Editing ARK Server Configuration

ARK keeps two separate copies of the game configuration files (example: GameUserSettings.ini and Game.ini). One set is the default example that is reset by the game every time you turn it on, so you will want to make sure that you are editing the correct file which is located in the Saved directory. Depending on the platform (Windows or Linux), these files will be located in a different place. Akliz ARK servers use Linux.

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Start Your Server

You must start your ARK server at least once for the configuration files to be generated by the server.

Where to Find GameUserSettings.ini and Game.ini

First you will need to navigate to the directory that contains your server files. On Akliz, the base directory for your server is ark-survival-evolved which will contain the ShooterGame directory.

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GameUserSettings.ini on Akliz

Using the above table, if you needed to find your GameUserSettings.ini file on your Akliz server, you would find it at this location:
ark-survival-evolved/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini

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Important Notes for Editing ARK Config Files

• Before making any changes to your server's configuration files, stop your server.
• Copy your changes to a text editor such as NotePad just in case they get reset by the game. Typos, settings that aren't recognized by the game, or settings under an incorrect heading can cause it to get reset.
• Double check that settings you are adding are under the correct heading. For example, most settings in GameUserSettings.ini go under the [ServerSettings] heading, but could go under a different one.

GameUserSettings.ini Overview

This file gives you the ability to modify most of the game's settings to customize the way you play in your server. There are a lot of options to go over, so we'll share the most commonly used settings here. For a full explanation of all settings found in GameUserSettings.ini, we recommend checking the ARK Wiki which has detailed explanations for every setting that can be changed in the file.

Information in this table comes directly from the ARK Wiki. Most PvE settings have PvP counterparts, so you will need to decide which setting to use based on how you want to play.

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All of these options must be set under the [ServerSettings] heading. Some mods might have their own options and usually require you to add a heading for the mod.

If you're unsure how to set up the file yourself, ArkForum has helpfully created a tool to Generate GameUserSettings.ini files by just setting the options you want on the form.

Game.ini Overview

This file gives you more fine grained control over some specific settings in the game. For example, you can edit how many points in a specific stat you get per level for a player or your dinos. You can edit how many engrams you get as well. There are a lot of options and many of them are advanced. We will share some common and more simple settings you can change in the table below.

For a full explanation of the settings found in Game.ini, we recommend checking the ARK Wiki which has detailed explanations for every setting that can be changed in the file.

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All of these options must be set under the [/script/shootergame.shootergamemode] heading. Game.ini is empty by default so you will need to add the heading on its own line above any other settings.

Information in this table comes directly from the ARK Wiki.