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For ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA), configure most server behavior in two INI files under ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/: GameUserSettings.ini for server basics and rates, and Game.ini for deeper gameplay rules. Stop the server before editing, use the exact section headings, and set the player cap with the launch flag -WinLiveMaxPlayers=N. ASA is the focus here; ARK: Survival Evolved uses different files and keys.
What you need to configure an ASA server
You need access to the machine or hosting panel that starts the dedicated server, permission to edit text files, and a backup of the current save and configuration. Configuration changes are safest when made against a copy of the save, because an incorrect multiplier or gameplay override can materially change progression.
- A running ASA dedicated server: Start it once so the server can create its configuration files, then shut it down cleanly before editing.
- File access: On a self-hosted installation, the relevant directory is
ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/. The same path is used on Linux hosts even though the operating system is different. A rented host may expose the files through a web editor or FTP-style file manager. - A restart window: Settings normally take effect after the server restarts. Keep players informed and avoid editing while the process is still running.
- A rollback plan: Copy both INI files and the save before changing several values. If one change causes a problem, restore the backup rather than trying to guess which line was responsible.
ASA updates can change key names, defaults and launch arguments. The names below come from third-party guides and community reports, not a retrieved Studio Wildcard reference, so verify volatile keys against the current ARK Community Wiki or other current documentation before deploying them on a public server.
Where the ARK configuration files are located
Both primary files are in:
ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/The files are:
| File | Use it for | Section normally used |
|---|---|---|
GameUserSettings.ini |
Server basics, passwords, XP, taming, harvesting, difficulty, PvE rules and display-related server options | [ServerSettings] |
Game.ini |
Deeper gameplay overrides, including breeding and imprinting behavior, per-level stat gains, engrams and loot rules | [/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameMode] |
Do not create a similarly named file in the parent directory or in a client’s local ARK folder. The dedicated server reads the files from its own WindowsServer configuration directory. A file in the wrong location can look valid in a text editor while having no effect at all.
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Safe editing procedure
- Launch the server once. This gives ASA an opportunity to generate
GameUserSettings.iniand its surrounding directory structure. - Stop the server completely. Wait for the process to exit and for the host panel to show it as stopped. A running process may write its in-memory values back to disk during shutdown.
- Back up the files and save. Make dated copies of
GameUserSettings.ini,Game.iniand the world save before changing anything. - Open the correct file in a plain-text editor. Preserve the INI syntax. Do not add Markdown formatting, smart quotes or rich-text characters.
- Check the section heading. Put server-wide settings below
[ServerSettings]inGameUserSettings.ini. Put gameplay overrides below[/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameMode]inGame.ini. - Change one setting or one related group at a time. Record the old and new values in a change log so you can reverse a problem quickly.
- Save, then start the server. Watch the startup log or panel for errors, connect with a test character, and verify the behavior in-game.
- Stop and start once more to check persistence. Reopen the files after the second restart. If your edits disappeared, the server or host panel overwrote them, or you edited a file that ASA does not read.
This stop-edit-start sequence matters more than the editor you use. Guides consistently warn that a live server can overwrite manual INI changes when it shuts down.
Configure common server settings in GameUserSettings.ini
Most frequently adjusted server-wide values belong under [ServerSettings]. The following block illustrates the syntax and the example values reported by a 2026 third-party guide. These are starting examples, not ASA defaults or recommended universal settings.
[ServerSettings]
XPMultiplier=2.0
TamingSpeedMultiplier=5.0
HarvestAmountMultiplier=3.0
DifficultyOffset=1.0
OverrideOfficialDifficulty=5.0| Setting | Example value | What it changes | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
XPMultiplier |
2.0 |
Experience gain rate | Example from one 2026 guide; not an official default |
TamingSpeedMultiplier |
5.0 |
Taming speed | Example value; test with the creatures and food settings on your server |
HarvestAmountMultiplier |
3.0 |
Amount obtained when harvesting | Example value; resource balance changes with the rest of your rules |
DifficultyOffset |
1.0 |
Difficulty scaling input | Do not assume this line alone sets a particular wild-dino level |
OverrideOfficialDifficulty |
5.0 |
Overrides the official difficulty value | Community sources associate this value with a level-150 maximum, but the interaction with DifficultyOffset is not resolved here |
Other values commonly kept in this file include the admin password, autosave-related settings, PvE rules and display options. Use the exact key spelling supplied by current ASA documentation; an unknown key can be ignored without an obvious error.
Set the maximum player count correctly
For ASA, use the launch argument -WinLiveMaxPlayers=N, replacing N with the desired cap. The argument uses a single dash and belongs in the command or launch-parameter field that starts the dedicated server.
-WinLiveMaxPlayers=20A community Steam report found that the query-style form ?WinLiveMaxPlayers= failed while the single-dash form worked. Another guide lists ?MaxPlayers=, but that query parameter has also been reported as ineffective for ASA. Treat the launch flag as the documented method rather than relying on an INI entry.
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Some guides describe MaxPlayers in an INI file as an older Evolved-only key and warn that setting only that value can silently return the cap to 70. A Steam user reported that an entry may be written automatically after a successful start, so seeing a MaxPlayers line does not make it the authoritative control. Set and verify -WinLiveMaxPlayers=N in the actual launch command, then test by checking the server browser and attempting connections up to the intended limit.
Understand launch parameters and precedence
Launch-line arguments take priority over values in the configuration files. This includes parameters such as:
-WinLiveMaxPlayers=Nfor the ASA player cap-mods=...for a mod list-port=...for the listening port?SessionName=...for the session name
If a launch argument and an INI line attempt to control the same behavior, troubleshoot the launch command first. A panel may append its own arguments after the ones you enter, effectively overriding your file. Copy the complete final command shown by the host and inspect it for duplicate or conflicting options.
