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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To enable DayZ gameplay settings, place cfggameplay.json in the mission folder that your server actually loads, set enableCfgGameplayFile = 1; in the active server configuration, save valid JSON, and restart the server. If any one of those steps is missed, the settings can appear to do nothing.
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Bohemia Interactive describes the file as the place where administrators tune gameplay behavior. The exact mission path differs between PC, Xbox and PlayStation, while managed-hosting panels may expose the same enable switch as a checkbox.
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What the enable switch does
DayZ does not automatically read a mission copy of cfggameplay.json. The server configuration must explicitly enable it with this line:
enableCfgGameplayFile = 1;
The semicolon is part of the configuration syntax. Keep the spelling and capitalization exactly as shown. A value of 0 disables loading; changing it to 1 tells the server to read the JSON file from the active mission directory during startup.
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The source file supplied with the game is located under DZworldschernaruspluscecfggameplay.json. That is a template, not normally the file you edit in place. Copy it into the mission folder selected by your server, then edit the copied file.
Find the active configuration and mission folders first
There are two separate locations to identify:
- The active server configuration file: this is where
enableCfgGameplayFile = 1;belongs. A dedicated server may use a file such asserverDZ.cfg; a hosting provider can give it a different name. - The active mission folder: this is where the copied
cfggameplay.jsonmust be stored. The folder is selected by the mission or template setting in the server configuration.
Do not place the file only in the DayZ installation root or beside the executable. A correctly formatted file in the wrong directory is still ignored.
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PC dedicated-server layout
On PC, the usual pattern is:
mpmissions/<mission>/cfggameplay.json
The <mission> directory is the mission currently selected by the server. Copy the file into that exact directory, not into a different map’s mission folder. If you switch maps, check the new mission path before assuming the old file is still active.
Console layouts
The console reference uses these paths:
| Platform | Mission path | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox | dayzxb_missions/dayzOffline.<mapname>/cfggameplay.json |
Use the map name selected by the server. |
| PlayStation | dayzps_missions/dayzOffline.<mapname>/cfggameplay.json |
Use the map name selected by the server. |
| PC | mpmissions/<mission>/cfggameplay.json |
Confirm the active mission in the server configuration. |
Console hosting interfaces can hide the filesystem behind a file manager. The important test is still the same: the file must be inside the mission directory that the running server uses.
Enable the file on a PC dedicated server
- Stop the server. Do not edit a live configuration while the process is running. Stopping first prevents an active process from overwriting a file or retaining old values.
- Locate the supplied template. In a standard installation, the Bohemia Interactive source is under
DZworldschernaruspluscecfggameplay.json. Copy it rather than deleting sections and attempting to build a file from memory. - Copy the template to the active mission. Place it at
mpmissions/<mission>/cfggameplay.json, replacing<mission>with the folder selected by your server. - Open the active server configuration. Find the file that the startup command or hosting panel actually loads. Add or change the line to
enableCfgGameplayFile = 1;. If it currently readsenableCfgGameplayFile = 0;, change only the value. - Edit the JSON values. Change the gameplay options you need while preserving the existing structure and key names. Keep a backup of the untouched copy so you can recover from a bad edit.
- Validate and save. Make sure the document has balanced braces, double-quoted property names and strings, lowercase
trueorfalsevalues, and no trailing commas or comments. - Start the server again. The enable setting and JSON changes are read during startup. A restart is required after saving either file.
- Verify one intentional change in game. Pick a setting with an obvious result, test it after the restart, and review the server log or panel status if the result is absent.
Enable it through a managed-hosting panel
Panels use different labels, but the underlying operation is the same. A typical control-panel sequence is:
- Stop the DayZ server from the panel.
- Open Configuration Files or the equivalent file editor.
- Open the provider’s active server configuration file. Some providers use a generated name such as
serverDZ_By_HostHavoc.cfg. - Change
enableCfgGameplayFile = 0;toenableCfgGameplayFile = 1;, or add the line if it is absent. - Save the configuration.
- Open the panel’s mission-file manager or FTP/SFTP file browser and place
cfggameplay.jsonin the active mission folder. - If the panel offers a checkbox such as Use cfggameplay.json, enable it as well. Treat the checkbox as a user-interface control for the same underlying configuration value, not as a replacement for putting the file in the mission directory.
- Start the server and wait for a complete restart before testing.
If a panel regenerates configuration files, make the change through its supported editor rather than editing a temporary copy that will be discarded on the next restart.
Keep the JSON valid
DayZ expects standard JSON. The most common reasons for a file being ignored are syntax errors rather than a wrong gameplay value.
- Use double quotes for keys and text values. Single quotes are not JSON string delimiters.
- Use lowercase
trueandfalsefor Boolean values. - Close every opening brace and bracket.
- Put commas between entries, but not after the final entry in an object or array.
- Remove comments. JSON does not accept
//or block comments. - Save the file as plain text with the filename exactly
cfggameplay.json. Avoid accidental names such ascfggameplay.json.txt.
