The Tool Desk
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The short version
The server reads its difficulty from the GameMode entry in dedicatedserver.cfg. The practical sequence is:
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- Stop the server completely and wait until the control panel or service reports that it is offline.
- Back up the server’s data directory, especially if the current world matters to your group.
- Open the generated
dedicatedserver.cfgfile and changeGameModetonormal,hard, orcustom. - If you choose
custom, edit the existingCustomGameModeSettingsentries in that file. - Create a new save slot for the selected difficulty.
- Save the file, start the server, and verify that the new world loads with the intended mode.
Do not rely on a running server to pick up the edit. A host can overwrite or ignore changes made while its process is active.
What the server’s game modes mean
| GameMode value | What it does | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
normal |
Uses the normal preset supplied by the server. | For a standard survival experience or a group that wants the default balance. |
hard |
Uses the hard preset supplied by the server. | For a tougher preset without managing individual settings. |
custom |
Reads additional values from CustomGameModeSettings. |
For changing specific systems, such as enemy spawning, player survivability, or building resistance. |
The values are case-sensitive in some server builds and hosting panels. Use the spelling and capitalization already shown by your generated configuration. If the file uses a different presentation, preserve that syntax instead of replacing the whole file with a sample copied from another host.
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Before changing a live server
Stop the process, not just the game client
Disconnecting from the game is not enough. Use the server console’s Stop control, the hosting panel’s stop button, or the service manager that launched the dedicated process. Wait for the process to exit and for file activity to finish. Editing during a running session can be lost when the server writes its configuration or shuts down.
Make a reversible backup
Copy the complete server data directory to a separate location before editing. Include the configuration file, save folders, and any provider-specific metadata. Give the backup a date and a label such as before-hard-mode. This is a sensible operational precaution rather than a game requirement: it lets you restore the prior world if the wrong save slot is selected or a configuration edit prevents startup.
Confirm that you have the right file
The filename used by hosting guides is dedicatedserver.cfg, but its directory is not universal. Depending on the host, you may see it under a serverconfig directory, a saves area, or a container path such as home/container/serverconfig/. Use the file your server actually generates. Do not create a second file with the same name in a different directory and assume the service will read it.
Check the file format before saving
Examples published for this game do not all use the same visual format. Some installations present JSON-like syntax, while others expose a configuration layout specific to the host. Open the file in a plain-text editor, identify the existing GameMode line, and change only its value. Keep quotation marks, commas, braces, and line endings consistent with the surrounding file. If the key is absent, first check whether the panel regenerates the file or offers a configuration editor; adding an invented structure can stop the server from parsing it.
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Changing difficulty on a self-managed server
1. Shut down and back up
- Announce a maintenance window to players and record the current world or save-slot name.
- Stop the dedicated server and wait for a clean shutdown.
- Copy the data directory to a safe backup location.
2. Open dedicatedserver.cfg
Use the file manager, SFTP client, or operating-system path supplied by your server host. Search only within the server’s configuration and data directories. If multiple copies exist, inspect modification dates and the path configured in the startup command or panel. The active copy is normally the one updated when you save settings from the host interface.
3. Set the preset with GameMode
Locate the existing entry and replace its value with one of the supported values:
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For a JSON-like file, the line may look similar to "GameMode": "hard"; your file may use another delimiter or layout. Treat that example as a value illustration, not a replacement template. Never delete unrelated settings such as save, networking, or administrative options.
4. Configure custom mode only when needed
When GameMode is custom, the server also reads CustomGameModeSettings. Edit the entries that are already present in your generated file. Commonly documented categories include enemy spawning, player immortality, and building resistance, but the exact key names and accepted values can differ between server versions and hosting guides. Do not paste a key from an unrelated sample unless it exists in your file or your host’s current documentation confirms it.
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Change one category at a time and keep a copy of the original values. A malformed number, Boolean, comma, or quote can make the entire configuration invalid. If the game starts but a particular option has no effect, remove that unverified entry, return to the generated schema, and test again with a fresh save.
5. Save without changing encoding or permissions
Save the file in the same location and preserve its filename exactly. Avoid rich-text editors that add formatting. On Linux-based hosts, retain the file’s normal ownership and permissions; on a managed panel, upload the edited file through the panel’s file manager or SFTP method rather than changing ownership manually.
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Difficulty changes and custom settings are generally evaluated when a world is created. Select a new save slot after editing instead of loading the existing world and expecting its balance to change. Keep the old save untouched so players can return to it. If the panel asks whether to overwrite an existing slot, cancel and choose an unused slot unless you have a verified backup and deliberately intend to replace that world.
7. Restart and test
Start the server only after the file is saved. Watch the startup console for configuration or parsing errors, then join with an administrator account and check the new world’s behavior. Test the least disruptive indicators first: confirm that the server accepts connections, the intended save slot appears, and a custom option you changed is reflected in play. Do not judge a custom setting from a single encounter; some systems are affected by world state, time, or random spawning.
