The Tool Desk
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Do not delete the entire world folder. That is a world wipe, not a character reset. Make a copy of the complete world folder before editing so you can restore the original record if you select the wrong identifier.
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What a player-data reset actually does
An Abiotic Factor world stores shared progress and individual player records separately. The PlayerData directory contains the records associated with the players who have joined that world. Removing one matching record tells the server to treat that Steam account as a new character when it next connects.
- The selected character’s stored progress is removed.
- The shared world save remains in place.
- Other players’ records remain in place when their files or folders are untouched.
- The reset normally takes effect on that player’s next join after the server has been restarted.
A whole-world reset is a different operation. Replacing or deleting the world directory can remove shared construction, discovered areas and other world state in addition to player progress. Use that scope only when you intentionally want a new world.
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Before you edit anything
Confirm that this is the right kind of save
The procedure below is for a dedicated-server save. Dedicated servers use the SaveGames/Server/Worlds branch. A locally hosted or non-dedicated game uses a user-profile save location instead, so the server path described here will not be present in the same form.
Stop the server completely
Use the host panel’s stop control and wait until the server is fully offline before opening or deleting files. Shockbyte’s knowledgebase, dated February 3, 2025, specifically warns: “Ensure your server is stopped before making any changes to avoid data corruption.” A running process can rewrite the record while you are removing it, leaving a partial or inconsistent save.
Make a restorable copy
Copy the entire active world folder, not just the suspected player record. Keep that copy somewhere outside the live save location and do not overwrite it until the player confirms the reset. The published hosting guides establish where the files live and that the server should be stopped; they do not specify a universal backup command or retention period, so the copy is an operational safeguard rather than a host-specific guarantee.
Collect the exact identifier
Have the player’s SteamID or SteamID64 available from a trusted server record. Do not infer an identifier from a display name: names can change, and two accounts can use similar names. Verify every digit before deleting anything.
Find the active world and its PlayerData directory
For a typical dedicated installation, start at:
AbioticFactor/Saved/SaveGames/Server/Worlds/<WorldName>
Replace <WorldName> with the actual slot or world directory used by the server. Citadel Servers and Shockbyte document this structure. BisectHosting shows the same tree beneath /home/container in its panel, so its full example is:
/home/container/AbioticFactor/Saved/SaveGames/Server/Worlds/<WorldName>
Inside the selected world directory, open PlayerData. Each world has its own PlayerData directory; editing a different world slot, an old upload or a staging copy will not change the characters in the world currently running.
| What you are checking | Expected location or form | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated-server world root | AbioticFactor/Saved/SaveGames/Server/Worlds/<WorldName> |
This is the world-specific save branch documented by Citadel Servers and Shockbyte. |
| Container-style panel path | /home/container/AbioticFactor/Saved/SaveGames/Server/Worlds/<WorldName> |
BisectHosting displays the same tree beneath /home/container. |
| Per-player directory | <WorldName>/PlayerData |
This is the part to inspect for an individual reset. |
| Player record representation | A SteamID64-named folder or a file named for the player’s SteamID, depending on the host’s documented layout | Provider documentation describes both forms, so identify the exact matching item before deleting it. |
Reset one player: exact procedure
- Stop the server. Confirm the panel reports it as stopped rather than merely restarting or still shutting down.
- Open the live file manager, SFTP location or container browser. Work on the installation that the server actually launches, not an archived download or a spare world.
- Navigate to the world. Open
AbioticFactor, thenSaved,SaveGames,Server,Worlds, and finally the active<WorldName>directory. If your panel exposes/home/container, include that prefix. - Open
PlayerData. Do not enter a similarly named backup, upload or another world’s directory. - Match the player’s Steam identifier. Citadel describes a folder named for the player’s SteamID64. Shockbyte describes a file named for the player’s SteamID. Compare the complete identifier, character by character, with the trusted value you collected.
- Delete only the matching file or folder. Do not remove
PlayerDataitself, the parent world directory or records belonging to other accounts. - Keep your pre-change copy. It is your recovery path if the wrong record was selected or the player decides to retain the old character.
- Start the server again. Allow it to finish starting before asking the player to connect.
- Have the affected player join. Citadel states that the player’s data will be reset the next time they join; BisectHosting likewise directs a restart after the deletion. The server should create fresh player data for that account while leaving the world save available.
- Verify the result in-game. Check that the player starts without the former character’s stored progress and that shared world content and other players’ characters are still present.
Choosing the correct record when hosts show different layouts
Do not assume that every control panel presents PlayerData identically. The operation is the same, but the item to remove can be a file or a folder.
SteamID64 folder
Citadel Servers describes a SteamID64 folder inside PlayerData. In that layout, the folder name is the identifier. Delete that one folder only after comparing it with the player’s verified SteamID64.
