly or how much of an in-game outcome players receive. Community guides commonly give 1.0 as the default for many multipliers. A value above 1 increases the specified rate; the examples below describe the multiplier’s effect, not a guarantee of identical results under every version or server configuration.
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| Option or example | Example value | Meaning and limits |
|---|---|---|
| Most rate multipliers | 1.0 |
Reported community default for many, but not necessarily all, rate options. |
TamingSpeedMultiplier |
5.0 |
Community example: taming is five times faster than at a multiplier of 1.0. |
HarvestAmountMultiplier |
3.0 |
Community example: three times as much wood per strike. Actual yield can depend on the resource and game conditions. |
PlayerDamageMultiplier, DinoDamageMultiplier, StructureDamageMultiplier |
No example values established | Community guides identify these as damage multipliers for players, creatures and structures respectively. |
Do not assume that all multipliers belong in one universal section. General server guidance places gameplay rebalancing such as XP-per-level and engram points in Game.ini under [/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]. A community single-player example, however, places DifficultyOffset, XPMultiplier and TamingSpeedMultiplier under [ServerSettings], and other multipliers under the shootergamemode section. That example is a single-player preset, not a universal PvE or hardcore server template. Confirm the documented location for each option on your running build instead of copying a whole example block blindly.
For a controlled change, adjust one multiplier at a time and compare its effect with the previous behavior. If several rates change together, it becomes harder to tell whether a surprising result came from the intended option, an interaction, or a setting that was ignored. Keep a copy of the original file so you can restore the previous values if necessary.
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Set player capacity carefully: MaxPlayers placement is disputed
MaxPlayers is the player-cap setting, but its placement is a known point of disagreement in community references. The ARK Official Community Wiki documents it under [/Script/Engine.GameSession] in GameUserSettings.ini and gives a default of 70. A Fandom talk-page report says the value did not take effect in that section and worked only as a command-line option. Launch examples also use ?MaxPlayers= on the command line. Treat 70 as a documented wiki default, not a promise that the same cap applies to every build or hosting setup.
| Method described by community references | What to know |
|---|---|
GameUserSettings.ini under [/Script/Engine.GameSession] |
Documented by the community wiki; a separate user report says this did not work for them. |
Launch argument in the form ?MaxPlayers= |
Shown in launch examples and reported as effective in the Fandom discussion. The value and exact launch configuration depend on your setup. |
Because those references conflict, test capacity on the exact server build and launch method you use. After changing it, check the server’s reported or observed capacity and attempt to join with enough clients to confirm the cap behaves as intended. If the INI value appears to be ignored, test the launch-argument approach supported by your server setup rather than repeatedly changing the same section.
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Community guides also report MaxStructuresInRange with a default of 1300. That value should likewise be verified against the running version; it is not the same setting as the player limit.
Difficulty settings have conflicting reported defaults
Community sources do not agree on the default for DifficultyOffset. Some guides list its default as 1.0 and OverrideOfficialDifficulty as 0.0, with an override of 5.0 matching official-server creature levels. An older Game Walkthrough Universe page instead lists the DifficultyOffset default as 4. The discrepancy means a default copied from a guide may not represent your build or configuration.
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Before changing difficulty, inspect the actual values in your server configuration and confirm the effect in-game. In particular, do not infer that changing DifficultyOffset alone will produce the creature levels you intend: the community guidance ties official-server levels to the separate override value, while the sources disagree on the offset default. Record the original values so you can revert if the resulting difficulty is wrong.
Apply a configuration change without losing track of it
- Identify the server build and platform. Configuration values can change across ARK versions, and the expected directory differs between Linux and Windows server installations.
- Locate the correct file. Look in
ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/orShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/and distinguishGameUserSettings.inifromGame.ini. - Confirm the option’s section. Use
[ServerSettings]for server toggles and appropriate server options; use[/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]for Game.ini rebalancing. Because some multiplier and capacity placements are disputed, verify the exact option rather than applying a generic rule. - Preserve a copy of the current configuration. Save the original file or values before editing so a failed change can be reversed without guessing what was there before.
- Change only the necessary setting. Keep its exact name and put it in the intended section. Add an option manually only when it is absent and the option is known to be supported by your build.
- Save and restart the server. A restart is required for edits to apply; changing a file while the server is running does not make the change take effect immediately.
- Verify in play or through server status. Check the behavior that the setting controls, especially for disputed values such as player capacity and difficulty. If nothing changes, revisit spelling, section, file, launch configuration and restart status before trying a different value.
Steam Workshop mods and automated management
A 2026 community guide describes the -automanagedmods launch option as a way for a server to download, install and update Steam Workshop mods itself. The guide says this works for Steam only. It is a launch option, not an INI setting, so adding it to GameUserSettings.ini or Game.ini is not the described setup. Confirm compatibility with your server build and hosting method before relying on automatic mod management; this guidance does not establish support for non-Steam servers.
Common reasons a setting appears not to work
- Wrong file or section: gameplay rebalancing intended for Game.ini may not work under ServerSettings, and command-line arguments do not substitute for Game.ini rebalancing.
- No restart: configuration edits require the server to restart before they take effect.
- Unrecognized spelling or casing: community guides differ on capitalization for at least one toggle, so check the name expected by your build.
- Conflicting placement guidance: capacity and some multiplier locations vary between references. Test the documented alternatives for the precise option rather than treating one sample block as definitive.
- Assumed defaults: published community defaults conflict, notably for difficulty. Inspect the active configuration and validate the in-game result.
- Using a preset outside its scope: the cited single-player sample is not a ready-made PvE or hardcore server configuration.
When troubleshooting, change one variable at a time and note the file, section, value and restart you used. That creates a simple audit trail and makes it possible to distinguish an invalid setting from a valid setting whose placement or expected behavior differs on your version.
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