Palworld Gameplay Settings changes do nothing

When a Palworld server's Gameplay Settings do nothing in the game, the world most likely has a WorldOption.sav: worlds from single-player or co-op carry their own settings in it, and Palworld then ignores the page. Worlds marks such a world Own settings. Delete the file with the server stopped, or import the world again.

Check for Own settings

1. Open your server in the panel and click Worlds in the left menu.
2. Look at the world marked Loaded. If it also says Own settings, the world has a WorldOption.sav: "This world has a WorldOption.sav, so Palworld uses the settings saved in it and ignores the Gameplay Settings page."

The Console says so at every start too, with a line that starts [playnhost] WARNING and names the file. That line checks every world on the server, not only the loaded one, and it still calls the page "the Config page": it means Gameplay Settings.

Fix it

Either of these:

• Delete the file. Stop the server. In Files, open Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/, then the world's folder (its ID is on the Worlds page), and delete WorldOption.sav. Start the server. Download the file first if you may want it back.
• Import the world again. Download the world, then upload it on the Worlds page with Keep the world's own settings off. The import moves WorldOption.sav aside into the world's .pnh-removed folder: How to upload your own Palworld world.

Your Gameplay Settings then apply from the next start.

Other causes

• No restart. Save only applies the change at the next start. Click Save & restart, or restart the server.
• The setting is not on this page. The server name, passwords, player limit and crossplay are under Game Settings, because the panel writes them at every start. A change to those keys in PalWorldSettings.ini by hand is overwritten: How to set up your Palworld server.
• A setting Palworld does not use on its own. Some settings work together, for example Reset a guild after this long with nobody online (hours) is ignored while Reset guilds nobody plays in is off: Palworld server settings: every option explained.
• Difficulty. Leave Difficulty on None to use your own values. Its description: "Difficulty preset. Leave as None to use the individual settings."