This commands are used either in the command line while starting the server or in the GameUserSettings.INI. Not every command is working in the INI File or in the Command-Line. These lists are split in two different tables, but some of the settings from the INI work in the Command-Line and vice versa (lat. for other way).
If you don’t know, where to put them: take a look at our Server Setup Tutorial.
GameUserSettings.ini
| <map_name> | string | None | (command line only) Specifies the map to use for gameplayNote: This option is mandatory and must be the first option specified on the command line. As of this writing, the only map available is TheIsland. |
| listen | N/A | None | (command line only) Listen for (and accept) player connections from other systemsNote: This option is mandatory for multiplayer servers. |
| alwaysNotifyPlayerJoined | boolean | False | Players will always get notified if someone joins the server |
| alwaysNotifyPlayerLeft | boolean | False | Players will always get notified if someone leaves the server |
| allowThirdPersonPlayer | boolean | False | Enables 3rd Person view |
| globalVoiceChat | boolean | False | Voice chat turns global |
| ShowMapPlayerLocation | boolean | False | Show each player their own precise position when they view their map |
| noTributeDownloads | boolean | False | Disables downloading characters from other servers |
| proximityChat | boolean | False | Only players near each other can see their chat messages |
| serverPVE | boolean | False | Disables PvP, enables PvE |
| serverHardcore | boolean | False | Enables hardcore mode (player characters revert to level 1 upon death) |
| serverForceNoHud | boolean | False | HUD always disabled |
| DisableStructureDecayPvE | boolean | False | Disable the gradual (7 days) decay of player structures |
| DisableDinoDecayPvE | boolean | False | Disable the gradual (7 days) decay of dinosaur ownership. Without this set to true, every dinosaur can be claimed by any player. |
| AllowFlyerCarryPvE | boolean | False | Permit flying dinosaurs to pick up other dinosaurs and players when mounted by a player in PvE |
| MaxStructuresInRange | integer | Unknown | Specifies the maximum number of structures that can be constructed within a certain (currently hard-coded) range. |
| MaxPlayers | integer | 70 | Specifies the maximum number of players that can play on the server simultaneously. Must be placed under [/script/engine.gamesession] in GameUserSettings.ini to function when not used in the command line. |
| DifficultyOffset | float | 0.2 | Specifies the difficulty level. |
| ServerPassword | string | None | If specified, players must provide this password to join the server. |
| ServerAdminPassword | string | None | If specified, players must provide this password (via the in-game console) to gain access to administrator commands on the server. |
| SpectatorPassword | string | None | To use non-admin spectator, the server must specify a spectator password. Then any client can use these console commands: requestspectator <password> and stopspectating. See patch 191.0 for more information and hotkeys. |
| DayCycleSpeedScale | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for the passage of time in the ARK, controlling how often day changes to night and night changes to day. The default value 1 provides the same cycle speed as the singleplayer experience (and the official public servers). Values lower than 1 slow down the cycle; higher values accelerate it. Base time when value is 1 appears to be 1 minute real time equals approx. 28 minutes game time. Thus, for an approximate 24 hour day/night cycle in game, use .035 for the value. |
| NightTimeSpeedScale | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for the passage of time in the ARK during night time. This value determines the length of each night, relative to the length of each day (as specified by DayTimeSpeedScale. Lowering this value increases the length of each night. |
| DayTimeSpeedScale | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for the passage of time in the ARK during the day. This value determines the length of each day, relative to the length of each night (as specified by NightTimeSpeedScale. Lowering this value increases the length of each day. |
| DinoDamageMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for the damage dinosaurs deal with their attacks. The default value 1 provides normal damage. Higher values increase damage. Lower values decrease it. |
| PlayerDamageMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for the damage players deal with their attacks. The default value 1 provides normal damage. Higher values increase damage. Lower values decrease it. |
| StructureDamageMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for the damage structures deal with their attacks (i.e. spiked walls). The default value 1 provides normal damage. Higher values increase damage. Lower values decrease it. |
| PlayerResistanceMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for the resistance to damage players receive when attacked. The default value 1 provides normal damage. Higher values decrease resistance, increasing damage per attack. Lower values increase it, reducing damage per attack. A value of 0.5 results in a player taking half damage while a value of 2.0 would result in taking double normal damage. |
| DinoResistanceMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for the resistance to damage dinosaurs receive when attacked. The default value 1 provides normal damage. Higher values decrease resistance, increasing damage per attack. Lower values increase it, reducing damage per attack. A value of 0.5 results in a dino taking half damage while a value of 2.0 would result in a dino taking double normal damage. |
| StructureResistanceMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for the resistance to damage structures receive when attacked. The default value 1 provides normal damage. Higher values decrease resistance, increasing damage per attack. Lower values increase it, reducing damage per attack. A value of 0.5 results in a structure taking half damage while a value of 2.0 would result in a structure taking double normal damage. |
| XPMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for the experience received by players, tribes and dinosaurs for various actions. The default value 1 provides the same amounts of experience as in the singleplayer experience (and official public servers). Higher values increase XP amounts awarded for various actions; lower values decrease it. |
| PvEStructureDecayPeriodMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for the decay rate of player structures in PvE mode. The specific effect(s) of this option and its range of valid values are unknown as of this writing.[1] |
| PvEStructureDecayDestructionPeriod | Unknown | 0 | Specifies the time required for player structures to decay in PvE mode. The specific effect(s) of this option and its range of valid values are unknown as of this writing.[1] |
| PvEDinoDecayPeriodMultiplier | Unknown | 1.0 | … (since 241.4) |
| TamingSpeedMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for dinosaur taming speed. Higher values make taming faster. |
| HarvestAmountMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for yields from all harvesting activities (chopping down trees, picking berries, carving carcasses, mining rocks, etc.). Higher values increase the amount of materials harvested with each strike. |
| HarvestHealthMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for the “health” of items that can be harvested (trees, rocks, carcasses, etc.). Higher values increase the amount of damage (i.e. “number of strikes”) such objects can withstand before being destroyed, which results in higher overall harvest yields. |
| MaxPlatformSaddleStructureLimit | integer | unknown | Changes the maximum number of platformed-creatures/rafts allowed on the ARK (a potential performance cost) Example: MaxPlatformSaddleStructureLimit=10 would only allow 10 platform saddles / rafts across the entire ark (added Patch 212.1) |
| PerPlatformMaxStructuresMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Higher number increases (on a percentage scale) max number of items place-able on saddles and rafts Example: PerPlatformMaxStructuresMultiplier=1.5 (added Patch 211.0) |
| ResourcesRespawnPeriodMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for the respawn rate for resource nodes (trees, rocks, bushes, etc.). Lower values cause nodes to respawn more frequently. |
| PlayerCharacterWaterDrainMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for player characters’ water consumption. Higher values increase water consumption (player characters get thirsty faster). |
| PlayerCharacterFoodDrainMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for player characters’ food consumption. Higher values increase food consumption (player characters get hungry faster). |
| PlayerCharacterStaminaDrainMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for player characters’ stamina consumption. Higher values increase stamina consumption (player characters get tired faster). |
| PlayerCharacterHealthRecoveryMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for player characters’ health recovery. Higher values increase the recovery rate (player characters heal faster). |
| DinoCharacterFoodDrainMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for dinosaurs’ food consumption. Higher values increase food consumption (dinosaurs get hungry faster). |
| DinoCharacterStaminaDrainMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for dinosaurs’ stamina consumption. Higher values increase stamina consumption (dinosaurs get tired faster). |
| DinoCharacterHealthRecoveryMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for dinosaurs’ health recovery. Higher values increase the recovery rate (dinosaurs heal faster). |
| DinoCountMultiplier | float | 1.0 | Specifies the scaling factor for dinosaur spawns. Higher values increase the number of dinosaurs spawned throughout the ARK. |
| AllowCaveBuildingPvE | boolean | False | If set to True, allows building in caves when PvE mode is also enabled. (Patch 194.0) |
| BanListURL | URL | "http://playark.com/banlist.txt" | Use the official global ban list, or point to any online ban list that you want. Must be enclosed in double quotes. (Patch 201.0) |
| PvPStructureDecay | boolean | false | Turns off structure decay on PvP servers. |
Options for Command Line ONLY
| -allcores | deprecated option to utilize all available server cores |
| -AllowAnyoneBabyImprintCuddle=true | Use this if you want ANYONE to be able to “take care” of a Baby Dino (cuddle etc), not just whomever Imprinted on it. |
| -ClearOldItems | Official PvP servers one-time Clearance of all old unequipped items (with the exception of blueprints, eatables, notes, and quest items), to ensure fairness after Item Duplication bug exploit. Server admins can enforce this once if they run with this command argument (will only work ONCE on pre-update save games) Patch 178.0 |
