Install both official Workshop components—Namalsk Island (the terrain) and Namalsk Survival (the gameplay content)—in your server root, copy sumrak.bikey into the server’s keys directory, install a supplied Namalsk mission in mpmissions, and launch the server with both mod folders in -mod. Select the matching Regular or Hardcore mission in serverDZ.cfg, restart, and read the startup logs before allowing players to join.
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What you need before installing
Namalsk is distributed as two official DayZ Workshop items. Namalsk Island supplies the map terrain; Namalsk Survival supplies the survival systems, items and related configuration. The normal server installation uses both. The official FAQ says either component can technically run without the other, but a complete Namalsk Survival server should install and load both together.
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- Steam Workshop access to the current Namalsk Island and Namalsk Survival packages.
- File access to the DayZ server root, its
keysdirectory,mpmissions, and the configuration file used by your host. - A full backup of the existing save and configuration if the server currently runs Chernarus, Livonia or another map.
- Permission to restart the service and inspect its startup and server logs.
Use the exact folder names supplied by the Workshop packages or your host panel. Most installations show folders as @Namalsk Island and @Namalsk Survival, including the spaces.
Back up the current server first
Changing a map changes the mission and the world data it expects. Stop the server cleanly, then copy the existing save data, serverDZ.cfg, launch script or startup parameters, and any edited mission files to a separate backup location. Keep the backup outside the live server directory so a reinstall or host-panel reset cannot overwrite it.
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- Use any means necessary to survive a hostile open world for as long as possible.
- Explore the authentic open world of Chernarus, featuring 230 square kilometers of hand-crafted terrain based on real-life locations.
- Become immersed in a tense, emotional experience driven by the emergent interactions of 60 players on a single server, each one fighting for survival.
- Experience a wide variety of complex survival mechanics, from hunting and crafting, through to sophisticated injury simulation and transferable diseases.
- Survive against environmental dangers, including the infected, dynamic weather, and animal predators.
If the new map later produces a damaged or misaligned world, stop the service and restore this backup rather than trying to repair the old Chernarus or Livonia data in place. Do not invite players until the Namalsk mission has started successfully and the logs are free of fatal map, PBO and key errors.
Install the two official Workshop components
Download or subscribe through Steam Workshop
On the machine that manages your server files, subscribe to both official items: Namalsk Island and Namalsk Survival. Allow Steam to finish downloading each package. A host control panel may provide an “install Workshop mod” action instead; use that action for both components and wait for each job to complete.
Place the server copies in the DayZ server root
The dedicated server must have a server-side copy of each mod. Put the two complete folders in the same directory as the DayZ server executable and configuration, commonly called the server root. The root should contain entries similar to:
@Namalsk Island
@Namalsk Survival
keys
mpmissions
serverDZ.cfgDo not point -mod at a client-only Workshop cache while the server is running elsewhere. Upload or copy the folders to the actual machine that hosts the DayZ service. The official README specifically requires up-to-date @Namalsk Island and @Namalsk Survival folders in the server root.
If a host panel gives the folders a different display name, use the exact path and name shown by that panel in the launch setting. A mismatch between the directory name and the -mod entry is a common cause of PBO and “mod not found” failures.
Install the Namalsk server key
Open the Namalsk package that contains the key files, then open its Keys folder. Copy sumrak.bikey into the DayZ server’s top-level keys folder:
Rank #2
- Match based pvpve: climb up the ranks and stand your ground against the best players 20-40 minutes of playtime per session
- tactical sandbox: chose your own playing style and solve problems you encounter your way.
- open, highly replay able maps: use tools, tactics and a feature rich environment to turn the odds in your favour.
- High tension survival gameplay: fight over bounty against other hunter teams in a world full of challenging AI.
- High risk/ High rewards: gamble with your life. Earn rewards and upgrades vs. The fear of losing your character forever.
DayZServerKeyssumrak.bikeySome managed hosts copy keys automatically when their Namalsk installer runs. Check the live keys directory and the startup log before adding a second copy. A missing key normally appears as a signature or key-verification error when the server loads a Namalsk PBO.
Only copy the key to the server’s keys directory; do not place it in mpmissions or inside a player’s client profile. Players will still need the corresponding Workshop items on their clients when they connect.