A syntax error can make the entire gameplay file ineffective. If you have changed many sections, restore the last known-good backup, then reapply edits in small groups so the failing change is easy to identify.
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Quick validation options
Use a text editor with JSON validation if your editor provides it. On a Windows administration machine, PowerShell can parse a local copy with:
Get-Content .cfggameplay.json -Raw | ConvertFrom-Json
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python -m json.tool cfggameplay.json
These checks verify JSON syntax only. They do not prove that a gameplay key is supported by the particular DayZ build, so keep the field names from the current shipped template or official gameplay-settings documentation.
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What you can change with cfggameplay.json
The file is a broad gameplay-tuning configuration rather than a server-list or loot-table file. Documented areas include:
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| Area | Examples of behavior covered |
|---|---|
| Player movement and stamina | Stamina use and movement-related behavior. |
| Shock and recovery | Shock recovery behavior and related player effects. |
| Drowning | Rules governing drowning behavior. |
| Weapons | Weapon-obstruction behavior. |
| World conditions | World lighting and temperature tuning. |
| Object spawning | Object-spawner behavior. |
| Building | Base-building placement and construction checks. |
| Map and interface | Map ownership and position display, plus hit-direction UI. |
| Vehicles | Vehicle-decay behavior. |
Field names and available options can change with DayZ updates. Treat the current template for your installed version as authoritative; do not assume that a key documented for one release exists unchanged in another.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot settings that are not taking effect
The server starts, but every gameplay value behaves normally
- Reopen the active server configuration and confirm the exact line is
enableCfgGameplayFile = 1;, including capitalization and the semicolon. - Check that you edited the configuration file used by the startup command or panel, not an unused example file.
- Confirm the JSON is inside the active mission directory. Compare the mission name in the server configuration with the folder name on disk.
- Stop and start the server again. Restarting only the game client does not reload server configuration.
- Check for duplicate files. A copy in another mission folder does not override the file in the active one.
Only some edits appear to work
Recheck the syntax around the first setting that fails. A missing comma, an extra comma, an unclosed brace or an invalid Boolean can cause parsing to stop or the complete file to be rejected. Restore the backup, validate the untouched file, and then apply one change at a time.
The panel checkbox keeps turning off
Some panels regenerate configuration files. Stop the server, use the panel’s supported configuration editor, save the change, and verify the generated file still contains enableCfgGameplayFile = 1; before starting. If the panel provides a separate mission-file browser, confirm that the JSON was uploaded there rather than into a general server root.
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The file works on one map but not another
Each mission can have its own copy. When changing maps, copy or adapt cfggameplay.json in the newly selected mission directory and check that the server’s mission setting points to that directory.
The server fails to start after an edit
Revert the most recent change from your backup and start again. If the server then starts, validate the JSON and reapply the edit carefully. Do not remove large sections at random: the supplied template provides the expected structure for the installed version.
Verify a change without confusing client and server settings
Join only after the server has completed its restart. Test with a setting whose effect is observable under your normal game conditions, and record the original value before changing it. If the behavior is unchanged, work through the path, enable-line and JSON-validation checks before changing another option. Client-side settings, mods and permissions can affect what you see, so verification should be performed on the server and mission that you edited.
Self-hosting or managed hosting: which workflow fits?
| Consideration | Self-hosted dedicated server | Managed hosting panel |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration access | Direct access to startup parameters, configuration files and mission folders. | Web editor or file manager exposes selected files and settings. |
| Path visibility | You can inspect the complete filesystem and confirm the active mission path. | The panel may hide system paths; use its documented mission-file location. |
| Restart workflow | Stop and start the service or process yourself. | Use the panel’s stop and start controls; wait for the restart to finish. |
| Platform support | Depends on the platform and server build you operate. | Depends on the provider’s supported DayZ editions and map templates. |
| Backups and versioning | You must create and retain your own copies of the JSON and configuration. | Some panels offer backups; confirm that they include mission files before relying on them. |
| Support | You diagnose paths, syntax and startup behavior directly. | Provider support may help with panel paths, while gameplay-file syntax remains your responsibility. |
Managed hosting can be convenient when you need a visible configuration editor and restart controls. Regardless of the operating model, the DayZ requirements do not change: the enable line must be active, the JSON must be in the selected mission folder, and the server must restart.
Maintenance after DayZ updates
Keep the original template and a dated copy of every working configuration. When the server updates, compare the new shipped cfggameplay.json with your edited file before carrying changes forward. Version-specific fields may be added, renamed or removed, so avoid treating an old configuration as permanently stable. After an update, validate the JSON, start the server, and test one known gameplay change before making a larger batch of edits.
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Quick Recap
Final enablement checklist
- The server is stopped before editing.
cfggameplay.jsonis copied from the installed template into the active mission folder.- The active server configuration contains
enableCfgGameplayFile = 1;. - The filename and capitalization are exact.
- The JSON uses double quotes, lowercase Booleans, balanced braces and no comments or trailing commas.
- The configuration and JSON are saved in the files actually used by the server or hosting panel.
- The server is restarted, not merely the client.
- One deliberate in-game change is verified after startup.
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