| -culture=en | You can also directly override the language by using this commandline |
| -d3d10 | The game is forced to use DX10 instead of DX11 by sm4. Be sure to launch it accurately, you are not going to miss out on anything. Only for Windows |
| -DisableImprintDinoBuff=true | Use this to disable the Dino Imprinting-Player Stat Bonus, if you don’t like it (where whomever specifically imprinted on the Dino, and Raised it to have an Imprinting Quality, gets extra Damage/Resistance buff) |
| -EnableIdlePlayerKick | Cause characters that have not moved or interacted within the KickIdlePlayersPeriod to be kicked. |
| -EnableExtraStructurePreventionVolumes=true | Use this to completely disable building in specific resource-rich areas, in particular setup on TheIsland around the major mountains. |
| -ForceAllowCaveFlyers | Force Flyer dinos to be allowed into caves (Flyers able to go into caves by default on custom maps) |
| -ForceRespawnDinos | Official Servers?? Relaunching with this command to destroy all wild creatures to flush out NPC’s to new Biome configurations. (this will only destroy wild creatures that are NOT currently being tamed |
| -gameplaylogging | Survival of the Fittest servers can launch with this commandline option to output a dated log file to \Saved folder, which will contain a timestamped kill & winners log listing steam id, steam name, character name, etc. Handy for automatic Tournament records… |
| -insecure | Disable Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) system. Only possible on Windows Servers |
| -lowmemory | Launch options that reduces graphics and audio effects to save about 800 MB RAM, likely enabling 4GB RAM players to get past infinite-loading screens |
| -MapModID=######### | Dedicated servers can now optionally load custom maps via ModID diectly, rather than having to specify the map name directly, using this syntax (where the MapModID is the Steam Workshop FileID of your custom map, and the GameModIds are the Id’s of the stacked mods you wish to use, in order) |
| -noantispeedhack | Anti speedhack detection is now enabled by default — to disable it, use this server commandline |
| -nocombineclientmoves | Server player-move-physics optimization is now enabled by default (improves perf) — to disable it, use this server commandline |
| -noninlinesaveload | Fixed a savegame corruption case with large savegames: this is experimental, so try with this command, if you have any saves that don’t load. We’ll formally roll this loader change out in a subsequent patch after we’re 100% certain it has no side effects. |
| -nomansky | Lots of detailed sky features are disabled, such as clouts and starry night sky. This decreases all of those but you can still have them. You still obtain the stars, the sun, and the moon. This just helps you remove the sparkling stars that make you sightless at night |
| -OverideStructurePlatformPrevention=true | Use this if you want Auto-Turrets to be buildable/working on those Dino saddle platforms 😉 |
| -PreventOfflinePvP=true | Use this to enable the offline raiding prevention option. |
| -PreventOfflinePvPInterval=900 | That would be a 15 min wait before a tribe/players dinos/structures become invulnerable/inactive after they log off. (if Tribe, requires ALL Tribe members logged off!) |
| -ShowFloatingDamageText=true | Use this to enable RPG-style popup text stat mode. |
| -servergamelog | Enable Server Admin Logs (including RCON support) use RCON command “getgamelog” to print 100 entries at a time also outputs to dated file in in “\Logs”, adjust max length of RCON buffer with commandline: “?RCONServerGameLogBuffer=600” |
| -server | deprecated option for server mode |
| -sm4 | The game is forced to use Shader Model 4 instead of the Shader Model 5 as usual. Well, there is no much difference, the game still looks and feels the same, but you can obtain better performance (Windows only?) (reported to increase frames but changes the game lighting). Only Windows |
| -StructureDestructionTag=DestroySwampSnowStructures | One-Time Auto-Structure Demolish on Swamp and Snow Zones: To do this, which you can only execute once after updating to v216, run your server or game with this commandline |
| -USEALLAVAILABLECORES | All of your CPU cores will be used, if all of them are not being utilized after using this launch option, then try to disable it! |
| -UseBattlEye | Enables Battleye |
| -usecache | ~70% faster loading speed option. Choose “Experiment Fast Load Cache” launch option (use add “-usecache” to your launch commandline manually). After the first & second times that you start the game & load will be still be slow, but the third time onwards will be fast. This is testing a new caching method. If it works well, will then ship with the prebuilt cached files so that it’ll always be fast even first-time, and we’ll do this for all the maps as well. |
| -vday | Activate Valentine’s Day Event |
Game.INI Configuration
These configurations have been exported to a different page. Click here
Location of the Config Files
| Linux | GameUserSettings.ini | ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/ |
| Linux | Game.ini | ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/ |
| Windows | GameUserSettings.ini | ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/ |
| Windows | Game.ini | ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/ |
Sources: Ark-Dev-Kit, Steam-Dev Notes and Gamepedia