These are the options on the Settings, Game Settings page of a PlayNHost ARK: Survival Evolved server, taken from the panel's own definitions. Rows marked read only are set by your plan or the server and cannot be changed.
All settings
| Setting | What it does | Allowed | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Server Password | Set a password and your server still appears in the browser, but players are asked for it before they can join. Leave it empty for a server anyone can join. Letters, numbers, dashes and underscores only. | 1 to 100 characters, letters, numbers, dashes and underscores | empty |
| Admin Password | Unlocks the admin commands in the in-game console for whoever types it, letting them spawn items, fly, and change the world. Anyone who has it effectively controls your server, so set your own and share it only with people you trust. Letters, numbers, dashes and underscores only. | 1 to 100 characters, letters, numbers, dashes and underscores | a default is set, change it |
| Server Map | Which ARK map your server loads. Change it and restart to move everyone to a different world. Each map keeps its own separate save, so switching away does not destroy anything - switch back and your original world returns as you left it. Official maps: TheIsland, TheCenter, Ragnarok, ScorchedEarth_P, Aberration_P, Extinction, Valguero_P, Genesis, CrystalIsles, Gen2, Fjordur. If you run a mod that adds its own map, type that map's name here instead. | up to 20 characters, no spaces, double quotes, backslashes, asterisks or question marks | TheIsland |
| Server Name | The name players see for your server in ARK's in-game server browser. Change it and restart, then refresh the browser list in game and the new name appears. | up to 128 characters, no double quotes, backslashes or question marks | A PlaynHost ARK Server |
| Auto-update server | Check for a game update each time the server starts. Turn this off only if you need to stay on a specific build for mod compatibility. | on or off | off |
| BattlEye Anti-Cheat | BattlEye is ARK's anti-cheat. Leave it on and players connect with BattlEye running, which is what most servers do. Turn it off and players join without it - some mods and older clients need this, but your server then has no cheat protection. | on or off | on |
| Extra Launch Options | Extra options for features that have no field of their own - for example -crossplay to let Epic Games players join, or -exclusivejoin to run a whitelist. Each option starts with a dash and they are separated by spaces. Leave it empty unless you know you need one. | text | empty |
| Steam Workshop Mod IDs | Steam Workshop mod IDs to load, comma-separated with no spaces - for example: 1404697612,731604991. Find the ID at the end of a mod's Steam Workshop URL (.../sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1404697612). Only IDs from the ARK: Survival Evolved workshop work here. The server downloads and installs the mods itself the next time it starts, so the first start after you change this list takes noticeably longer than usual - let it finish. Restart the server to apply any change to this list. Mods are loaded in the order listed, which is also their priority order: when two mods change the same thing, the one listed first wins. | numbers separated by commas | empty |
| Max Players (read only) | The most players that can be on your server at once. This is the limit that comes with your plan - upgrade your plan to raise it. | set by your plan or the server | set by your plan |
Good to know
- Server Name, passwords, map, BattlEye, auto-update, mods and launch options are all read when the server starts, so restart the server after changing any of them. Gameplay rates and rules (taming speed, harvest amounts, PvE and so on) have no panel field. To change them, stop the server, open Files, go to ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/, edit GameUserSettings.ini, save, and start the server. ARK discards edits to its ini files made while the server is running, so always stop it first. Keep the passwords and the map in the panel rather than in the ini file, because the panel's values are used at every start.
- The panel saves a value when you leave its field. If the value is not allowed, the panel tells you and keeps the old one.
- Passwords and tokens are not listed with a value. Each server starts with one set for you, or with none, as the row says. Change any password before you invite players.
- To open the page, follow How to set up your ARK: Survival Evolved server or How to change your server settings.