Choose Regular or Hardcore
Namalsk ships with two mission presets. Select one before editing the configuration, because the preset determines vehicles, building rules, item availability and temperature values.
| Preset | Vehicles | Base building | Lifetime values | Food and weapons/ammunition | Temperature season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | Basic vehicles available | All base-building options | Faster lifetimes | Higher availability | November values |
| Hardcore | No vehicles | Stashes and small tents only | Higher lifetimes | Lower availability | December values |
“Higher” or “faster” here describes the supplied mission settings, not a universal server-wide rule. If you edit XML later, preserve the preset’s intended values unless you deliberately want a custom economy or survival experience.
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Copy the supplied mission folder
From the Namalsk package, copy the Regular or Hardcore mission folder into the server’s mpmissions directory. Depending on the package version or host panel, the folder may be named regular.namalsk, hardcore.namalsk or dayzOffline.namalsk. These names are examples, not interchangeable aliases.
Use the exact folder name that is physically present on your server. A typical layout is:
Rank #3
- Use any means necessary to survive a hostile open world for as long as possible.
- explore the authentic open world of chernarus, featuring 230 square kilometres of hand-crafted terrain based on real-life locations.
- become immersed in a tense, emotional experience driven by the emergent interactions of 60 players on a single server, each one fighting for survival.
- experience a wide variety of complex survival mechanics, from hunting and crafting, through to sophisticated injury simulation and transferable diseases.
- survive against environmental dangers, including the infected, dynamic weather, and animal predators
DayZServermpmissionsregular.namalsk
DayZServermpmissionshardcore.namalskYou normally install both supplied presets, then select one in serverDZ.cfg. If your host supplies only one folder, use that folder’s exact name.
Do not reuse a standard map economy blindly
Namalsk uses different Central Economy parameters and map-scale assumptions from Chernarus and Livonia. Do not copy a standard types.xml into the Namalsk mission without reviewing it. If you customize loot, vehicles or lifetimes, start from the XML files in the selected Namalsk mission and keep valid XML syntax and Namalsk coordinates.
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Set the mission and map in serverDZ.cfg
Open the configuration file passed to the server with -config. Set the mission or template value to the exact folder you copied. Host panels may label this field “Mission,” “Template,” “Map” or “Mission folder.” The value must match the directory name character for character, including capitalization where the host’s filesystem requires it.
For example, if the supplied folder is regular.namalsk, select that value rather than a generic Chernarus mission. If the server starts but still loads the previous map, the mission/template field is usually the first setting to check.
Use the matching Namalsk configuration template when available
The Namalsk package includes Regular and Hardcore configuration guidance. Use the matching serverDZ.cfg template when your host provides one, or adapt your existing configuration by changing the mission/template value and reviewing Namalsk-specific settings. Preserve unrelated administrative settings such as passwords, bans and logging unless you intend to change them.
Understand cfgGameplay.json precedence
If cfgGameplay.json is present, its value takes priority over the corresponding setting in serverDZ.cfg. The official README calls this out specifically for lightingConfig. Namalsk documents values 222 and 223 for dark and bright night lighting. Change the value in the file that actually has precedence, and keep the JSON valid after editing.
Build the launch command
A Windows launch command needs the server configuration, a port, a profiles directory, both Namalsk mods, and optional diagnostics. This example follows the documented arrangement:
DayZServer_x64.exe -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 -profiles=profiles -mod="@Namalsk Survival;@Namalsk Island" -dologs -adminlog -netlog -freezecheckPlace the command in your existing batch file or host-panel startup field. Adjust the executable path, profiles path, port and CPU-related options to match your machine and provider. The important Namalsk portion is:
-mod="@Namalsk Survival;@Namalsk Island"Both folders must exist in the server root, and both names must appear in -mod. Keep the semicolon separator used by the Windows example. If your control panel has separate mod fields, add both entries there instead of pasting the entire command.
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-dologswrites general logs that help identify startup and mission failures.-adminlogrecords administrative events.-netlogrecords network-related information.-freezecheckhelps expose server freezes during diagnosis.
Leave these switches enabled during the first successful boot. Once the server is stable, follow your normal logging policy; do not delete logs before checking the first Namalsk startup.
Restart and validate the installation
- Stop the DayZ service and confirm the old process has exited.
- Verify that both mod folders are in the server root,
sumrak.bikeyis inkeys, and the selected mission folder is inmpmissions. - Confirm
serverDZ.cfgpoints to the exact Namalsk mission folder and that the launch command includes both mod names. - Start the server and wait for the normal startup sequence to finish.
- Open the newest server and profile logs. Look for successful loading of Namalsk Island, Namalsk Survival and the selected mission.