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How to use normal, hard, and custom modes responsibly
Normal mode
Set GameMode to normal when you want the preset experience. This is the simplest change because it does not require a separate custom-settings block. It is also the easiest baseline for troubleshooting: if the server starts normally with this value, you can add custom configuration later and isolate any error to the custom block.
Hard mode
Set GameMode to hard for the hard preset. Treat it as a new-world choice, not a temporary toggle for an existing campaign. Tell players that progression, resources, and encounters belong to the new save slot; otherwise they may assume that loading an old world proves the setting was ignored.
Custom mode
Set GameMode to custom and then adjust CustomGameModeSettings. Custom mode is useful when a group wants a specific compromise, such as retaining survival pressure while making construction less punishing, or changing enemy activity without making players immortal. Because key names and accepted values vary, copy the structure from the active file and change only documented entries. Keep a change log listing the date, key, old value, and new value so you can reproduce or undo the setup.
Changing difficulty through a hosting panel
Managed providers often expose GameMode in a startup, configuration, or settings page instead of requiring direct file access. The labels differ by provider, so look for a field named Game Mode, GameMode, or an advanced configuration editor. The panel may write dedicatedserver.cfg for you.
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- Stop the server from the panel.
- Open the startup or server-settings page and select Normal, Hard, or Custom.
- If custom controls are available, set them in the panel’s custom section; otherwise open the generated configuration file and edit
CustomGameModeSettingsthere. - Save or apply the panel changes and confirm that the file timestamp updates.
- Create a new save slot, then start the server.
- Read the console or startup log for a successful configuration load before inviting players.
Panel-specific button names and file paths cannot be assumed across providers. If a setting reverts after saving, the panel may be regenerating the file from startup variables; change the value in the startup form or contact that provider’s support rather than repeatedly editing the generated file.
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The most common mistake is testing the edit by loading an established world. Difficulty and custom settings are normally bound when the save is initialized, so an old slot can continue behaving as before even though the configuration file is correct. The reliable test is a newly created slot started after the edit. Preserve the original slot as a separate backup or archive; do not delete it while diagnosing the new setup.
Troubleshooting checklist
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The server starts with the previous difficulty. | The edit was made in the wrong copy, the process was still running, or an old save was loaded. | Stop the server, identify the active generated file, confirm the saved value, and create a new save slot. |
| The panel restores the old value. | Startup variables are overwriting the file. | Change the Game Mode field in the panel, apply it while stopped, then inspect the regenerated file. |
| The server fails to start after editing. | Invalid syntax, a misspelled key, or an unsupported value. | Restore the backup, start with the original file, and reapply one documented change at a time while preserving the existing format. |
| Custom mode starts but an option has no effect. | The key name or value is not accepted by that build, or the test used an existing world. | Compare the entry with the keys already generated by your server, remove unrecognized entries, and test in a new slot. |
| Players cannot join after the change. | The server did not finish starting, or an unrelated network setting was altered. | Check the startup log, restore networking values from the backup, and wait for the service to report ready before testing connections. |
| The configuration file cannot be found. | The host stores it outside the game’s visible save directory. | Use the panel’s file manager or SFTP root, search for the exact filename dedicatedserver.cfg, and ask the provider which path is active. |
Safe rollback and repeatable changes
If the new world is unsuitable, stop the server and restore the backed-up configuration and save data. Restart with the previous slot to return players to the earlier setup. To try another difficulty, repeat the same stop–edit–new-slot sequence and retain each backup under a distinct name. Keeping one untouched normal-mode world is useful as a control when testing custom settings, because it separates configuration effects from ordinary variation in encounters and resources.
For a shared server, write the selected mode and custom values in the community’s rules or welcome message. Record who changed the file and when, and ask every player to leave before stopping the service. This avoids players connecting to a world created under one set of values while the administrator believes another set is active.
Important limits and version differences
Configuration key names, accepted GameMode values, file locations, and panel controls can change as the dedicated server is updated. Published samples also disagree on unrelated settings, including port and save-interval names, so do not copy an entire sample configuration merely to change difficulty. Use the file generated by your own installation as the authority for syntax, and verify unfamiliar keys against your host’s current documentation. No official developer configuration reference was identified for this procedure, which is why preserving the generated structure and testing on a new save are especially important.
Changing difficulty does not require changing network ports. Leave networking entries untouched unless your provider specifically instructs you to modify them for a separate connectivity issue.
Quick Recap
Recommended decision path
- Choose normal when you want the standard preset with minimal configuration risk.
- Choose hard when the whole group wants a tougher preset and does not need per-system tuning.
- Choose custom only when you are prepared to edit and test the generated custom-settings structure.
- Use a new save slot for every difficulty experiment, and keep the prior slot backed up.
- If a panel and file edit disagree, treat the panel’s startup configuration as the source that will overwrite the file and change it there.
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