The server settings of DayZ determine how your server feels: from the amount of loot to the length of the night. DayZ uses a complex system of XML files for the economy and a server config for the basic settings. In this article we explain every setting and provide recommendations for different play styles.
Configuration files
DayZ uses two types of configuration:
- serverDZ.cfg: the main configuration with server name, password, player limit and basic rules.
- Mission files (in the
mpmissions/folder): XML files that control the loot economy, spawns and events.
Loot economy: types.xml
The file types.xml is the heart of the DayZ economy. Every item in the game has an entry here with parameters that determine how often, where and how many of it spawn.
| Parameter | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
nominal | Desired total on the map | 10 = maximum 10 copies |
min | Minimum before respawn begins | 5 = respawn starts when fewer than 5 remain |
lifetime | How long an item stays on the ground (seconds) | 7200 = 2 hours |
restock | Time to refill containers | 1800 = 30 minutes |
quantmin / quantmax | Fill percentage (e.g. how many bullets in a box) | 50 / 100 |
By lowering the nominal value of rare weapons you make them even scarcer. By increasing the value for food you make survival easier.
Spawn points: cfgspawnabletypes.xml
This file determines which items can spawn at specific location types. You can link items to:
- Military buildings: weapons, ammunition and tactical gear
- Medical locations: bandages, medicine and blood bags
- Civilian buildings: food, clothing and tools
- Industrial locations: building materials and vehicle parts
Adjust these mappings to make your server's loot tables unique.
Time acceleration
In serverDZ.cfg you set the time acceleration with these parameters:
| Setting | Default | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
serverTimeAcceleration | 1 | Speed of the day/night cycle. 1 = real time, 12 = 1 real hour is 12 in-game hours |
serverNightTimeAcceleration | 1 | Extra acceleration during the night. Higher value = shorter nights |
serverTimePersistent | 0 | 1 = time continues when the server is off |
The most popular configuration for community servers is a time acceleration of 4 to 8 during the day and 12 to 24 at night. This provides long days with short nights, so players do not have to spend too long in the dark.
Weather
The weather settings are in the file cfgweather.xml in the mission folder. You can set how often it rains, how cold it gets and how thick the fog can be. Extreme weather makes the game more realistic but also harder for new players.
Player settings
- maxPlayers: the maximum number of players. Default 60. Lower this on servers with limited hardware.
- verifySignatures: 2 = mandatory BattlEye anti-cheat. Always keep this on.
- disableThirdPerson: 1 = first-person only. Popular on hardcore servers.
- enableCfgGameplayFile: 1 = load additional gameplay settings from
cfggameplay.json.
cfggameplay.json: advanced gameplay options
This file contains advanced options:
- Stamina: on/off and exhaustion rate.
- Food and drink rate: how quickly hunger and thirst increase.
- Damage: multiplier for damage from zombies and players.
- Object placement: whether players can build bases and with what restrictions.
How do I make loot scarcer without making the game unfair?
Lower the nominal values in types.xml by 30 to 50 percent, but at the same time slightly increase the spawn rate of basic food and medical items. This makes weapons and advanced gear rarer without new players immediately starving to death.
What time acceleration is most popular?
On community servers an acceleration of 6x during the day and 12x at night is the most popular. This gives roughly 2 hours of daylight and 1 hour of night per cycle. Hardcore servers opt for 1x to 2x with realistic nights.
Why HostValues?
DayZ servers at HostValues run on AMD Ryzen 9 7950X hardware with NVMe storage and DDoS protection included. Edit your configuration files through the game panel and restart with one click. All plans can be cancelled monthly. Check out DayZ hosting.
