All of your Enshrouded server's settings live in one file, enshrouded_server.json. This guide explains every part of it in plain words, so you can shape the game around your group.
Before you change anything
Follow this order every time. Skipping it is the most common reason settings "don't save".
- Stop the server in the Game Panel.
- Open Files and click
enshrouded_server.json. - Make your changes and click Save Content.
- Start the server.
The server writes its settings back to the file when it shuts down. If you edit the file while the server runs, your changes are overwritten.
If the server won't start after an edit, the file has a typo. Every line except the last one in a section needs a comma at the end, and text values need quote marks.
Difficulty presets
The fastest way to change the game is the gameSettingsPreset line:
"gameSettingsPreset": "Default",| Preset | What it does |
|---|---|
Default | The standard game. Keen Games recommends it for first-time players. |
Relaxed | Fewer enemies, more resources and loot. Great for groups who mostly want to build. |
Hard | More enemies, and they are more aggressive. |
Survival | Aggressive enemies plus extra survival mechanics, like hunger. |
Custom | Unlocks every individual setting below. |
Custom game settings
Set the preset to Custom to tune individual settings. These live in the gameSettings section.
Important: the server only reads
gameSettingswhen the preset isCustom. With any other preset, your custom values are ignored.
Most settings are a factor. 1 is normal, 2 is double and 0.5 is half. If you enter a number outside the allowed range, the server uses the nearest allowed value.
Player settings
| Setting | What it changes | Range |
|---|---|---|
playerHealthFactor | Maximum health | 0.25 to 4 |
playerManaFactor | Maximum mana | 0.25 to 4 |
playerStaminaFactor | Maximum stamina | 0.25 to 4 |
playerBodyHeatFactor | How long you last in the cold | 0.5 to 2 |
playerDivingTimeFactor | Time you can stay underwater | 0.5 to 2 |
shroudTimeFactor | Time you can spend in the Shroud | 0.5 to 2 |
foodBuffDurationFactor | How long food buffs last | 0.5 to 2 |
Survival settings
| Setting | What it changes | Options |
|---|---|---|
enableStarvingDebuff | Turns hunger and starvation on | true / false |
enableDurability | Weapons wear out and break | true / false |
tombstoneMode | What you drop when you die | AddBackpackMaterials (default), Everything, NoTombstone |
curseModifier | Shroud curse chance | Easy (off), Normal, Hard (double chance) |
Enemy settings
| Setting | What it changes | Range |
|---|---|---|
randomSpawnerAmount | How many enemies spawn | Few, Normal, Many, Extreme |
aggroPoolAmount | How many enemies attack at once | Few, Normal, Many, Extreme |
enemyDamageFactor | Enemy damage (not bosses) | 0.25 to 5 |
enemyHealthFactor | Enemy health (not bosses) | 0.25 to 4 |
bossDamageFactor | Boss damage | 0.2 to 5 |
bossHealthFactor | Boss health | 0.2 to 5 |
pacifyAllEnemies | Enemies only fight back when attacked | true / false |
Resources and progress
| Setting | What it changes | Range |
|---|---|---|
resourceDropStackAmountFactor | Materials per loot stack | 0.25 to 2 |
miningDamageFactor | Mining speed and yield | 0.5 to 2 |
plantGrowthSpeedFactor | How fast crops grow | 0.25 to 2 |
factoryProductionSpeedFactor | Workstation crafting speed | 0.25 to 2 |
experienceCombatFactor | XP from combat | 0.25 to 2 |
experienceExplorationQuestsFactor | XP from exploring and quests | 0.25 to 2 |
Day and night
dayTimeDuration and nightTimeDuration set how long day and night last. They use nanoseconds, a very small unit of time, so the numbers look huge. One minute is 60000000000.
| Length | Value |
|---|---|
| 2 minutes (shortest) | 120000000000 |
| 12 minutes (default night) | 720000000000 |
| 30 minutes (default day) | 1800000000000 |
| 60 minutes (longest) | 3600000000000 |
Roles and passwords
Enshrouded uses user groups instead of a single server password. Each group has its own password, and the password a player joins with decides what they are allowed to do.
You'll find them in the userGroups section. By default, there are four:
| Group | Build in bases | Use chests | Build Flame Altars | Kick and ban |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Friend | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Guest | No | No | No | No |
| Visitor | No | No | No | No |
Everyone can explore, fight, mine and do quests outside bases. Visitors can't change the world at all.
Each group looks like this:
{
"name": "Friend",
"password": "pick-a-password",
"canKickBan": false,
"canAccessInventories": true,
"canEditWorld": true,
"canEditBase": true,
"canExtendBase": false,
"reservedSlots": 0
}| Permission | What it allows |
|---|---|
canKickBan | Kick and ban players |
canAccessInventories | Open chests and other containers |
canEditWorld | Change the world outside bases |
canEditBase | Build and remove blocks inside bases |
canExtendBase | Place, upgrade and remove Flame Altars |
reservedSlots | Slots kept free for this group |
To make yourself admin, join with the Admin group's password. Keep that password to yourself.
Reserved slots keep room for your regulars. For example, "reservedSlots": 2 on the Friend group means two slots stay open for friends, even when the server is busy.
New servers get random passwords, which keeps strangers out. Change them to something you can share with your group.
Other useful settings
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
name | The server name players search for |
slotCount | Maximum players, from 1 to 16 |
enableVoiceChat | Turns voice chat on or off |
voiceChatMode | Proximity (nearby players) or Global (everyone) |
enableTextChat | Turns text chat on or off |
Leave ip, queryPort, saveDirectory and logDirectory as they are. We set them up for you, and changing them can stop the server from starting.
Related guides
- How to Set Up Your Enshrouded Dedicated Server
- Enshrouded 1.0: What Changes for Your Server
- Need more room for a bigger group? See our Enshrouded server hosting plans.
Still stuck?
If a setting doesn't seem to apply, check that the preset is Custom and that you stopped the server before editing. Still not right? Open a support ticket with your server ID from the Dashboard.
Did this solve it?
If you are still stuck, our team can look at your server directly.