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ARK settings are split between two configuration files. Put server toggles, capacity, and most rates in GameUserSettings.ini under [ServerSettings]; put progression and other game-mode rebalancing in Game.ini under [/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]. Edit the file used by your operating system, save it, and restart the server. Because several defaults and even the correct location for MaxPlayers differ between community references and ARK builds, verify every change in your running server rather than assuming a guide’s value is universal.
Where ARK stores gameplay settings
An ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated server normally reads configuration from a ShooterGame/Saved/Config/ directory. Linux installations use LinuxServer; Windows installations use WindowsServer. The two files have different jobs, and placing a setting in the wrong file or section usually makes it appear to do nothing.
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| File | Section | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
GameUserSettings.ini |
[ServerSettings] |
Server rules and toggles, player capacity, difficulty-related server values, and most rate multipliers. |
Game.ini |
[/script/shootergame.shootergamemode] |
Game-mode rebalancing such as experience progression and engram points per level. |
Some options are not present in a newly generated file. Add a missing key manually beneath the correct section header. Keep one setting per line in the form Name=Value; Boolean values are written as True or False. A setting passed to the wrong section, or a Game.ini option appended to a launch command, will not produce the intended result.
A safe editing procedure
- Stop the server. Editing while the process is running can be overwritten when ARK saves its current configuration.
- Back up both files. Make a dated copy of
GameUserSettings.iniandGame.inibefore changing them. - Open the operating-system path. Navigate to
ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/orShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/. - Choose the correct file and section. Use
[ServerSettings]inGameUserSettings.inifor server rules; use[/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]inGame.inifor progression rebalancing. - Add or change only the required lines. Preserve existing section headers and avoid duplicate keys. If a key appears twice, the build or hosting panel may use only one occurrence.
- Save with the original filename and extension. Do not let a text editor turn an INI file into
.txt. - Start or restart the server. ARK does not apply these edits to an already running session. Have players reconnect after the restart.
- Test one change at a time. Join as an administrator, perform a small in-game check, and record the result before changing another group of values.
Gameplay toggles in GameUserSettings.ini
The following switches are commonly documented under [ServerSettings]. Their names and defaults are community-sourced rather than confirmed by a current Studio Wildcard reference, and capitalization can vary between guides. Treat the values below as a starting point and verify them on the ARK version you operate.
#1 Best Overall
- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dino herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety, and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes, and styles
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout
| Key | When True |
Community-listed default or note |
|---|---|---|
serverPVE |
Disables player-versus-player damage and rules, creating a PvE-style server. | False is listed by one community guide. |
serverHardcore |
A player’s death resets that character to level 1. | Default is not consistently documented; confirm in your build. |
allowThirdPersonPlayer |
Allows players to switch to a third-person camera. | Guides differ in casing; use the spelling generated by your build where possible. |
ShowMapPlayerLocation |
Shows the player’s own position on the map. | Community guides list False. |
proximityChat |
Limits voice or text communication to nearby players, according to the server’s chat implementation. | Community guides list False. |
AllowHitMarkers |
Displays hit markers for ranged attacks. | Community guides list False. |
A minimal example looks like this:
[ServerSettings]
serverPVE=True
serverHardcore=False
allowThirdPersonPlayer=True
ShowMapPlayerLocation=True
proximityChat=False
AllowHitMarkers=TrueDo not assume that enabling one camera or communication option changes every client-side privacy or HUD setting. Test with an ordinary player account as well as an administrator account, because admin privileges can make a feature appear available when it is not available to normal players.
Player capacity: why MaxPlayers needs testing
MaxPlayers controls the intended player limit, but its placement is one of the least reliable parts of community documentation. The ARK Official Community Wiki documents it in GameUserSettings.ini beneath [/Script/Engine.GameSession] and lists a default of 70. A Fandom discussion reports that this section did not take effect on that author’s server and that only a command-line value worked. Launch examples in community guides append ?MaxPlayers= to the server’s command line.
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Because those reports conflict, use a controlled check:
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- Official ARK: Survival Evolved licensed merchandise, turning one of ARK's best-known running jokes into a plush
- Approximately 5.1 x 5.1 in (13 x 13 cm) - small enough to sit on a desk or monitor stand
- Soft filled construction that keeps its shape on a shelf
- Works as the punchline alongside the rest of an ARK plush collection
- A gag gift for ARK players and survival game fans
- Back up the configuration and stop the server.
- Set the value in the documented GameUserSettings section, for example
MaxPlayers=20. - Restart and check the server browser or a direct connection from a second account.
- If the advertised limit remains unchanged, remove the ineffective entry and test the launch command’s query form, such as
?MaxPlayers=20, using the syntax supplied by your server launcher. - Confirm the limit after a second restart; a hosting control panel may regenerate the command line or overwrite the INI.
Do not describe 70 as a universal limit. It is a community-listed default associated with the wiki’s documented location, not a guarantee for every map, server build, or hosting configuration.
