Server Configuration

Configure your ARK Survival Ascended server settings

ARK: Survival Ascended Server Configuration

Configure your server through the Startup tab and configuration files.

Startup Tab Settings

Most basic settings are configured in the Startup tab:

Setting	Variable	Description
Server Map	SERVER_MAP	Map to load (e.g., TheIsland_WP)
Server Name	SESSION_NAME	Name in server browser
Max Players	MAX_PLAYERS	Maximum players (1-200)
Server Password	SERVER_PASSWORD	Password to join
Admin Password	ARK_ADMIN_PASSWORD	Admin/RCON password
Server PvE	SERVER_PVE	1 = PvE, 0 = PvP
BattlEye	BATTLE_EYE	1 = enabled, 0 = disabled
Auto Update	AUTO_UPDATE	Auto-update on restart

Additional Arguments

Two fields allow advanced configuration:

ARGS_PARAMS - Query string parameters (must connect with ?):

?ServerCrosshair=True?AllowThirdPersonPlayer=True?ShowMapPlayerLocation=True

ARGS_FLAGS - Command line flags (space-separated with -):

-ForceAllowCaveFlyers -NoBattlEye -crossplay

Configuration Files

Advanced settings are configured in INI files located at:

ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/

GameUserSettings.ini

The main configuration file for server settings.

1. Stop Your Server

   Always stop the server before editing config files

2. Open File Manager

   Navigate to ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/

3. Edit GameUserSettings.ini

   Click on the file to edit it

4. Save and Restart

   Save changes and restart the server

Common Settings

[ServerSettings]
ServerPassword=
ServerAdminPassword=YourAdminPassword
MaxPlayers=70
DifficultyOffset=1.0
ShowMapPlayerLocation=True
ServerCrosshair=True
AllowThirdPersonPlayer=True
RCONEnabled=True
RCONPort=37015
TheMaxStructuresInRange=10500.0
OxygenSwimSpeedStatMultiplier=1.0
TamingSpeedMultiplier=1.0
HarvestAmountMultiplier=1.0
XPMultiplier=1.0

Rate Multipliers

Configure experience, harvesting, and taming rates:

Setting	Description	Default
XPMultiplier	Experience gain rate	1.0
TamingSpeedMultiplier	Taming speed	1.0
HarvestAmountMultiplier	Resource harvesting	1.0
HarvestHealthMultiplier	Resource node health	1.0
ResourcesRespawnPeriodMultiplier	Resource respawn time	1.0
DayCycleSpeedScale	Day/night cycle speed	1.0
NightTimeSpeedScale	Night duration	1.0

Example Boosted Rates

[ServerSettings]
XPMultiplier=3.0
TamingSpeedMultiplier=5.0
HarvestAmountMultiplier=3.0

Player Settings

[ServerSettings]
PlayerDamageMultiplier=1.0
PlayerResistanceMultiplier=1.0
PlayerCharacterWaterDrainMultiplier=1.0
PlayerCharacterFoodDrainMultiplier=1.0
PlayerCharacterStaminaDrainMultiplier=1.0
PlayerCharacterHealthRecoveryMultiplier=1.0

Dino Settings

[ServerSettings]
DinoDamageMultiplier=1.0
DinoResistanceMultiplier=1.0
DinoCharacterFoodDrainMultiplier=1.0
DinoCharacterStaminaDrainMultiplier=1.0
DinoCharacterHealthRecoveryMultiplier=1.0
DinoCountMultiplier=1.0
MatingIntervalMultiplier=1.0
EggHatchSpeedMultiplier=1.0
BabyMatureSpeedMultiplier=1.0

Structure Settings

[ServerSettings]
StructureDamageMultiplier=1.0
StructureResistanceMultiplier=1.0
PvEStructureDecayPeriodMultiplier=1.0
PvEStructureDecayDestructionPeriod=0
TheMaxStructuresInRange=10500

Game.ini

Located in the same folder, used for advanced gameplay modifications:

[/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]
bAllowUnlimitedRespecs=True
bAllowPlatformSaddleMultiFloors=True
MaxNumberOfPlayersInTribe=70

PvP vs PvE Settings

For PvE Servers

Set in Startup tab:

• SERVER_PVE = 1

Additional INI settings:

[ServerSettings]
PreventDownloadSurvivors=False
PreventDownloadItems=False
PreventDownloadDinos=False

For PvP Servers

Set in Startup tab:

• SERVER_PVE = 0

Consider these settings:

[ServerSettings]
PreventOfflinePvP=True
PreventOfflinePvPInterval=900
PvPStructureDecay=True
DisablePvEGamma=True

RCON Configuration

RCON is enabled by default. Configure in Startup tab:

• RCON Port: 37015 (default)
• Admin Password: Used for RCON authentication

Using RCON

Connect with any RCON client using:

• Host: Your server IP
• Port: 37015 (or your RCON port)
• Password: Your admin password

Common RCON Commands

Command	Description
SaveWorld	Force world save
DoExit	Shutdown server
Broadcast <message>	Message all players
ListPlayers	List connected players
KickPlayer <SteamID>	Kick a player
BanPlayer <SteamID>	Ban a player
UnbanPlayer <SteamID>	Unban a player

Best Practices

Performance Tips:

• Start with lower player counts and increase gradually
• Monitor RAM usage in the panel
• Keep structure limits reasonable
• Regularly restart to clear memory

Configuration Tips:

• Always stop the server before editing INI files
• Back up your config files before making changes
• Test changes on a backup world first
• Document your custom settings