SteamID-named file
Shockbyte describes a file named for the player’s SteamID. In that layout, remove the matching file rather than the containing PlayerData directory.
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When the name does not match
Stop and investigate if no item matches the identifier exactly. Possible explanations include an incorrect world slot, a stale upload, a different account identifier or a local/non-dedicated save. Guessing and deleting the closest-looking item risks resetting another player.
What stays and what disappears
| Action | Individual player progress | Shared world state | Other players |
|---|---|---|---|
Delete one matching item in PlayerData |
The selected player’s stored record is removed and regenerated on the next join. | Stays in the active world save. | Stays, provided their records are not touched. |
| Delete or replace the entire world directory | Can remove all records associated with that world. | Can remove or replace shared world progress. | Can affect every player in that world. |
Upload a world while preserving its PlayerData |
Player progress represented in that directory is retained. | Depends on which world files are uploaded. | Records in the preserved directory remain available. |
XGamingServer’s save-upload documentation treats PlayerData as a distinct part of a world upload and notes that uploading it preserves player progress. That separation is why deleting one identifier-specific item is narrower than replacing the world.
Recovery if the wrong player was reset
- Keep the server stopped. Do not allow new data to overwrite the state you are trying to restore.
- Open the backup of the complete world folder. Locate the original PlayerData item and confirm its identifier.
- Restore only that original item to the live world’s
PlayerDatadirectory, preserving the same file-or-folder form and name. - Start the server and test with the affected account. If the restored character appears, ask the player to confirm that the expected progress is back.
- Retain the backup until everyone has verified the result. Do not delete it immediately after the first successful login.
If the live server has already generated a new record for the account, keep that new item separate while restoring the old copy so you can reverse the change. The exact merge or conflict behavior is not specified by the published hosting instructions; when in doubt, stop and ask the host’s support team rather than overwriting multiple records.
Dedicated server versus local or non-dedicated saves
Dedicated server
Use the AbioticFactor/Saved/SaveGames/Server/Worlds tree and edit the active world’s PlayerData directory while the server is stopped. This is the workflow described by the hosting documentation.
Local or non-dedicated host
A local host keeps saves in a user-profile location rather than the dedicated-server tree. The same principle applies—identify the correct world and the affected player record—but the exact path depends on the operating system and how the game was launched.
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A Steam Community report describes deleting both the affected server-side PlayerData and local save data before the player was recognized as new. That report is anecdotal, not a universal procedure. Back up first and use it only when a local save is clearly retaining the old identity after the dedicated record has been removed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting: when the old character still appears
The server was not fully stopped
Stop it again, wait for the offline state, confirm the deletion, and then start it. Editing while the process is active can allow the old record to be written back or can corrupt the save.
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The wrong world was edited
Compare the world name in the running server’s configuration or panel with the directory you changed. Each world has its own PlayerData directory. A correct deletion in an inactive slot has no effect on the current session.
The identifier was wrong
Check the full SteamID or SteamID64, including every digit. A display name is not a substitute for the account identifier. If you deleted another record, restore the pre-change copy before attempting the correct reset.
A stale upload or duplicate installation was changed
Panels can contain old uploads, backups and live files side by side. Confirm that the path belongs to the installation launched by the server, then repeat the stop, backup and identifier checks.
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The player joined before the restart
Restart the server after the deletion and have the player connect only after startup completes. Citadel and BisectHosting both describe the reset as taking effect on a subsequent join.
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If the account still appears old on a non-dedicated or locally hosted game, check the local save as well. Back up that data first; the community report about removing local data is anecdotal and should not replace a controlled restore plan.
Host and platform considerations
Windows-style file manager
A Windows-oriented panel may display the path as nested folders beginning with AbioticFactor. Follow the tree one directory at a time and use the panel’s download or copy function for the backup.
Container or Linux-style panel
A container panel may prepend /home/container. The additional prefix changes where you start browsing, not the world and PlayerData structure beneath it.
Changing hosts
Moving the server is not required for a one-player reset. A host change is relevant only if you cannot access the active save, cannot stop and back up the server safely, or need support recovering a mistaken deletion. Before moving anything, preserve the entire world folder and confirm whether PlayerData is included; XGamingServer’s documentation specifically distinguishes that directory because omitting it can change what player progress survives an upload.
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Final pre-start checklist
- The server is fully stopped.
- The selected world name matches the world currently used by the server.
- A copy of the complete world folder is stored outside the live save path.
- You opened that world’s
PlayerDatadirectory. - The SteamID or SteamID64 was verified exactly.
- Only the matching file or folder is selected for deletion.
- The original backup will be kept until the player confirms the reset.
- The server will be restarted before the player joins.
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