Rates and multipliers
Most rate multipliers are commonly shown with a default of 1.0. A value above 1 increases the corresponding rate; a value below 1 reduces it. The server’s displayed behavior can also be affected by single-player settings, map rules, mods, or an external control panel.
| Setting | Example | Practical effect |
|---|---|---|
TamingSpeedMultiplier |
5.0 |
Community examples describe taming as five times faster than a 1.0 setting. |
HarvestAmountMultiplier |
3.0 |
Community examples describe roughly three times as much wood per strike, subject to tool, creature, resource, and map rules. |
PlayerDamageMultiplier |
Value not fixed by the guides. | Scales damage dealt by players. |
DinoDamageMultiplier |
Value not fixed by the guides. | Scales damage dealt by tamed or wild dinosaurs according to the build’s rules. |
StructureDamageMultiplier |
Value not fixed by the guides. | Scales damage affecting structures. |
Place these lines under [ServerSettings] unless your specific build’s generated configuration documents a different section. Change one family at a time: for example, adjust taming speed, restart, and test a known creature before also changing harvest and damage. Multipliers are not guaranteed to combine linearly with every creature, difficulty, or mod, so use a repeatable test rather than inferring the final result from the number alone.
Progression settings belong in Game.ini
Experience curves, XP earned, and engram-point progression are game-mode settings. They belong in Game.ini below [/script/shootergame.shootergamemode], not in the server-settings block and not on the launch command line. Passing a Game.ini progression option as a command-line argument has no effect.
A single-player preset published on the Fandom wiki demonstrates a block containing DifficultyOffset, XPMultiplier, and TamingSpeedMultiplier, followed by additional multipliers under the game-mode section. That example is explicitly a single-player preset, not a general PvE or hardcore template. Copying it wholesale can produce a balance different from the one you intend; extract only the keys you understand and place each one in the section your running build expects.
Difficulty: treat defaults as build-dependent
Community guides commonly list DifficultyOffset with a default of 1.0 and OverrideOfficialDifficulty with a default of 0.0. Those guides say an override of 5.0 matches official-server creature levels. An older Game Walkthrough Universe page instead lists a default difficulty offset of 4. Because these values conflict, neither should be presented as an authoritative universal default.
Rank #4
- Official ARK: Survival Evolved licensed merchandise, featuring the Dodo sculpted in textured iron
- Compact pin measuring about 1.6 in (4 cm) across and 0.5 in (1.2 cm) thick - light enough for caps, denim and tote bags
- Raised, textured surface gives the design real depth instead of a flat printed look
- Made in Japan - the pin back attaches securely and sits flat without dragging the fabric down
- A gift for ARK players, survival game fans, and dinosaur enthusiasts
Before changing difficulty, record the current values, restart, and inspect newly spawned creatures or the server’s effective settings. If the world already contains creatures, changing difficulty may not retroactively alter every existing spawn; use the administrative respawn procedure appropriate to your server only after backing up the save. Never combine a difficulty change with several rate changes if you need to identify which setting caused an unexpected result.
Automatic mod management
A 2026 community guide describes the -automanagedmods launch option as a way for a dedicated server to download, install, and update Steam Workshop mods automatically. The guide specifies Steam compatibility; it does not establish equivalent behavior for other distribution platforms.
- Use the option only with a Steam-based server installation.
- Keep a save backup before the first automatic update.
- Expect a restart when a mod changes; clients may need to download the same version before joining.
- Check the server log and the Workshop item versions when a world fails to load after an update.
- Remove or disable the option if your hosting panel already manages mods, so two systems do not overwrite one another.
Common failure modes and fixes
The setting is ignored
- Verify the filename, section header, spelling, and capitalization.
- Confirm that the key is not duplicated later in the file.
- Check that the panel is editing the same LinuxServer or WindowsServer directory used at launch.
- Stop and restart the server; a map reload or player reconnect alone is insufficient.
MaxPlayers does not change
Test the documented [/Script/Engine.GameSession] location first, then test the launch query form. Inspect the generated launch command after every restart because a panel may replace your manual value.
Best Value
- Official ARK: Survival Evolved licensed merchandise, featuring the Tyrannosaurus sculpted in textured iron
- Compact pin measuring about 1.6 in (4 cm) across and 0.5 in (1.2 cm) thick - light enough for caps, denim and tote bags
- Raised, textured surface gives the design real depth instead of a flat printed look
- Made in Japan - the pin back attaches securely and sits flat without dragging the fabric down
- A gift for ARK players, survival game fans, and dinosaur enthusiasts
Progression changes do nothing
Move the option to Game.ini under [/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]. Remove the command-line copy, restart, and test with a newly earned amount of XP or engram points.
Players report different behavior
Check for single-player settings, map-specific rules, client-side options, and mods. Compare a clean test session with the live server and change only one variable between restarts.
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- Both INI files are backed up and stored in the active OS-specific directory.
- Every key is under the section that owns it.
- Boolean values use
TrueorFalse; numeric multipliers use a decimal such as1.0. - Capacity has been verified in-game or through a real connection test, not merely by reading the file.
- Difficulty values have been checked against the running build because published defaults conflict.
- The server was restarted after each edit.
- Players and mod clients are running compatible versions after any mod update.
The reliable way to configure ARK is therefore procedural: identify the setting’s owning file and section, make a small documented change, restart, and verify the result on the actual build. Community examples are useful for syntax and starting values, but they are not a substitute for testing your server’s generated configuration and launch command.
Quick Recap
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