- Check for missing-mod, missing-key, PBO, XML, JSON or mission-template errors before sharing the address with players.
- Connect with a client that has both Workshop components installed. Confirm the Namalsk terrain loads, the intended Regular or Hardcore rules apply, and the server can save and restart normally.
A clean startup is more meaningful than simply seeing the process in Task Manager. A server can remain running while failing to load the requested map or while rejecting signed Namalsk files.
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“Mod not found,” PBO or startup errors
- Check that
@Namalsk Islandand@Namalsk Survivalare both in the actual server root, not only in a Steam client cache. - Compare each folder name with the spelling in
-mod, including spaces. - Confirm the upload or Workshop installation completed; an incomplete folder can contain a mod directory without all required PBO files.
- Restart after correcting the path and inspect the new log rather than relying on an old error.
Missing-key or signature errors
Check for sumrak.bikey in the server’s keys directory. If a managed installer claims to install keys automatically, inspect the live directory and log first. Copying the key into a different folder, or into only the client installation, will not fix server-side verification.
The server starts on the wrong map
Set the mission/template manually in serverDZ.cfg using the exact folder name under mpmissions. Do not assume that a host’s “Namalsk” button selected the right preset. If the panel exposes both a map and mission field, set both to the supplied Namalsk values and restart.
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Loot, vehicles or temperature do not match the preset
Confirm that the intended Regular or Hardcore mission is selected. Regular supplies basic vehicles, full building and November temperature values; Hardcore removes vehicles, limits construction to stashes and small tents, and uses December values. If you have edited the mission, inspect its XML files for invalid syntax, accidental deletions or coordinates copied from another map.
Players cannot connect after the server loads
First confirm the server log is free of key and PBO errors. Then verify that connecting clients have both official Workshop components installed and updated. A server-side installation does not automatically install the required client content.
A map switch damages the old world
Stop the service and restore the pre-change backup. Do not continue writing new Namalsk data into a save that belongs to the previous map. Once the original world is safe, make a separate copy and repeat the Namalsk setup with the mission and save paths checked.
Running Namalsk Island without Namalsk Survival
The official FAQ permits Namalsk Island and Namalsk Survival to run independently, but this is an advanced, non-standard arrangement. If you run only Namalsk Island, the official README says to remove the types_dzn.xml include from cfgeconomycore.xml; otherwise items supplied by the Survival package may be referenced in the economy configuration even though that package is absent.
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For a normal Namalsk Survival server, leave the supplied economy files intact and load both mods. Only choose the Island-only route when you understand the resulting economy and have a reason not to use the Survival gameplay package.
Player count and operational planning
The Namalsk author recommends a maximum of 30–40 players based on experience. This is practical guidance, not a dated benchmark or an independently measured capacity guarantee. Actual capacity depends on hardware, server settings, scripts, network conditions and player activity. Start below that range, monitor logs and server behavior, and increase the population cautiously rather than treating 40 as a promise.
Keep a repeatable maintenance routine: back up before mission or economy edits, record the exact mod versions and mission folder in use, restart after configuration changes, and retain logs from a known-good boot. These records make it easier to distinguish a Namalsk installation problem from a later XML or gameplay customization.
Namalsk server monetization rules
The official Namalsk README states: “You cannot monetize any server that is running Namalsk Island / Namalsk Survival mods!” That prohibition includes selling priority-queue access. The same policy allows donations only when donors receive nothing in return. Do not sell reserved slots, in-game advantages, queue priority or other benefits on a server running either Namalsk component. Review the current official README before adding any donation or payment system, because the policy governs the Namalsk mods rather than your hosting provider’s general terms.
Quick Recap
Final pre-launch checklist
- Both official Workshop components are installed and current on the server.
@Namalsk Islandand@Namalsk Survivalare present in the server root.sumrak.bikeyis in the server’skeysdirectory.- The chosen Regular or Hardcore mission is copied to
mpmissions. - The mission/template value exactly matches that folder name.
- The launch command includes both mod folders and uses the intended port and profiles path.
cfgGameplay.jsonhas been checked for settings that overrideserverDZ.cfg.- Namalsk XML files, rather than an unreviewed Chernarus or Livonia economy, are the basis for any custom loot edits.
- A backup exists and can be restored.
- The first restart’s logs show no missing mod, key, PBO, XML, JSON or mission errors.
- Clients have both required Workshop components before connection testing.
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