For mods, community documentation describes both the -mods= launch argument and an ActiveMods INI entry. When an ordered list is used, the left-most mod ID has the highest priority. Confirm the current syntax and ID order for your ASA version before changing a live modded save.
Set ports, session details and administration
A secondary guide recommends passing the game port with -port= at launch rather than relying on the ServerPort INI value, which it describes as unreliable. For example:
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-port=7777The exact port must also be available through the host firewall, router or provider network policy. If the server starts but cannot be found, confirm the externally exposed port in the hosting panel and check whether the provider rewrites the launch command.
The admin password is listed in GameUserSettings.ini, under [ServerSettings]. Keep it unique, avoid sharing the file publicly, and restart after changing it. A session name is commonly supplied as a launch query such as ?SessionName=YourServerName; because launch arguments have precedence, edit that value where the server is launched if a panel keeps restoring an old name.
Use Game.ini for deeper gameplay rules
When you need to alter breeding, imprinting, per-level stat gains, engrams or loot behavior, use Game.ini and the heading:
[/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameMode]These are not interchangeable with [ServerSettings]. Putting a Game.ini override into GameUserSettings.ini, or placing it under the wrong heading, is one of the most common reasons a setting appears to do nothing.
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Wild dinosaur level settings: what is known and what is not
Sources disagree about the exact combination required for wild creature levels. One says OverrideOfficialDifficulty=5.0 produces a maximum wild level of 150. Another says DifficultyOffset alone will not do so and that both values must be set together. Since that conflict has not been resolved against an official ASA reference, do not promise a level cap based on one line.
If you are testing this configuration, place the values under [ServerSettings], restart the server, and verify actual spawns in a backup world. Record the map, ASA version and any spawn-clearing procedure used, because existing creatures do not necessarily change simply because the INI value changed. Confirm the result against the current ARK Community Wiki before using it as a public-server rule.
Why an ARK setting does nothing
- Wrong file: Rates and server basics were placed in
Game.ini, or a breeding/engrams override was placed inGameUserSettings.ini. - Wrong section: The key is outside
[ServerSettings]or[/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameMode]. - Wrong directory: You edited a client configuration or a folder other than
ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/. - The server was still running: Shutdown wrote the old in-memory configuration over your edit.
- A launch argument won: The panel or command line supplied a higher-priority value.
- Stale generated files: A host panel regenerated the INI from a template when the service restarted.
- Unsupported or mistyped key: ASA ignored an Evolved-era name or a spelling error.
Diagnose in that order: stop the process, inspect the exact path and section, compare the final launch command, then make one small change and restart. Reopen the file after restarting to see whether the line persisted.
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When Game.ini is missing or overrides are not read
An older Steam discussion described a server that did not create the expected Game.ini folder and therefore did not read overrides. That report is not a current ASA behavior guarantee. If your overrides fail, first confirm the filename, capitalization and path, then create or edit the file only in the server’s WindowsServer configuration directory and ensure the required [/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameMode] heading is present.
Restart after saving and test with a reversible setting. If a hosting panel regenerates the file, use its designated configuration editor or startup-template feature rather than editing a transient copy. Keep the original backup so you can compare what the panel changed.
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Self-hosting versus a rented control panel
| Consideration | Self-hosted server | Rented host with a control panel |
|---|---|---|
| File access | Direct access to WindowsServer files and startup scripts |
Usually a web editor, file manager or support-assisted access |
| Launch flags | You control the complete command, including -WinLiveMaxPlayers and -port= |
The panel may hide, append or rewrite arguments; inspect its final command representation |
| Restarts and updates | You schedule restarts, backups and updates | The provider may automate restarts and templates, which can overwrite manual edits |
| Troubleshooting | Full access to process and logs, but you handle networking | Less system access, with provider tools for ports, backups and service status |
Whichever model you use, the ASA workflow remains the same: edit the correct file while stopped, verify the launch command, restart, and confirm that the change survives another shutdown.
A repeatable validation checklist
- Confirm the server is ASA, not Evolved, and note its current version and map.
- Back up the save and both INI files.
- Start once if the configuration directory has not yet been generated.
- Stop the server and verify the process is gone.
- Put each key in its documented file and section.
- Use
-WinLiveMaxPlayers=Nfor the player cap and inspect the complete launch command for conflicts. - Use
-port=...when the host documentation says the INI port value is unreliable. - Change one related setting group, then save as plain text.
- Restart and test in a backup world or with a disposable character.
- Stop and restart again, then confirm the lines and behavior remain.
- If the result differs from expectations, restore the backup and verify the key against current ASA documentation before trying another value.
Keeping a server maintainable
Maintain a short change log containing the date, ASA version, map, old value, new value and observed result. Keep launch parameters in the same record as INI edits; otherwise a later administrator may “fix” a file while an overriding command-line option remains active. Review the configuration after ASA updates, because a previously accepted key, default or launch flag may change.
Finally, treat example multipliers as policy decisions, not magic numbers. Higher XP, taming and harvest rates shorten progression and alter the value of existing resources. Test the experience you want players to have, document the choice, and make changes during a planned restart rather than while the world is active.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this guide apply to ARK: Survival Evolved?
No. The file locations and keys described here are scoped to ARK: Survival Ascended. Evolved uses different configuration details, so use documentation for that edition instead.
Why did my INI edit disappear after I stopped the server?
ASA or the hosting panel may have written its running values back to disk. Stop the server before editing, save a backup, restart, and then reopen the file to confirm the line persisted.
Should I set MaxPlayers in GameUserSettings.ini?
Use the ASA launch flag -WinLiveMaxPlayers=N. Community reports describe the INI key as an older Evolved-era setting or an automatically generated line, and query-style MaxPlayers parameters have been reported as unreliable.
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